How To Block Another User on Gmail and Other Google Apps

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Avoid unwanted communications from other accounts on Google
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This wikiHow teaches you how to prevent people from contacting you on a variety of Google apps. If you block someone in Google Chat, Hangouts, Maps, or Photos, the same user will not be able to contact you on any of those platforms. If you block someone's address in Gmail, messages will be routed to your spam folder rather than arrive in your inbox. And if you use Google Voice, blocking someone's phone number will also prevent that person from contacting you via voice or SMS text message in Google Hangouts.

Things You Should Know

  • Click the three-dot menu next to a person on Gmail to find the Block option. This will only block that user on Gmail, not other Google apps.
  • Tap the Updates tab within Google Maps to find other users' activity and block anyone you no longer want to interact with on the app.
  • If you block another user on Google Chat, you will still see their messages within any organizations or groups that you share with them.
Method 1
Method 1 of 9:

Gmail

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  1. If you're using a phone or tablet, tap the multicolored "M" icon on your home screen or in your app list. If you're on a computer, sign in to your account at https://www.gmail.com . If you're receiving emails you don't want from a specific address, you can block the address in Gmail. Blocked messages will automatically be routed to your Spam folder.
    • Blocking an email address in Gmail will not block that person in any other Google applications.
  2. This opens the message.
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  3. It's the three horizontal (iPhone/iPad) or vertical (Android/computer) dots at the top-right corner of the message. A menu will expand. [1]
  4. It will appear next to the sender's name. You'll see a confirmation message that says "You have blocked (email address)" and the message will move to your spam folder.
    • If the message was spam, select Report spam on the confirmation message to report it.
    • Messages will be automatically deleted from your Spam folder after 30 days.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 9:

Google Hangouts (Mobile)

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  1. It's the green chat bubble icon with white quote marks inside. Blocking someone in Hangouts will also prevent them from contacting you in Google Voice, Google Photos, Google Maps, and Google Chat. [2]
    • Google Hangouts will be going away in early 2021.
  2. It's the gray speech bubble at the bottom. If you're using an Android, skip this step.
  3. This opens the chat.
  4. It's at the top-right corner of the screen.
  5. A list of contacts will appear.
  6. A confirmation message will appear.
  7. Now that you've blocked this person, they won't be able to send you messages or chat requests.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 9:

Google Hangouts (Computer)

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  1. Go to https://hangouts.google.com in a web browser. If someone you don't want to talk to is bothering you in Google Hangouts, you can block them. Blocking someone in Hangouts will also prevent them from contacting you in Google Voice, Google Photos, Google Maps, and Google Chat.
    • Google Hangouts will be going away in early 2021.
  2. This opens the conversation.
  3. It's the gear at the top of the conversation. A list of options will expand.
  4. A confirmation window will appear.
  5. If you want to report the person for harassing or spamming you, check the box next to "Also report." If not, make sure there's no checkmark in the box.
    • If you report someone for harassment, the last 10 messages in your conversation will be sent to Google for review.
  6. The selected user can no longer contact you in Hangouts.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 9:

Google Chat on Mobile (G Suite)

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  1. 1
    Open the Google Chat app. It's the green overlapping chat bubbles on your home screen or in your app list.
    • Google Chat will be replacing Google Hangouts in the first half of 2021. [3] Until then, Google Chat is only available to G Suite users. If you're a home user, see the Hangouts method instead.
    • If you block someone's Google account here, they will also not be able to contact you in the classic Google Hangouts or Google Photos.
  2. 2
    Tap Chat . It's at the bottom of the screen.
  3. 3
    Tap the person you want to block. This opens the conversation.
  4. 4
    Tap the person's name at the top of the chat. A menu will expand.
  5. 5
    Tap Block & Report or Block . You'll see the "Report" option if the person you're blocking is outside of your organization. If they are a part of your organization, it'll just say "Report."
    • If you want to report a person who is outside of your organization for abuse, check the box next to "Also report" before you continue. If you report someone for harassment, the last 10 messages in your conversation will be sent to Google for review.
  6. 6
    Tap Block to confirm. The selected Google user can no longer contact you via Google Chat, Hangouts, Google Maps, or Google Photos.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 9:

Google Chat on a Computer (G Suite)

