How to Block a User from Editing a MediaWiki Wiki

Last Updated: January 21, 2021

If you believe someone did not follow wiki policy, then you can issue a block if you are an administrator. Blocks are frequently used on various wiki sites; on Wikipedia, blocks are issued when a user makes questionable edits, and on wikiHow, blocks are issued when a user has been causing disruption for a long time. Blocks can be used by corporate wikis when an employee is no longer working there or put on leave for some time, or when an employee has been making questionable edits to corporate wiki pages. This wikiHow will show you how to issue a block on a MediaWiki wiki.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Blocking/Changing a Block on a User

1
Go to Special:Block on your wiki site. You can do this by entering Special:Block into the search box of your wiki. This will open an advanced form that can be used to restrict the editing of other users. Blocking is serious business, and blocks should only be imposed or removed in accordance with wiki policy (for public wikis) or corporate policy (for corporate wikis).
- You cannot block or unblock users while you are blocked, but if you have the unblock self right, you will be able to lift your own block, if that is in keeping with your wiki policies.
2

Enter the username or IP address to be blocked. On MediaWiki versions 1.17 and below, you may only be able to block users if the variable $wgSysopUserBans is true in LocalSettings.php. You will also not be able to block IP ranges if $wgSysopRangeBans is false on MediaWiki versions 1.17 and below. This depends on how the owner configured the wiki, and you cannot change this from the user/editor interface.

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3
Prevent someone from editing either sitewide or on specific topics. You can block editing of specific pages or namespaces, and you can also block people sitewide from editing. Sitewide blocks are a more extreme measure, blocking someone from editing any page on the site.
- This setting is not available on versions prior to MediaWiki 1.33 as well as installations where $wgEnablePartialBlocks is false.
- List specific pages (including the namespace prefix) that you may want to prevent them from editing in the "Pages" field. If they are making bad edits to only a handful of pages, then blocking them from those pages is an effective measure to encourage productive editing.
- List entire namespaces that you may want to prevent editing in the "Namespaces" field. These namespaces have to be valid namespaces in use on the site. For example, if they are vandalizing pages in the "Project" and "Talk" namespace, enter those namespaces in to ban them from them. This will prevent them from editing pages in that entire namespace.
4

Ban account creation. If a user creates a bunch of accounts, then blocking account creation may be helpful in preventing the creation of sockpuppet or throwaway accounts. This is enabled by default when blocking a user from editing.
5
Disable the sending of email if needed. If the user sends spam or unwanted email to other users, then disabling email will prevent them from using the on-wiki email form to send email.
- This option is hidden when $wgEnableEmail on the MediaWiki configuration file (localSettings.php) is false, in which case no one on the site can send email, so the setting is pointless. ^{[1]
  X
  Research source} It is also hidden when $wgSysopEmailBans on the configuration file is false.
6
Block someone from editing their own talk page. If the user writes nasty comments on their talk page while blocked, then stopping them from editing the talk page effectively stops them from editing any page on the site. This is unchecked by default.
- This setting is hidden when $wgBlockAllowsUTEdit on the configuration file is false, in which case no blocked user can edit their talk page.
7

Stop someone from performing other actions. If a user has additional rights, and they are abusing them, then they will also be listed. For example, you can stop a user with the rollback right from rolling back pages, as well as a user with the move right from renaming pages.
8

Set an expiry time. Enter a valid date or block length for when you want the block to expire. If you do not want the block to expire at all, then type indefinite or infinite into the field. You can also choose a duration from the drop-down menu. That menu's options can be edited at MediaWiki:Ipboptions.
9

Enter a reason for the block. If you provide no reason, then the reason field will be filled with " no reason given " on the block message. You can choose from the drop-down for commonly used block reasons, and you can edit block reasons at MediaWiki:Ipbreason-dropdown on the wiki site.
10
Choose whether to automatically block the user's IP address with the same settings as the ones you set. This is checked by default.
- Automatically blocking the IP address prevents the user from logging out and editing there for a predetermined time set by $wgAutoblockEntry , or, if $wgCookieSetOnAutoblock is true on MediaWiki 1.29 or higher, moving to a different location to edit. This option is hidden if an IP address is entered in the first field.
11

Decide whether you want to watch the user's user and talk pages. This will add the pages to the watchlist, so you can monitor messages that user makes. This is unchecked by default.
12

Decide whether you want to hard-block the IP address. This will prevent both logged-in and logged-out users from making edits or other actions according to the settings you set. Users with IP block exemption can edit there even when their IP address is blocked. This setting is disabled when a username is entered in the first field.
13
Choose Block / Reblock . This will apply the block with the settings you chose. The user will no longer be able to perform actions you restricted.
- If you are blocking yourself, then check the box labeled "Confirm block" and click on Block again.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Unblocking a User

1

Go to Special:Unblock on your wiki site. You can do this by entering Special:Unblock into the search box of your wiki. This will open an advanced form that can be used to restrict the editing of other users. Only unblock someone in accordance with your wiki policies.
2

Enter the username or IP address to be unblocked. The user has to be blocked, as seen on Special:BlockList, and the user's block must not have expired before you enter the username.
3

Input a reason for the unblock. Enter the reason why you are unblocking a specific user. For example, if someone left a job then was rehired and needs access to the corporate wiki, state that in the second field.
4

Choose Unblock . This will lift the block of the user, and they will be able to edit pages or perform the blocked actions again.

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Tips

If you are using version 1.33 or later, then you may have the ability to issue partial blocks, as well as prevent a user from performing certain actions without them being blocked from the site. ^{[2]
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Research source} ^{[3]
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You can click on the "Block" links in diffs or the wiki tools section of the sidebar to impose blocks on specific users. You will still have to fill out a form.

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How to Block a User from Editing a MediaWiki Wiki

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Blocking/Changing a Block on a User

Unblocking a User

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