Want to finally stop seeing recommendations from that annoying YouTube channel? Or prevent your kids from stumbling onto inappropriate videos? Blocking specific channels allows you to curate a YouTube experience free of distraction and objectionable content.
In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn how to block channels on desktop, mobile, and connected devices with detailed visual walkthroughs.
I‘ll also analyze why you may want block channels – from improving video suggestions to controlling spam comments. And share pro tips forgoing beyond basic blocking to fully customize your YouTube feed using supervision tools and watch history controls.
Let‘s dive in!
Why Should You Block YouTube Channels?
Before getting into the step-by-step instructions, understanding why blocking channels is useful will help you employ this tactic most effectively across your connected devices.
Stop Inappropriate or Distracting Suggestions
Recent surveys by Common Sense Media highlight issues around overly commercial content and inappropriate videos being suggested to teens and younger viewers.
While YouTube Kids provides additional restrictions, even basic channel blocking allows you to avoid certain types of content, whether it be profane music videos or clickbait toy unboxings your kids can‘t stop watching.
Reduce Spam Comments
Another top reason to block channels is stopping spammy or self-promotional comments on your own YouTube videos. The platform makes it easy to block users from commenting without having to constantly delete or report unwanted replies manually.
Improve Your Recommendations
YouTube suggests videos based on your search and watch history, demographics, and other signals. Blocking channels you have no interest cuts through the noise so YouTube can better personalize picks to match your tastes.
Focus Your Homepage
The YouTube homepage can easily turn into a messy stream of random viral videos that distract from your areas of interest. But by consistently blocking irrelevant channels, you teach YouTube to serve up suggestions around topics you actually want to spend time watching.
Now that you know the motivations behind blocking channels, let‘s get into the step-by-step process.
How to Block YouTube Channels from Your Feed
Blocking a channel prevents videos from that channel showing up in your homepage recommendations, Up Next queue, or search results.
You‘ll find the option to block channels across desktop browsers, mobile devices, and even connected TVs. The steps are very similar across platforms:
Block Channels on Desktop
Blocking channels on a desktop browser like Chrome removes that channel‘s videos from recommendations sitewide:
Go to YouTube.com and play a video from the undesirable channel.
Click the 3 dot menu next to the video title.
Select Don‘t recommend channel.
That channel‘s videos will no longer appear in suggested or search results.
Here is a breakdown of how blocking options differ:
| Option | Result | Can Undo |
|---|---|---|
| Don‘t recommend channel | Blocks channel‘s entire catalog | Only for short period |
| Not interested | Removes only that video | Yes, instantly |
Block Channels on Mobile
You can quickly block channels from your YouTube app on iOS or Android phones:
In the YouTube mobile app, play any video from the channel you want gone.
Tap the 3 dot menu next to the video title.
Choose Don‘t recommend channel.
That channel‘s videos will vanish from your mobile recommendations.
The process looks identical on YouTube apps for Smart TVs like Roku, gaming consoles, and other streaming devices.
Wherever you access YouTube, you can take control over suggestions from specific channels.
Unblocking a YouTube Channel
What if you blocked the wrong channel? Or change your mind later and want to undo a block?
First, look for an Undo prompt immediately after blocking a channel – this lets you instantly reverse that action.
Otherwise, here is how to manually unblock a YouTube channel:
On Desktop
- Click your profile picture > Settings
- Go to Notifications > Blocked channels & comments > See complete list
- Find the channel and select Unblock
On Mobile
- Tap your profile picture > Settings
- Go to General > Blocked channels and comments
- Locate the channel and tap Unblock
However, channels blocked awhile back have to be unblocked in bulk by:
- Visiting your Google Account History page
- Deleting YouTube ‘Not Interested‘ feedback
This removes all blocked videos and channels at once with no way to unblock only specific channels.
Blocking Channels from Commenting
If a channel constantly spams your videos with unwelcome or offensive comments, you can restrict them from commenting while still allowing their channel access.
Here is how to block a channel‘s comments:
Search for their channel name and visit the channel page
Click the flag icon next to ABOUT
Select Block user from the menu
Confirm the channel comment block
YouTube will immediately stop comments from that user across all of your videos.
And you‘re free to undo the commenting block for that specific channel at any time by selecting Unblock user.
Now let‘s move on to some pro tips for managing blocked YouTube channels and recommendations.
Pro Tips for Controlling Your YouTube Feed
Beyond the basics of blocking and unblocking channels, you have additional options for customizing what videos YouTube suggests:
Create a supervised account
For younger kids, instead rely on a supervised Google account connected to YouTube Kids where you control all channel and video access.
Use "Not interested"
You can remove a specific video instead of the whole channel with Not Interested. This gives finer-grain control over feed customization.
Check watch history
Your search and watch history has a huge influence recommendations. Prune older videos that misrepresent current interests.
Give feedback
Whenever you block videos or channels, YouTube asks why. Giving this input helps improve their suggestion algorithms.
Compare blocking tools
Browser extensions like Hide YouTube Comments offer advanced comment moderation vs YouTube‘s native tools.
Go outside YouTube Kids
Consider parental control apps like Google Family Link offering restrictions beyond any one platform like YouTube.
Leveraging these additional controls takes channel blocking to the next level for curating your ideal, distraction-free YouTube homepage.
Blocking Channels FAQ: Common Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions around removing channels on YouTube:
Can a channel tell if I block them?
No, blocking is completely anonymous. Creators have no way of detecting if a specific user blocked their channel.
What happens if I block ALL my subscribed channels?
Subscriptions are separate from recommendations, so blocking subscribed channels only prevents seeing their videos suggested in Up Next or search results. You can still access the subscriptions feed itself.
Is there a way to see ALL my blocked channels in one list?
Unfortunately, YouTube does not offer a single interface showing every channel you have blocked. Blocked channels have to be unblocked one by one.
What‘s better – blocking channels or videos?
Blocking individual videos using "Not interested" gives you finer precision. But blocking entire channels quickly eliminates multiple future videos cluttering recommendations.
Can I block channels from a shared family account?
Shared family managers can restrict specific channels across the whole family group through parental supervision controls instead of individual account blocks.
I hope this step-by-step guide with visuals has shown how easy it is to block YouTube channels system-wide or stop channel comments – giving you greater control over customizing your viewing feed and engagement.
Let me know in the comments if have any other questions on leveraging YouTube‘s blocking tools!
