(sorry, the mobile app hides this trick). Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top right, then "See all settings."
Whatever the reason, unblocking someone in Gmail isn't just about restoring email flow. It’s about admitting that digital grudges have expiration dates.
After unblocking, send them a test email or ask them to ping you. Once they reply, Gmail remembers: "Oh right, we like this person now." Future messages will land safely in your Primary tab, not the digital dungeon.
Unblocking doesn’t magically retrieve lost emails. If they wrote to you while blocked, those messages are gone forever—deleted at the server level as if they never existed. You’re not reopening a door to the past; you’re simply opening a window to the future.
That’s it. No confirmation dialog asking, "Are you really, really sure?" Just a quiet poof —and the barrier vanishes.
Here’s the strangely satisfying, three-click fix:
Imagine this: You’re expecting an urgent email from a colleague. You refresh your inbox. Nothing. You check Spam. Nada. You’re about to blame the internet gods when a tiny, uncomfortable thought creeps in: What if I did this to myself?
you’ve been missing. Next to it, click "Unblock."