How to block someone on Google Hangouts on desktop or mobile

Technology can bring people closer together, but sometimes you need space — and other times you need to keep people from being able to reach you at all.

When it comes to Google Hangouts, you can block people to accomplish this task. Just keep in mind that when you block someone, they will still be able to tell if you’re online, but won’t be able to contact you.

Here’s how to do it on the desktop or mobile versions of the site:

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How to block someone on Google Hangouts on desktop

Assuming you know how to use Google Hangouts, this should be an easy process:

1. Go to hangouts.google.com.

2. Select the person you want to block from your hangouts via the “Conversations” tab in the left sidebar (it looks like a text message icon) or the “Contacts” section of that sidebar (that icon looks like two people) — a chat window will then open.

3. In the chat window, select the gear icon.

4. Select “Block & Report.”

5. If desired, tick the box to also report the person for abuse.

6. Click “Confirm” to block them.

If you decide to unblock this person later on, you’d be able to do so by going into your Google Hangouts settings, located in the “More” section of the left sidebar, which looks like three dots.

Click the “Settings” option, select “Blocked people,” and then click “Unblock” next to the person you want to unblock.

How to block someone on Google Hangouts on mobile

There are slight differences in this process, depending on whether you have an Android or an iPhone:

1. Open the Hangouts app.

2. If you’re using an Android, open a conversation by either tapping the plus sign in the bottom-right corner of the screen for a new conversation or selecting a conversation on the main screen; for those using an iPhone, tap the “Conversations” tab at the bottom of the screen and then open a conversation.

3. Tap the three dots and then select “People.”

4. Select the person you want to block and then tap “Block” (or “Block User” if you have an iPhone).

5. Tap “Block” again to confirm your decision.