How to Unblock a Sender in Outlook Email on Any Device

To unblock a sender in Outlook, remove their email address or domain from your blocked senders list. In classic Outlook for Windows, open Home > Junk > Junk E-mail Options > Blocked Senders, select the entry, and choose Remove. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email and remove the entry under Blocked senders and domains. The exact menus differ by app, so use the section below that matches your version. You will need access to the Outlook account receiving the messages.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook account where you want to receive the sender’s email.
A web browser or the Outlook app on your computer or phone. If you have several Outlook versions available, identify whether you use classic Outlook or new Outlook for Windows.
The sender’s full email address, or the domain after the @ symbol if you intend to unblock an entire domain. Check the spelling carefully before removing an entry.

Step-by-Step

Identify the Outlook version and account. Check which mailbox is selected before changing anything, especially if Outlook has more than one account. Classic Outlook for Windows has the traditional ribbon and a File tab; new Outlook has a modern interface and a Settings gear. Outlook on the web is open in a browser. The blocked list belongs to the account you are using, so changing a different account’s settings will not affect the messages you are waiting for.
Open the blocked senders list in new Outlook or Outlook on the web. Select the Settings gear in the upper-right corner. Choose Mail, then Junk email. Under Blocked senders and domains, look for the sender’s full address or a domain entry. In Outlook.com and work or school accounts, wording or layout can vary slightly; if you do not see Junk email immediately, use the Settings search field and search for “blocked senders” or “junk email.”
Remove the address in new Outlook or on the web. Find the matching row and select its remove, delete, or trash-can control. If the list allows selection by checkbox, select only the entry you mean to unblock, then choose Remove. If the sender appears as a domain, such as example.com, removing it may allow messages from every address at that domain. Avoid deleting a domain entry if you only intend to unblock one person.
Unblock a sender in classic Outlook for Windows. Select the Home tab, open the Junk drop-down in the Delete group, and choose Junk E-mail Options. Open the Blocked Senders tab. Select the sender’s email address or domain, choose Remove, and then select OK to save and close the dialog. If you cannot find Junk E-mail Options on the ribbon, check the Junk menu or use Outlook’s command search to look for that option.
Use the message menu as a shortcut when a message is available. In classic Outlook, right-click a message from the sender, choose Junk, and select Never Block Sender. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, open the message and use its report or junk controls to mark it as not junk if that option is offered. This can correct how that message is classified, but it may not remove an address or domain from every blocked list. If messages continue to be blocked, check the list directly using the steps above.
Check Outlook for Mac or the mobile app if that is where you manage mail. In Outlook for Mac, open Outlook’s settings and look for Junk Email or the blocked senders list; remove the matching entry if your version provides that control. On Outlook for iOS or Android, open the Settings gear and look under mail or junk-mail settings for blocked senders. App layouts and available controls change, and some versions do not expose the full list. When you cannot find it, sign in to Outlook on the web with the same account and make the change there.
Save the change and allow time for it to apply. In the classic Outlook dialog, confirm with OK. In the web or new Outlook settings pane, use the page’s save control if one appears; some changes save automatically when you remove the entry. Close and reopen the settings page or refresh the mailbox to confirm the address is no longer listed. If you use Outlook on multiple devices, make sure they are connected and signed in to the same account.
Find messages that arrived while the sender was blocked. Removing a block generally affects future handling; it does not necessarily move older messages back to the Inbox. Search the mailbox, then check Junk Email, Deleted Items, and, if applicable, the archive. If you find a wanted message in Junk, open it and choose Not junk or move it to the Inbox. If you find it in Deleted Items, move it back before that folder is emptied.
Send or request a new test message. Ask the sender to send a new email after you have removed the block. Check the Inbox and Junk Email folder, and confirm the recipient address is correct. A new message is a useful way to check the change without assuming that older mail will be restored automatically.

Common Mistakes

Removing the wrong entry. Blocked lists can contain both individual addresses and whole domains. An address such as alex@example.com is narrower than example.com. Read the full entry before removing it, particularly in a work mailbox shared with other rules or users.

