YouTube's block feature stops a specific person from contacting you, commenting on your videos, and seeing your channel

When you block someone on YouTube, they cannot send you direct messages, leave comments on your videos, or see your channel in search results or recommendations. The blocked person will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they will notice they can no longer message you or comment on your uploads. If they try to visit your channel directly by typing the URL, they will see a message saying the channel is not available.

Blocking is different from deleting a comment or reporting someone. A block is permanent until you choose to unblock the person, while deleting a comment removes it once but does not stop that person from commenting again. Reporting sends information to YouTube's moderation team if someone has violated community guidelines.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block someone from your channel settings or from their comment or message directly.
  • A blocked person cannot message you, comment on your videos, or see your channel unless they log out or use a different account.
  • YouTube does not notify the blocked person, but they will discover the block when they try to interact with you.
  • You can unblock someone at any time from your blocked users list in channel settings.

How to block someone from their comment or message

The fastest way to block someone is to act directly from their comment or message. If someone has left a comment on one of your videos, click the three vertical dots next to their comment. A menu will appear with options including "Block user." Click that option and YouTube will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, that person is blocked.

If someone has sent you a direct message, open the message and look for the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the conversation. Click those dots and select "Block user" from the menu. The conversation will disappear from your inbox, and that person will no longer be able to send you messages.

How to block someone from your channel settings

You can also block someone without waiting for them to comment or message you. Go to your YouTube channel and click your profile icon in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu, then click "Community" in the left sidebar. Scroll down to find "Blocked users" and click "Manage all."

In the blocked users section, you will see a text box that says "Block a user." Type the username or channel name of the person you want to block and click the block icon next to the text box. YouTube will confirm the block, and that person is now blocked from your channel.

What a blocked person can and cannot do

A blocked person cannot send you direct messages, leave comments on your videos, or see your channel when they are logged into their account. If they search for your channel by name, it will not appear in their results. If they try to visit your channel by typing your URL directly into the browser, they will see a message saying "This channel is not available."

However, a blocked person can still watch your videos if they are not logged in, or if they create a new account and log in with that account instead. Blocking prevents interaction and visibility, not access to public video content. If you want to prevent someone from watching your videos entirely, you would need to make those videos private or unlisted instead.

How to unblock someone

If you change your mind about blocking someone, you can unblock them at any time. Go to your channel settings, click "Community," and then click "Manage all" under "Blocked users." You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click the "X" or unblock button next to their name. Once you unblock them, they can message you and comment on your videos again.

Unblocking someone does not restore deleted comments or messages. If you deleted their comments before blocking them, those comments will not reappear. The person will simply regain the ability to comment and message going forward.

When to block versus delete or report

Use the block feature when you want to stop a specific person from interacting with you long-term. Use the delete comment feature when you want to remove a single comment but do not necessarily want to prevent that person from commenting again. Use the report feature when someone has violated YouTube's community guidelines — for example, if they are harassing you, posting spam, or sharing content that is illegal or hateful.

You can do all three actions on the same person. You might delete a harassing comment, report the person for harassment, and then block them to prevent future contact. Each action serves a different purpose, and YouTube allows you to combine them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

YouTube does not send a notification when you block someone. However, they will figure it out when they try to message you or comment on your videos and see that they cannot. If they visit your channel directly, they will see a message saying it is not available.

Can a blocked person still see my videos if they log out?

Yes. Blocking only works when someone is logged into their account. If they log out and watch YouTube as a guest, they can see your public videos. If they create a new account, they can also see your videos with that account. Blocking prevents interaction, not access to public content.

Can I block someone without them knowing my username?

You need to know their username or channel name to block them from your settings. If you only know their real name or email address, you cannot block them directly. However, if they comment on your videos or message you, you can block them from that comment or message without needing to know their username first.

What happens to comments from someone I blocked before I blocked them?

Comments they left before you blocked them will remain on your videos unless you delete them. Blocking does not automatically remove their past comments. You can delete their comments manually if you want them gone.

Can I block multiple people at once?

No. You must block people one at a time, either from their individual comments or messages, or by typing their username into the blocked users section of your settings. There is no bulk block feature on YouTube.