If you don't want to chat with someone in Google Chat, you can block and report them. You can block direct messages, or block people in spaces and most group messages.
Learn what happens when you block someone
- If you use a Google Workspace account and the person who you blocked is in your organisation, they can still tell when you're online.
- The person that you've blocked won't be able to send you messages. For them to send you a message, you'd need to unblock them.
- The messages from a person that you've blocked will be hidden from you in spaces and group messages. You can unhide messages that you want to find.
- A person that you've blocked will still be able to read any messages sent to the space.
- You and the person that you've blocked won't be able to edit any old messages to one another.
- The person will also be blocked in certain other Google services.
- Links or attachments that the person sent before you blocked them are still active.
- If you report someone for abuse, a copy of the last 50 messages of your conversation is sent to Google for review.
- You can download messages from a blocked user from your Google Account. Learn how to download your Google data.
Learn how to block, unblock and report someone
In Google Chat or Gmail, you can choose to:
- Block someone
- Unblock someone
- Block a conversation
- Block and unblock someone in a conversation or space
In Google Chat, you can also:
- Block people when you ignore their message request
- Block and report a space
In other Google products, you can also block people's accounts.
Block someone in Chat or Gmail
How to block & report someone in Chat
- Go to Chat or Gmail.
- In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
- In your conversation list, next to someone's name, click More options
Block and report.
- If you use a Google Workspace account and the person is in your organisation, this option is Block.
- Optional: To report someone for abuse, tick the box next to 'Report to Google'.
- If you use a Google Workspace account, you can only report people outside your organisation.
- To confirm, click Block.
Unblock someone in Chat or Gmail
- Go to Chat or Gmail.
- Choose an option:
- In Chat, at the top, click Settings
- In Gmail, at the top, click Settings
- In Chat, at the top, click Settings
- Select the person from the suggestions.
- Click Unblock
.
Block a conversation
- On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
- In Chat, next to the conversation name, click More options
Block and report.
- If you use a Google Workspace account, this option is 'Block this conversation'.
- Optional: To report the conversation for abuse, tick the box next to 'Report this space as spam or abuse'.
- If you use a Google Workspace account, you can only report people outside your organisation.
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To confirm, click Block.
Block and report.
Block or unblock someone in a conversation or space
Important: You can block someone in the same conversation without messaging them directly.
- On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
- In Chat, open a conversation.
- At the top, click the conversation name
- In spaces, click the space name
- In spaces, click the space name
- Next to the person's name, click More options
Tip: To hide someone's messages after you block them in a space, you may need to refresh your browser.