What blocking does on YouTube

Blocking a video or channel on YouTube removes it from your recommendations, search results, and your home feed. It does not delete the video or prevent the creator from uploading — it only hides their content from your own account. If you block a channel, you also block all videos from that creator at once.

YouTube offers two separate blocking tools. You can block individual videos without blocking the entire channel, which is useful if you dislike one video but want to see future uploads from that creator. Or you can block an entire channel, which removes everything from that person or organization from your view.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a video hides only that one video from your recommendations and search results, while blocking a channel hides all videos from that creator.
  • You can block a video by clicking the three-dot menu next to the video title and selecting "Don't recommend channel" or by using the thumbs-down button on the video player.
  • To block an entire channel, open the channel page and click the three-dot menu next to the channel name, then select "Block user."
  • Blocked content does not appear in your recommendations or search results, but the creator can still see their own videos and you can unblock them at any time.

How to block a single video

When you see a video you do not want to see again, you have two quick options. The first is to click the thumbs-down button below the video player. This tells YouTube's algorithm you dislike the content, and it will show you fewer similar videos over time. The thumbs-down does not fully block the video — it may still appear in search results or recommendations if you search for related topics.

For a stronger block, click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the video title. Select "Don't recommend channel" from the dropdown. This removes that specific video and future videos from that channel from your recommendations and home feed. The video will still appear in search results if you search for it directly, but YouTube will stop suggesting it to you.

How to block an entire channel

To block all videos from a creator at once, go to their channel page. You can reach it by clicking the channel name under any of their videos. Once you are on the channel page, look for the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the channel name at the top of the page.

Click that menu and select "Block user." YouTube will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, all videos from that channel disappear from your recommendations, search results, and home feed. Comments from that channel will also be hidden from videos you watch.

Where blocked content stops appearing

Blocked videos and channels are removed from your YouTube home feed, your recommendations sidebar, and your search results. If you search for a topic and a blocked creator has uploaded about it, their video will not show up in your results.

Blocked creators can still see their own videos and their own channel. They do not receive a notification that you blocked them. If you visit their channel page directly by typing the URL, you can still see it — blocking only removes their content from your automatic feeds and recommendations.

How to unblock a video or channel

If you change your mind, you can unblock content at any time. Go to your YouTube account settings by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner and selecting "Settings." Then click "Privacy" in the left menu.

Scroll down to "Blocked users" and you will see a list of every channel you have blocked. Click the X next to any channel name to unblock it. Once you unblock a channel, their videos will start appearing in your recommendations and search results again.

The difference between blocking and reporting

Blocking hides content from your own account only. Reporting is different — it tells YouTube that a video or channel violates YouTube's rules, such as containing hate speech, harassment, or misinformation. When you report something, YouTube's team reviews it to decide whether to remove it from the platform entirely.

Use blocking when you simply do not want to see content anymore. Use reporting when you believe content breaks YouTube's community guidelines. You can do both at the same time — the three-dot menu lets you report and block in the same action.

Blocking on mobile devices

On the YouTube mobile app for iPhone or Android, blocking works the same way. When watching a video, tap the three-dot menu above the video title and select "Don't recommend channel." To block an entire channel, go to the channel page, tap the three-dot menu next to the channel name, and select "Block user."

To unblock on mobile, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, select "Settings," then "Privacy," then "Blocked users." Tap the X next to any channel to unblock it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a creator see that I blocked them?

No. Creators cannot see who has blocked them or how many people have blocked their channel. YouTube does not notify them. They can only see their own view count and engagement metrics.

Will blocking a channel stop them from commenting on my videos?

If you have a YouTube channel and someone has blocked you, they will not see your comments on other videos. However, blocking does not prevent someone from commenting on your channel — you would need to delete their comments or use YouTube's comment moderation tools for that.

What happens if I block someone and they send me a message?

If you block a channel, they cannot send you direct messages through YouTube. Any messages they try to send will not reach you. If they already sent you messages before you blocked them, those old messages remain in your inbox but you will not receive new ones from them.

Does blocking a channel on YouTube block them everywhere on Google?

No. Blocking on YouTube only affects YouTube. It does not block them on Gmail, Google Search, or any other Google service. Each Google product has its own blocking and reporting tools.

Can I block a video without blocking the whole channel?

Yes. Click the three-dot menu next to the video title and select "Don't recommend channel." This blocks only that video and future videos from that channel from your recommendations, but does not fully block the channel. You can still search for and watch other videos from that creator if you want to.