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  1. 1
    Go to https://chat.google.com in your web browser. If you want to prevent another person with a Google account from contacting you on Google Chat, you can easily do so from your web browser.
    • Google Chat will be replacing Google Hangouts in the first half of 2021. Until then, this method just covers the version of Google Chat that comes with G Suite. If you're a home user, see the Hangouts method.
    • If you block someone's Google account here, they will also not be able to contact you in the classic Google Hangouts or Google Photos. [4]
    • If the person you block is in your organization, they'll still be able to see when you're online. They'll also be able to see that they can no longer send you messages.
  2. 2
    Click the three vertical dots next to the person's name under "Chat." You may not see the three vertical dots until you hover the mouse over the person's name. A menu will expand.
  3. 3
    Click Block & Report . This option has a circle with a diagonal line cutting through it. If the person is in your organization, you'll click Block instead.
    • To report the person for abuse in addition to blocking, check the box next to "Also report." You can only report people outside of your organization.
    • If you report someone for harassment, the last 10 messages in your conversation will be sent to Google for review.
  4. 4
    Click Block to confirm. The selected Google user can no longer contact you via Google Chat, Hangouts, or Google Photos.
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Method 6
Method 6 of 9:

Google Maps (Mobile)

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  1. It's the multicolored pushpin icon on your home screen or in the app list. If you want to prevent someone from finding your Google Maps profile, you can block them in the mobile app.
    • Blocking someone in Google Maps will also block them in Google Chat, Google Hangouts, and Google Photos.
  2. It's the bell icon at the bottom-right corner. This opens the For You tab.
  3. You can tap any of their reviews, ratings, or other contributions on the For You tab. [5]
  4. This icon is next to the person's name. A menu will expand.
  5. Once you've blocked this user, they won't be able to follow you or view your profile. They may see your contributions, such as reviews, when checking out different places in Maps—but they can't get to your reviews from your profile.
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Method 7
Method 7 of 9:

Google Voice

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  1. 1
    Open the Google Voice app. If you're using an Android, look for the green chat bubble icon with a white phone inside. On an iPhone or iPad, the icon is a green phone receiver with a fan-like symbol above it. [6] If you're using a computer, point your browser to https://voice.google.com and sign in to your Google account.
    • Blocking someone's phone number in Google Voice will also prevent that person from calling you or sending you SMS messages in Google Hangouts.
  2. 2
    Click or tap the Messages, Calls, or Voicemail tab. You can block someone from any of these tabs.
  3. 3
    Select a call, text, or voicemail from the person you want to block. This displays the content or information.
  4. 4
    Click or tap the three-dot menu. If you're using an iPhone or iPad, it'll be three horizontal dots at the top-right corner. The dots are in a vertical stack at the top-right corner on Androids and in a web browser on a computer.
  5. 5
    Select Block number . If you don’t see this option, click or tap People & options first. A confirmation message will appear.
  6. 6
    Click or tap Block to confirm. You will no longer receive calls, voicemails, or messages from the blocked user.
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Method 8
Method 8 of 9:

Google Photos (Mobile)

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  1. It's the white icon with a red, yellow, green, and blue pinwheel inside. Use this method to block someone who has joined your shared album(s) or is sending you unwanted messages in Google Photos. [7]
    • Any content the user contributed to your shared album will be removed once they've been blocked.
    • Blocking someone in Google Photos also prevents that Google user in Google Hangouts, Google Maps, and Google Chat.
  2. It's at the top-left corner of the Photos app.
  3. It can be an album of yours that they joined, or one of their that you joined.
  4. It'll be near the top of the album page along with your photo (and the photos of anyone else who is a member). A menu will expand.
  5. A brief menu will expand.
  6. A confirmation message will appear.
  7. If you are the owner of the album, this will remove the person and any content they've contributed. If the person you block is the album owner, you'll be removed, as will your own shared content.
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Method 9
Method 9 of 9:

Google Photos (Computer)

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  1. Go to https://photos.google.com in a web browser. Use this method to block someone who has joined your shared album(s) or is sending you unwanted messages in Google Photos.
    • Any content the user contributed to your shared album will be removed once they've been blocked.
    • Blocking someone in Google Photos also prevents that Google user in Google Hangouts, Google Maps, and Google Chat.
  2. It's on the left side of Google Photos. This displays all of your shared albums.
  3. You'll have to hover the mouse cursor over the album name to bring up the dots. A menu will expand.
  4. It'll say the person's name instead of UserName, of course.
  5. If you are the owner of the album, this will remove the person and any content they've contributed. If the person you block is the album owner, you'll be removed, as will your own shared content.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/8151?co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&hl=en&oco=1
      2. ↑ https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/2945109
      3. ↑ https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/15/hangouts-meet-chat/
      4. ↑ https://support.google.com/chat/answer/9277792
      5. ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6388749?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
      6. ↑ https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115089?co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&hl=en&oco=1
      7. ↑ https://support.google.com/photos/answer/7066109

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open Gmail.
      2. Click or tap a message.
      3. Click or tap the three dots.
      4. Select Block .

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