Changing the wrong account’s settings. Outlook can show several mailboxes at once, while settings may apply only to the account currently selected. Confirm the account name or email address in the app and, if in a browser, confirm the signed-in account before editing its list.

Assuming unblocking restores old mail. Removing a blocked entry does not guarantee that messages previously sent to Junk or Deleted Items will return to the Inbox. Search the folders separately and move any wanted message yourself.

Confusing a block with a rule or filter. An Outlook rule may automatically move or delete mail even after you unblock the sender. A focused Inbox setting, sweep action, or organization-level mail filter can also affect where messages appear. If the list is clear but mail still goes missing, inspect those other controls.

Using “Not junk” as the only fix. Marking one message as not junk can help with that message’s classification, but it might not remove a separate blocked-list entry. Check the blocked senders list directly when you want to reverse a block.

Tips

Search the list for the sender’s exact address before making changes. A similar-looking address can belong to someone else.
If a sender uses several addresses, unblock only the addresses you trust. Unblocking a whole domain is convenient but allows mail from all addresses at that domain.
After marking a message as not junk, add the sender to Safe senders and domains only if you want an additional allow-list preference and the setting is available in your Outlook version. Safe-sender settings do not necessarily override every company security policy or mail rule.
For a work or school account, keep the full message details if an expected email is still missing. Your administrator may be able to check quarantine or a mail-flow rule that you cannot see.
When a message is urgent, ask the sender to confirm the exact address they used and resend it after the change. This helps separate a blocked-mail problem from a typo or delivery failure.

Troubleshooting

The sender is not listed. Check for a domain entry that covers the address, and verify that you are looking at the correct mailbox. Also check Junk Email Options in classic Outlook if you initially searched the web settings, or check Outlook on the web if the app does not expose the full list. A message can be classified as junk without the sender being explicitly blocked.

Messages still go to Junk after you unblock the sender. Open a recent message in Junk and mark it as not junk, if available. Then inspect Safe senders and domains, mail rules, and any filters that move messages. If the problem affects a work account, company spam filtering may take priority over personal Outlook settings; contact your IT administrator with the sender address and approximate delivery time.

You removed the address but cannot see a change. Confirm the removal was saved, refresh Outlook, and check that you edited the right account. Sign out and back in only if a refresh does not update the list. If Outlook is offline or not syncing, reconnect it and allow the settings to update before testing again.

You cannot access the settings or remove an entry. Try Outlook on the web using the same account, then check whether your account is managed by an organization. Some controls may be restricted by an administrator, or the mobile app may not offer list management. For a managed mailbox, ask IT to check both the block and any quarantine or mail-flow policy.

A message is missing entirely. Search all mail, including Junk Email, Deleted Items, Archive, and any folders created by rules. Check whether the sender received a delivery failure notice. If no copy appears and there is no bounce message, the sender’s mail system or your organization’s filtering may need to be investigated; unblocking alone cannot recover a message Outlook never received.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does unblocking a sender notify them?
No. Outlook does not normally send a notification when you remove an address from your blocked senders list. The sender will not know unless you tell them or they notice that new messages can reach you.

Will unblocking move old messages back to my Inbox?
Not automatically in every case. Look in Junk Email, Deleted Items, Archive, and other folders, then move any message you want to keep. Messages already permanently deleted or never delivered may not be recoverable from Outlook.

Can I unblock someone in Outlook on my phone?
Possibly. Open the Outlook app’s Settings and look for mail or junk-email controls. The available options vary by app version and account type, so use Outlook on the web if you cannot find a blocked senders list on your phone.

What is the difference between blocking and marking a message as junk?
Blocking adds an address or domain to a list that tells Outlook to treat its mail as unwanted. Marking a message as junk reports or classifies that message. They are related controls, but changing one does not always reverse the other.

Why is a sender still blocked after I remove them?
The address may be covered by a blocked domain, a separate rule, a different account’s list, or an organization-level filter. Check those possibilities and test with a newly sent message. For a work or school mailbox, ask the administrator to check policies you cannot access.

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