In This Article
YouTube’s recommendation engine is the strongest force shaping daily Android usage, and the easiest way to fix a bad feed is to block the channels seeding it. YouTube finally exposed a proper Don’t Recommend Channel control in the mobile app, the web extensions for harder blocks still work, and Family Link tightens the loop for child accounts. The good news: the workflow is faster than it has been in years.
Here are the four legitimate ways to block YouTube channels on Android and the web, from the native one-tap option to the Family Link hard block.
TL;DR
The pick: The pick: YouTube’s built-in Don’t Recommend Channel option on the channel’s profile or any video.
Runner-up: Runner-up for browser users: BlockTube or Channel Blocker browser extensions for a full hide.
Skip if: Skip if you need a hard parental block. Use Family Link to apply the restriction to a child Google account.
The native one-tap block on the mobile app
In the YouTube Android app tap the three-dot menu next to any video, then Don’t recommend channel. YouTube will stop surfacing videos from that channel on the home feed and Up Next. The change applies across devices signed into the same Google account and can be undone from the Don’t Recommend list in account settings.
YouTube on the web: Don't recommend plus Block channel
On youtube.com the three-dot menu offers Don’t recommend channel from the home feed, and Block from the channel’s About page to hide their comments. Combined with the browser-side extensions, the home feed becomes much cleaner.
Browser extensions for full visual hiding
BlockTube (Firefox and Chromium) hides any channel from search results, sidebars, and the home feed. Channel Blocker for Chrome does the same. Neither extension works inside the Android YouTube app, only inside Chrome or Firefox on Android (or desktop).
Family Link for child accounts
For supervised accounts on Android, Family Link allows parents to block specific channels from a child’s YouTube Kids or YouTube experience. The block is enforced server-side and applies on every device the child is signed into.
The setup, step by step
- 1
Open YouTube on Android
Find a video from the channel you want to block.
- 2
Tap the three-dot menu
Either on the video tile in the feed or in the player.
- 3
Choose Don't recommend channel
YouTube confirms and removes the channel from your home feed.
- 4
Undo from settings
Account, Your data in YouTube, Don’t Recommend list. You can re-enable any channel.
- 5
For a hard parental block
Use Family Link, Manage settings, Block this content.
FAQ
Will the channel know I blocked them?
No. The block is private and applies only to your feed. The channel owner has no visibility into who has hidden their content.
Does Don't Recommend Channel stop comments?
Don’t Recommend removes videos from the home feed. To hide that channel’s comments use the Block option from the channel About page.
Can I block channels in YouTube Kids?
Yes. In YouTube Kids, parents can block channels and videos from the player itself, and the block syncs to the child account across devices.
Do browser extensions work in the Android app?
No. BlockTube and similar extensions only work in a browser. The Android app uses the native YouTube SDK and is not affected.
Bottom line
Blocking unwanted channels on YouTube is a two-tap job on Android and a single extension on the desktop browser. The home feed reshapes within hours. Use Family Link for child accounts and the native Don’t Recommend list to clean up your own feed.
