Block
Future messages from that address go to Spam. Good for Inbox protection. Not permanent deletion.
Filter
Rules on sender, subject, words, and more. Actions can include skip inbox, label, forward, or delete (to Trash). Powerful, and easy to forget you set them.
Delete forever
Removes messages from Trash so they are not sitting in the account. This is what people usually mean by "gone."
How to choose
- Need Inbox quiet? Block or filter.
- Need storage back or no residue? Empty Spam/Trash or delete forever.
- Need both, on repeat, for the same senders? Automate: Apps Script or a dedicated extension like Bye.