It can be very frustrating when mass forwards clutter one’s e-mail inbox. Sometimes simply replying to the forwards and asking to be removed from the list is effective, but when it is not there is the option of blocking the e-mail address that the forwards are coming from.

Blocking an e-mail address is not as effective for spam as it is for forwards. People who send spam can use a new address (domain) for nearly every e-mail they send out. Only block e-mail addresses of individuals who send e-mails that one is not interested in reading and it will save the time of having to delete the e-mails individually.

When one blocks an e-mail address, all of the e-mails that that address sent will automatically be sent to one’s Trash folder. Blocking an e-mail address is not a permanent decision. If for some reason one wants to unblock an e-mail address, it is as simple as blocking an e-mail address. Below are steps to blocking e-mail addresses in G-mail, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Mail Classic, and Windows Live Hot-mail.

Block E-mail in G-mail

Follow these steps to send e-mails from an individual sender directly to the Trash folder:

  1. At the top of the G-mail mailbox near the search buttons, there is a Create a Filter link. Click the link.
  2. Under From, type in the e-mail address to be blocked.
  3. To block an entire domain, simply type in the domain. So, to block all e-mails from @example.com, type in @example.com.
  4. To block more than one e-mail address, separate the addresses with the vertical bar that is usually above the backslash on the keyboard. It looks like this: |. So, to block two e-mail addresses, type in smith@example.com|jones@example.com.
  5. After the e-mail address(es) have been typed in, click Next Step.
  6. Under Choose Action, make sure Delete is checked.
  7. Click Create Filter.
  8. To delete messages that were previously received, check Also Apply Filter to ___ Conversations Below.

Depending on one’s preference, one can archive the messages from a particular sender instead of sending the messages to the Trash Folder. Once this is done, one will be able to label the messages instead of deleting them. To do this, check Skip the Inbox (Archive it) and Apply the Label under the Choose Action instead of Delete when one sets up the filter.

Block E-mail in Yahoo! Mail

Follow these steps to send e-mails from an individual sender directly to the Trash folder:

  1. Select Options at the screen’s top left corner, then click Mail Options.
  2. Click on the Spam category on the left-hand of the screen.
  3. Under Add a Blocked Address, type in the e-mail address to be blocked.
  4. Click Add.
  5. Click Save Changes.

Block E-mail in Yahoo! Mail Classic

Follow these steps to send e-mails from an individual sender directly to the Trash folder:

  1. At the top of the navigation bar, click on the Mail Options link.
  2. Under Management, click on Block Addresses.
  3. Under Add Block, enter the e-mail address that you want to block.
  4. Click on Add Block.
  5. Click on Yes.

Block E-mail in Windows Live Hotmail

Follow these steps to send e-mails from an individual sender directly to the Trash folder:

  1. On the Windows Live Hotmail toolbar, click Options then More Options.
  2. Under Preventing Junk E-mail, click the Safe and Blocked Senders link.
  3. Click Blocked Senders.
  4. Under Blocked E-mail Address or Domain, enter the e-mail address to be blocked.
  5. Click Add to List.