What blocking a video actually does

Blocking a video on YouTube means telling the platform you do not want to see that video again. YouTube will not show it to you in recommendations, search results, or your home feed. The video stays on the platform — other people can still watch it — but your account will not surface it to you anymore.

This is different from reporting a video, which flags content to YouTube staff if it breaks their rules. Blocking is just a personal preference, like turning off notifications from a channel you followed but no longer want to hear from.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block individual videos through a menu on the video itself, and YouTube will stop recommending that video to you.
  • Blocking a video does not remove it from the platform or affect what other people see.
  • If you want to block all videos from a specific channel, you can unsubscribe or use the "Don't recommend channel" option instead.
  • YouTube does not show you a list of videos you have blocked, so you cannot easily undo a block if you change your mind.

How to block a single video on YouTube

Open the video you want to block. Look for the three vertical dots (called a menu icon) in the top right corner of the video player, or below the video title if you are on a phone. Tap or click those dots.

A menu will appear. Select "Don't recommend channel" if you want to stop seeing videos from that creator, or look for an option that says "Block" or "Not interested." The exact wording changes depending on whether you are on a computer, phone, or tablet, but the three-dot menu is always the starting point.

After you select the option, YouTube removes the video from your recommendations when ready. You will not see it in your feed or search results going forward.

Blocking videos in your recommendations and search

You do not have to watch a video to block it. If you see a video in your home feed, search results, or a playlist that you do not want recommended to you, hover over it (on a computer) or long-press it (on a phone). The three-dot menu will appear without you having to open the video.

From there, follow the same steps: select "Don't recommend channel" or the block option. This is faster if you are scrolling through recommendations and want to clean up what YouTube shows you without clicking into each video.

The difference between blocking and unsubscribing

Unsubscribing removes a channel from your subscription list, but YouTube may still recommend videos from that channel in your feed. Blocking or selecting "Don't recommend channel" tells YouTube's algorithm to deprioritize that creator's content for you specifically.

If you want to stop seeing a channel entirely, unsubscribe first, then use "Don't recommend channel" on one of their videos. This gives you the strongest signal to YouTube that you are not interested.

What happens when you block a video

YouTube keeps no visible record of videos you have blocked. You cannot pull up a list of blocked videos or undo a block from a settings menu. If you change your mind later, your only option is to search for the video by name and watch it again, which will reset YouTube's recommendation for you.

Blocking is permanent unless you actively reverse it by engaging with that creator's content again. YouTube interprets watching, liking, or commenting on a video as a signal that you are interested, and it may start recommending that channel to you again.

Blocking versus reporting

Do not confuse blocking with reporting. Blocking is for your own preferences — you just do not want to see it. Reporting is for content that violates YouTube's rules: hate speech, harassment, misinformation about elections or health, spam, or other policy violations.

If a video breaks YouTube's rules, select "Report" from the three-dot menu instead of "Block." YouTube staff will review it, and if it violates policy, the platform may remove it entirely. Blocking only affects what you see; reporting can affect what everyone sees.

Why YouTube might not show you a blocked video anyway

YouTube's algorithm already tries to show you content similar to what you have watched and liked. If you block a video, you are usually telling the algorithm something it has not figured out on its own. But if you have never watched anything like that video, YouTube probably would not have recommended it to you anyway.

Blocking is most useful when you are seeing recommendations that do not match your interests — a video from a channel you followed years ago, or a trending video that YouTube thinks everyone should see. The block tells the algorithm to trust your current preferences over its guesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see a list of videos I have blocked?

No. YouTube does not provide a blocked videos list in your account settings. Once you block a video, there is no straightforward way to find it again unless you remember the title and search for it.

If I block a video, can the creator see that I blocked it?

No. Creators cannot see which viewers have blocked their videos. They can see overall view counts and engagement, but not individual blocking actions.

Does blocking a video affect my watch history?

No. Blocking a video does not remove it from your watch history. If you want to delete a video from your history, you have to do that separately in your YouTube account settings.

What if I block a video by accident?

Search for the video by name and open it again. Watching it, liking it, or commenting on it will signal to YouTube that you are interested, and the block will likely be reversed over time as the algorithm learns your preference has changed.

Is blocking the same as hiding a video from my subscriptions?

No. Hiding a video from your subscriptions feed removes it from the list of new uploads from channels you follow, but YouTube may still recommend it elsewhere. Blocking prevents it from appearing in recommendations and search across your entire account.