Google Hangouts allows you to communicate via chat, voice call, or video call with your friends, family, and coworkers. However, you may sometimes want to block someone from contacting you on Hangouts. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to block someone on Google Hangouts.
Table of Contents
- Why You Might Want to Block Someone on Google Hangouts
- How to Block Someone on Google Hangouts Desktop
- How to Block Someone on Mobile Hangouts
- What Happens When You Block Someone on Google Hangouts
- Should You Also Report Someone You Block?
- Can Someone Tell if You’ve Blocked Them on Google Hangouts?
- Should You Worry About Security and Privacy on Google Hangouts?
- What If You Want to Remove Someone From Hangouts Without Blocking Them?
- In Conclusion
Why You Might Want to Block Someone on Google Hangouts
There are a few reasons why you might want to block someone on Google Hangouts:
- They are sending you unwanted messages or spam
- They are harassing or bullying you
- You want to avoid contact with them for personal reasons
- They were once a friend or contact, but you no longer wish to communicate with them
Blocking someone prevents them from sending you messages or calling you on Hangouts. It can be a useful way to stop unwanted contact.
How to Block Someone on Google Hangouts Desktop
Blocking someone on the desktop version of Google Hangouts is easy:
- Go to hangouts.google.com and log into your account
- In the left sidebar, click on “Conversations”
- Hover over the name of the person you want to block and click on the 3 dots icon
- Select “Block & report”
- Check the box next to “Also report” if you want to report them to Google (optional)
- Click on “Confirm” to block them
Once blocked, the person will no longer be able to send you Hangouts messages or see your online status. However, they can still see that you have Hangouts installed.
Unblocking Someone on Desktop Hangouts
If you change your mind later, you can easily unblock someone by:
- Clicking on “Settings” in the left sidebar
- Going to “Blocked people”
- Clicking “Unblock” next to the person’s name
How to Block Someone on Mobile Hangouts
The process is very similar on mobile:
- Open the Hangouts app on your Android or iOS device
- Tap the “+” icon and select the conversation with the person you want to block
- Tap the 3 dots icon and choose “People”
- Tap on the person’s name and select “Block”
After confirming, the person will be blocked. Repeat these steps but choose “Unblock” instead to reverse the block.
What Happens When You Block Someone on Google Hangouts
When you block someone on Hangouts:
- They can no longer send you messages on Hangouts
- They can still see your online status and know that you have Hangouts installed
- The messages they sent you previously will still be visible in your Hangouts history
- If they try to send you a new message, they will get notified that the message was not delivered
So in summary, blocking someone prevents further contact but does not completely hide your online presence from them on Hangouts.
Should You Also Report Someone You Block?
When you block someone on Google Hangouts, you get the option to also report them for abuse. Reporting them sends feedback to Google, prompting them to investigate the user’s behavior further.
You may want to report an abusive or harassing contact in addition to blocking them. Spammers and bots can also be reported this way. Reporting helps Google identify and remove policy-violating accounts.
However, if you are blocking someone you personally know for your own reasons, and they have not violated any policies, you don’t need to report them.
Can Someone Tell if You’ve Blocked Them on Google Hangouts?
Someone cannot directly tell if you’ve blocked them on Hangouts. They will be able to see that you are still online and using Hangouts.
However, if they try to send you a message, they will get notified that the message was unable to send. Through this, they can likely deduce that you have blocked them.
There is no way to hide your online status from a specific person after blocking them. The only way they wouldn’t see you as online in Hangouts is if you uninstall the app entirely.
Should You Worry About Security and Privacy on Google Hangouts?
Google Hangouts utilizes encryption for messages, voice calls, and video calls. This prevents third parties from accessing your conversations as the data is transmitted. Hangouts also has other privacy features:
- Customizable notification settings
- Ability to disable history
- Option to turn off chat history syncing across devices
However, some users worry that Google may provide governments access to Hangouts conversations if legally requested to. But this would only occur in extreme criminal cases.
To stay secure, only communicate with people you know and trust. Never share sensitive information over any internet communication platform. Also enable two-factor authentication on your Google account for an extra layer of security.
What If You Want to Remove Someone From Hangouts Without Blocking Them?
If you wish to no longer see someone in your Hangouts contacts but don’t want to block them entirely, you can:
- On the desktop app, hover over their name and click the dropdown arrow
- Select “Hide contact”
This removes them from your contacts. But be aware that if they send you a new Hangouts message, their contact will be automatically added back.
The only way to permanently remove them is by blocking them instead. But blocking should only be done if you want to prevent them contacting you entirely.
In Conclusion
Blocking contacts on Google Hangouts is straightforward to do. Simply access their chat window, use the options menu, and confirm the block. Remember that they can still see some of your Hangouts activity afterwards though.
Make sure to block any contacts who harass or spam you. And don’t worry too much about privacy, as Hangouts does encrypt chats and have other security controls. But always think carefully about what information you share online.
We hope this guide gives you a better understanding of how to control contact privacy and accessibility in Google Hangouts. Reach out if you have any other questions!