How to block email sender without opening the email. Right-clicking on the sender name opens the email.

Thanks, Grant! My Protect Mail Activity setting has always been turned on.

I've now realized that the problem was with my trackpad secondary click setting which was set to recognize two fingers instead of the bottom right corner. I changed that setting and now I'm able to block senders without opening the email.

Thanks, Jim! I just realized that my trackpad secondary click setting was set to recognize two fingers rather than bottom right corner. I've changed it and now right-clicking works as it should and I'm able to block sender without opening the email. Thank you for your response!

When I Right-Click on the email in the sidebar, it brings up the block option without opening the email. I am on Mac OS 26.7.1 if that makes a difference.

Here is an example:

you can safely open problematic emails after making certain you have this setting:

mail > settings > privacy ...

Protect Mail Activity ON

Emails you receive may include remote content that allows the email’s sender to learn information about you. When you open an email, information about your Mail activity can be collected by the sender without transparency and an ability to control what information is shared. Email senders may learn when and how many times you opened their email, whether you forwarded the email, your Internet Protocol (IP) address, and other data that can be used to build a profile of your behavior and learn your location.

Protect Mail Activity helps protect your privacy by preventing email senders, including Apple, from learning information about your Mail activity. When you receive an email in the Mail app, rather than downloading remote content when you open an email, Protect Mail Activity downloads remote content in the background by default — regardless of whether you engage with the email. Apple does not learn any information about the content.

In addition, Protect Mail Activity routes all remote content downloaded by Mail through two separate relays operated by different entities. The first knows your IP address, but not the remote Mail content you receive. The second knows the remote Mail content you receive, but not your IP address, instead providing a generalized identity to the destination. This way, no single entity has the information to identify both you and the remote Mail content you receive. Senders can’t use your IP address as a unique identifier to connect your activity across websites or apps to build a profile about you.

You can disable Protect Mail Activity at any time in iOS and iPadOS by going to Settings > Apps > Mail > Privacy Protection, then tapping to turn off Protect Mail Activity. On Mac, go to Mail > Settings > Privacy, then deselect Protect Mail Activity.

If you choose to disable Protect Mail Activity, the Hide IP Address feature will still mask your IP address using the same two-separate-internet-relays design. You can disable Hide IP Address at any time in iOS and iPadOS by going to Settings > Apps > Mail > Privacy Protection, then tapping to turn off Hide IP Address. On Mac, go to Mail > Settings > Privacy, then deselect Hide IP Address.

By using these features, you agree and consent to Apple’s and its subsidiaries’ and agents’ transmission, collection, maintenance, processing, and use of this information as described above.

At all times, information collected by Apple will be treated in accordance with Apple’s Privacy Policy, which can be found at www.apple.com/privacy.

janefrommemphis wrote:

Thanks, Jim! I just realized that my trackpad secondary click setting was set to recognize two fingers rather than bottom right corner. I've changed it and now right-clicking works as it should and I'm able to block sender without opening the email. Thank you for your response!

Great to hear, and thanks for the update!