How does this Block sender button on iOS mail work?

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Level 1

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How does this Block sender button on iOS mail work?

For years, the trash can was the first icon that showed up when I swiped left on an email message. My muscle memory had been so accustomed to it to delete a message.

Now, a new icon has showed up in its place, but it's inconsistent. It doesn't come up every time, or on every message or sender. It's like a "Block sender" but I have accidentally tapped it a couple times when trying to delete an email and I am wondering what happens when you tap on it. Is it putting them in Spam or Junk? Because I looked in there and didn't see the messages I deleted. I also went to my Blocked senders, and I only see phone numbers in there, no email addresses. So what is the function of this button and how do I Undo its action? Did I miss the memo??

iPhone 12 mini, iOS 18

Posted on Mar 23, 2025 6:21 AM

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Answer 1

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AlWeir

Level 5

5,073 points

Mar 23, 2025 6:53 AM in response to doug526

On iOS Mail, the "Block this Contact" feature prevents future emails from a specific sender by automatically moving those emails to the Trash folder and preventing alerts from appearing when they send a new email.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

How to Block:
In the Mail app, tap on the sender's name in an email, then select "Block this Contact".
Automatic Trash:
Blocked emails are automatically moved to the Trash folder, preventing them from cluttering your inbox.
No Alerts:
You won't receive alerts or notifications when a blocked sender sends you an email.
Works Across Devices:
Blocking a sender in Mail works across all your Apple devices.
Unblocking:
You can unblock a sender by going to the Blocked Sender Options and removing them from the list.

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