How to block YouTube channels

A regular YouTube account has no button that blocks a channel (supervised child accounts do). The closest built-in option, "Don't recommend channel", is feedback that tells YouTube to show the channel less in recommendations. TubeBlock, a free browser extension, adds a real Block channel button that hides the channel from Home, search, Up next and Subscriptions.

Get TubeBlockTry the demo
Zoomed YouTube-like Up next column (test feed): the channel name Reactorama TV under a video is ringed in red, with a TubeBlock badge below it that says Block this whole channel

Demo feed: press Block channel on any card

Made-up channels and videos. This is a live preview of how TubeBlock behaves on YouTube.

Showing all 3 items. Nothing is hidden yet.

14:02

Pranking my brother with 10,000 ping pong balls

Gotcha Gremlins

3.4M views · 2 days ago

27:41

I survived 24 hours locked in a supermarket

Overnight Odyssey

8.2M views · 5 days ago

11:55

Fake spider prank on my mom (she screamed)

Gotcha Gremlins

5.1M views · 3 weeks ago

What YouTube offers built-in

So, can you block a YouTube channel? With YouTube's own settings, only partly. There are three tools that people often mix up, and none of them removes a channel from everything you see:

  • Don't recommend channel. Open the three-dot menu on a video on Home or in Up next and choose it. It tells YouTube the channel probably isn't something you enjoy, so YouTube shows it less in your recommendations. It is feedback, not a block: YouTube promises nothing about search, and the channel's videos can still appear there, in Subscriptions if you follow it, and elsewhere. There is no list of these channels and no undo for one channel: in Google My Activity (Other Google activity, YouTube "Not interested" feedback) you can only delete all of this feedback at once, for every channel and video.
  • Not interested. The same menu has this option for a single video. It tells YouTube you do not want that video, and you may see fewer similar ones. The channel itself stays.
  • Hide user from channel. This one is for people who run a channel. It hides that person's comments, live chat messages and Community posts on your channel, and they can no longer make clips of your videos. It does not hide their videos from you.

Parents who supervise a child's account can use "Block channel for kids" on regular YouTube, and the block also applies in YouTube Kids when the same account is used there. A regular, non-supervised account has no block button, which is why "how do I block a YouTube channel from showing up" is such a common question.

How to do it with TubeBlock

  1. 1

    Install the extension

    Download the free zip and load it in Chrome, Edge, Brave or Opera. The install guide walks you through it in about a minute; no account is needed.

    Get TubeBlock
    Zoomed TubeBlock popup on a test feed; a red arrow points at the On switch in its top right corner
    The TubeBlock popup after installing: the switch at the top shows it is on.
  2. 2

    Press Block channel

    Open youtube.com and hover over a video card: a small Block channel button appears. Channel pages get one next to the channel name. Press it on any video from the channel you are done with.

    Zoomed video card on a YouTube-like test feed; a red arrow points at the Block channel button in the card's lower right corner
    Hover a card: the Block channel button appears in its corner (test feed with fictional channels).
  3. 3

    The channel is gone

    All videos from that channel disappear from the page and stay hidden as you browse. To change your mind, press Undo right away, or open TubeBlock's settings and press Unblock next to the channel.

    Test feed after blocking a channel; a red arrow points at the toast that says the channel is blocked, with an Undo button
    The channel's videos are gone; the toast offers Undo.

What gets hidden where

Place on YouTubeWith a blocked channel
Home feedIts videos are hidden
Search resultsIts videos and the channel result are hidden
Up next sidebar on a watch pageIts videos are hidden
Subscriptions feedIts videos are hidden
Shorts shelvesOnly when YouTube shows the channel on the Short; use Hide Shorts to remove them all
A video opened from a direct linkStill plays: TubeBlock hides cards, it does not block pages
Comments by that channelNot hidden

YouTube built-in vs TubeBlock

What you wantYouTube "Don't recommend channel"TubeBlock
Fewer videos from the channel on HomeShown less, not guaranteedYes, none at all
Channel hidden in search resultsNot promisedYes
Channel hidden in SubscriptionsNot promisedYes
A list of what you blockedNoYes, in settings
Undo for one channelNo, only clearing all feedbackYes
Works in the phone and TV appsYes, tied to your accountNo, desktop browser only
Needs a Google accountYes, signed inNo

Limitations

  • TubeBlock hides cards in lists. If someone sends you a link, the video still opens.
  • Your list lives in this browser. If browser sync is on, the browser can carry it to your other computers; it does not reach your phone.
  • YouTube changes its page layout from time to time. If a Block channel button goes missing, reload the tab; the help page lists other fixes.

FAQ

Can you block a YouTube channel?

On a regular account, not with YouTube's own tools: there is no block button, only "Don't recommend channel", which shows the channel less in recommendations. Parents of a supervised child account can block channels. A browser extension like TubeBlock can hide it everywhere on youtube.com on your computer.

How do I block a YouTube channel from showing up in search?

YouTube has no setting for this. With TubeBlock installed, block the channel once and its videos and channel card no longer appear in search results.

Does "Don't recommend channel" block the channel?

No. It is feedback that the channel likely isn't something you enjoy, so YouTube shows it less in recommendations. You can still find and watch the channel, and its videos can appear in search and elsewhere.

Will the channel know I blocked it?

No. TubeBlock only hides cards on your screen. Nothing is sent to YouTube or to the channel owner.

Can I block YouTube channels on my phone or TV?

Not with TubeBlock: it does not work in the YouTube mobile apps, on smart TVs, in YouTube TV or in YouTube Kids. On those, "Don't recommend channel" and, for a supervised child account, "Block channel for kids" are the built-in options.

How do I unblock a channel?

Open TubeBlock's settings, find the channel in the Blocked channels list (there is a search box) and press Unblock. Its videos come back as YouTube loads new cards or when you reload the page.

Last updated

Clean up your YouTube feed

TubeBlock is free, needs no account and keeps your lists in your browser. It works in Chrome, Edge, Brave and Opera on a computer.

Get TubeBlock

See also