How to block a DeviantArt account
You can block another user on DeviantArt through your account settings in about 30 seconds. Go to your profile, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Settings, then choose Blocked Users from the left sidebar. Paste or type the username you want to block in the text field and click Block User. That account can no longer message you, comment on your work, or see your profile.
Once you block someone, they won't receive a notification that you blocked them — but they will notice if they try to visit your profile or send you a message and can't. If you change your mind, you can unblock them the same way by going back to Blocked Users and clicking Unblock next to their name.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking prevents a user from messaging you, commenting on your posts, and viewing your profile or portfolio.
- The blocked user will not be notified of the block, but will see the effect if they try to interact with you.
- You can block someone whether or not you follow them, and blocking does not remove their existing comments from your work.
- DeviantArt also offers a mute feature that hides a user's activity from your feed without blocking them entirely.
What blocking does and does not do
When you block someone on DeviantArt, they lose the ability to send you direct messages, comment on your deviations (artwork or writing), or view your profile page. Their comments that already exist on your work will remain visible unless you delete them manually — blocking does not retroactively remove old comments.
Blocking also prevents them from seeing your activity in their feed, such as when you favorite or comment on other users' work. However, if you have a public portfolio, a blocked user can still see your work if they search for it directly or find it through another user's page. Blocking is about preventing direct contact and interaction, not about hiding your public content entirely.
The difference between blocking and muting
DeviantArt offers two separate tools, and they work differently. Muting hides a user's activity from your own feed — you won't see their comments, favorites, or posts in your notifications or activity stream. The muted user can still message you, comment on your work, and see your profile. You are straightforward choosing not to see their activity.
Use muting when someone is not harassing you but their content or activity is annoying. Use blocking when someone is sending unwanted messages, leaving hostile comments, or you want to cut off contact entirely. You can mute a user by clicking the three-dot menu on their profile and selecting Mute User.
Removing old comments from a blocked user
Blocking does not delete comments that a user has already left on your work. If you want those comments gone, you need to delete them yourself. Go to the deviation where the comment appears, click the three-dot menu next to the comment, and select Delete Comment. You can do this for any comment on your own work, whether the user is blocked or not.
If a user has left many comments across multiple pieces, you may want to delete them all at once. There is no bulk-delete feature, so you will need to go through each one. If the harassment is severe or ongoing, take screenshots of the comments before deleting them — you may need evidence if you report the user to DeviantArt's support team.
When to report instead of just blocking
Blocking stops someone from contacting you, but it does not stop them from harassing other users. If someone is sending threats, posting hate speech, sharing non-consensual intimate images, or engaging in other serious violations of DeviantArt's terms of service, report them to DeviantArt support instead of (or in addition to) blocking.
To report a user, visit their profile, click the three-dot menu, and select Report User. Describe what they did and include links to the specific posts or messages if possible. DeviantArt's moderation team reviews reports and can suspend or ban accounts that violate the platform's rules. Blocking protects you; reporting protects the community.
Blocking on mobile versus desktop
The process is slightly different depending on whether you use the DeviantArt website or the mobile app. On the website, go to Settings > Blocked Users as described above. On the mobile app (iOS or Android), tap your profile icon at the bottom, go to Settings, scroll down to Privacy, and select Blocked Users. The rest of the process is the same.
If you block someone on the website, they are blocked across all platforms — the app, the website, and any other way they might try to reach you. You do not need to block them separately on mobile.
What to do if someone creates a new account to contact you
If someone you blocked creates a new account and tries to contact you anyway, that is harassment. Block the new account the same way you blocked the first one. If this pattern continues, report all of the accounts to DeviantArt support with a note that they are the same person evading your block. Include usernames and dates if you can.
DeviantArt takes ban evasion seriously, and repeated attempts to contact someone who has blocked you can result in a permanent suspension. Document each new account and each contact attempt so you have a record if you need to escalate the report.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a blocked user still see my public gallery?
If your portfolio is set to public, a blocked user can find your work through search or by visiting another user's page that links to you. Blocking prevents them from messaging you and commenting, but does not hide your public content. If you want to hide your work from a specific person, you would need to make your portfolio private or limit who can see it through your privacy settings.
Will the blocked user know I blocked them?
They will not receive a notification saying "you have been blocked." However, if they try to visit your profile, send you a message, or comment on your work, they will see an error or message indicating they cannot perform that action. They may then realize you blocked them.
Can I block someone without them knowing I viewed their profile?
DeviantArt does not show users who has viewed their profile, so viewing someone's profile before blocking them will not alert them. You can visit their page, see what you need to see, and block them without them knowing you were ever there.
What happens to my messages if I block someone?
Old messages between you and a blocked user remain in your message history, but the blocked user cannot send you new messages. You can still read old conversations, but you cannot reply. If you want to delete the conversation, you can remove it from your inbox.
Can I unblock someone and then block them again?
Yes. Unblocking someone does not prevent you from blocking them again later. There is no waiting period or limit on how many times you can block and unblock the same user, though repeatedly blocking and unblocking the same person may indicate a pattern worth reporting if it is part of harassment.