In October 2021, Google switched Google Hangouts users to Google Chat. Google Chat is a replacement for Hangouts, and your Hangouts contacts and chat history are instantly transferred to the new Chat. If you don’t like this change, you can turn it off and stop anyone from harassing you in Google Chat if you use Hangouts.
Google Chat can be accessed using the Gmail web interface or the official Android and iOS apps. Users can ban contacts in Google Chat in a variety of ways, just like they can in Google Hangouts. Below, we’ll go over some of the methods in further depth.
Also Read: Top 4 Ways How to Fix WhatsApp Audio Speed on Mobile and Desktop
HOW TO BLOCK SOMEONE VIA CHAT IN GMAIL WEB
When you block a contact in Google Chat, it will also be blocked in other Google apps like Photos, Google+, and Google Maps. The steps to block a contact in Gmail Chat are as follows:
Step 1: On your preferred web browser, sign in to your Gmail account.
Step 2: On the pane at the left of the Gmail window, select the Chat section.
Step 3: Move the mouse cursor over the relevant contact name beneath the Chats banner then click on the Vertical ellipsis button.
Step 4: From the options displayed, select Block & Report and this should bring up a pop-up labeled Block & Report.
Step 5: On the pop-up window, click on the Block button at the bottom-right corner. If you want to report the individual as well, tick the box beside Report to Google.
HOW TO BLOCK SOMEONE VIA SPACES
A Google Chat Space is a central space where multiple people can assign tasks and share files. Through a Space, chat users can also block unknown or unpleasant contacts. The following is what you should do:
Step 1: On your preferred web browser, sign in to your Gmail account.
Step 2: On the pane at the left of the Gmail window, select the banner for Spaces.
Step 3: Beneath the Spaces banner, select any of the spaces with the relevant contact.
Step 4: At the top of the Space window, beside the Space name click on the downward-pointing arrow.
Step 5: Select View members from the options shown.
Step 6: On the new window, click on the Vertical ellipsis next to the name of the relevant contact to be blocked.
Step 7: Click on Block to block the individual.
HOW TO BLOCK SOMEONE BY IGNORING MESSAGE REQUESTS
You can ignore chats from people you don’t know in Google Chat. When someone tries to talk with you for the first time, you will receive a request notification. If you choose to disregard the messages, you will experience the following:
- The message disappears. You will have to search for the sender in Google Chat to see the request again.
- The person that sent the request doesn’t know if you ignored their message or not.
- You can always block the sender from pushing more message requests.
Here’s how to ignore a message request on Google Chat:
Step 1: On your preferred web browser, sign in to your Gmail account.
Step 2: On the pane at the left of the Gmail window, select the banner for Chat.
Step 3: Click on the envelope icon signifying Message Requests.
Step 4: Click on the name and the message with the request appears.
Step 5: Click on Ignore. If you don’t want to receive further requests from the sender.
Step 6: On the pop-up window, click on the Ignore button at the bottom-right corner. If you want to block the individual as well, tick the box beside Also block and report.
HOW TO UNBLOCK SOMEONE VIA SETTINGS
You can unblocked a blocked contact or message request. Here’s how to do so:
Step 1: On your preferred web browser, sign in to your Gmail account.
Step 2: Click on Settings at the top of the Gmail page.
Step 3: Click on See all Settings.
Step 4: Click on Chat and Meet.
Step 5: Select Manage chat settings.
Step 6: Select Manage accounts you have blocked.
Step 7: Select the individual from the suggestion list and click on the X sign to unblock them.
BLOCKING SOMEONE ON GOOGLE HANGOUTS
That’s all there is to blocking someone on Gmail’s Google Chat. Use Google Hangouts if you haven’t been transferred to Google Chat. You may also block annoying contacts and unknown persons.