What blocking a subscriber actually does

Blocking a subscriber on YouTube prevents that person from viewing your channel, commenting on your videos, and sending you direct messages. When you block someone, they cannot find your channel by searching for your name, see your uploads in their subscription feed, or access any videos you have posted — even if they have the direct link. The blocked person will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but if they try to visit your channel directly, they will see a message saying the channel is not available.

Blocking is different from deleting a comment or disabling comments entirely. When you delete a single comment, that person can still watch your videos and post again. Blocking removes their access to your entire channel. It is a stronger action meant for people whose behavior is disruptive or unwanted — not for disagreement in the comments section.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block a subscriber from your channel's Community tab or from their profile page, and the process takes less than one minute.
  • A blocked person cannot see your channel, watch your videos, or comment, but they will not be told they are blocked.
  • Blocking only affects your channel — the person can still use YouTube and watch other creators' content normally.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to your channel settings and finding them in your blocked users list.

How to block someone from the Community tab

The fastest way to block a subscriber is directly from a comment they have posted. Open your YouTube channel and click the Community tab near the top. Scroll through your recent posts and comments until you find the person you want to block. Next to their comment or post, click the three vertical dots (the menu icon). A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Click "Block user" from that menu. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click "Block" again in the confirmation window. The person is now blocked. Their comment will disappear from your Community tab, and they will no longer be able to interact with your channel in any way. If you change your mind later, you can undo this action by clicking "Undo" in the notification that appears at the bottom of your screen for a few seconds after blocking.

How to block someone from their profile page

If you want to block someone but do not have a specific comment in front of you, you can visit their channel profile directly. Search for their username in YouTube's search bar, or if you have watched their channel before, find them in your watch history. Click on their channel name to open their profile page.

At the top right of their profile, you will see a "Subscribe" button (if you are not subscribed) or an "Unsubscribe" button (if you are). Next to that button, click the three vertical dots. A menu will drop down with options including "Block user." Click it, then confirm in the popup window. The person is now blocked from your channel.

Managing your blocked users list

YouTube keeps a record of everyone you have blocked. To see this list or unblock someone, go to your YouTube channel and click your profile icon in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu. On the left side, click "Community" or "Moderation" (the exact name depends on your account type). Look for a section called "Blocked users" — this shows everyone you have currently blocked.

To unblock someone, find their name in the list and click the X or "Unblock" button next to it. They will when ready regain access to your channel. There is no waiting period or confirmation required — unblocking happens right away. You can block and unblock the same person as many times as you need to.

What happens when you block someone on a channel you manage

If you manage a YouTube channel for a business, organization, or brand (rather than your personal channel), the blocking process works the same way. You still access it through the Community tab or the user's profile. However, other managers of that channel will not see your blocked users list — each manager has their own separate list of people they have blocked. This means one manager can block someone while another manager on the same channel does not.

If you want all managers to block the same person, each one will need to block them individually. There is no way to share a blocked users list across multiple channel managers or to set a channel-wide block that applies to everyone managing it.

When blocking is not the right tool

Blocking removes someone's access entirely, which is useful for harassment, spam, or repeated rule-breaking. But if you just want to remove one offensive comment, deleting it is usually better — the person can still watch your videos and may not even realize you deleted their comment. If you are getting many unwanted comments but do not want to block specific people, you can turn on "Strict" comment filtering in your channel settings, which automatically hides comments YouTube thinks might be spam or harassment.

You can also restrict comments from people who are not subscribed to your channel, or require comments to be approved before they appear. These tools let you control your channel without blocking individuals. Use blocking when someone's behavior is serious enough that you do not want them on your channel at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a blocked person tell they are blocked?

No. When a blocked person tries to visit your channel, they see a message saying the channel is unavailable, but YouTube does not tell them they were specifically blocked. They might assume the channel was deleted or made private. You do not need to worry about them knowing the reason.

If I block someone, do they get refunded for a channel membership?

No. If a blocked person paid for a channel membership (a paid subscription tier), that money is not refunded when you block them. However, they will lose access to the membership benefits when ready. If this is a concern, you can contact YouTube Support to discuss the situation, though refunds are not may provide.

Can I block someone without them being subscribed to my channel?

Yes. You do not have to be subscribed to someone's channel to block them, and they do not have to be subscribed to yours. You can block anyone who has commented on your videos, posted in your Community tab, or whose profile you can find through search.

What if someone creates a new account after I block them?

You would need to block the new account separately. YouTube does not automatically block someone across all their accounts. If someone is repeatedly creating new accounts to harass you, you can report them to YouTube for ban evasion, which is against YouTube's terms of service.

Does blocking someone remove their old comments from my videos?

No. Blocking prevents future comments, but their old comments stay on your videos unless you delete them manually. If you want their past comments gone, you will need to delete each one individually or use YouTube's comment moderation tools to hide them.