How to block channels on YouTube TV
You can block a channel on YouTube TV through the YouTube TV app on your television by finding the channel, opening its menu, and selecting the block option. The blocked channel will no longer appear in your guide, search results, or recommendations on that profile. If multiple people use the same YouTube TV account, you can set up separate profiles so each person blocks only what they want to hide.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using a smart TV app, a streaming device like Roku or Apple TV, or a game console. The core process is the same: locate the channel, access its options menu, and confirm the block. Once blocked, the channel stays blocked unless you manually unblock it later.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking a channel removes it from your guide, search results, and recommendations on your YouTube TV profile.
- Each profile on a YouTube TV account can have its own blocked channels list, so family members do not have to share the same blocks.
- You can unblock a channel at any time by finding it in your blocked list and selecting unblock.
- Blocked channels are hidden only on the device and profile where you blocked them, not across all devices using your account.
Block a channel from the guide on your TV
Open the YouTube TV app on your television and navigate to the guide. Scroll through the channel list until you find the channel you want to block. Press the menu button on your remote (usually marked with three dots or lines) while the channel is highlighted.
A menu will appear with options including "Block channel." Select that option and confirm when prompted. The channel will when ready disappear from your guide. You will not see it listed the next time you open the guide on that same profile.
Block a channel while watching or from search results
If you are already watching a channel you want to block, press the menu button on your remote during playback. The same block option will appear in the menu. Select it and confirm.
You can also block a channel from search results. Search for the channel name, highlight it in the results, press the menu button, and select block. This method is faster if you know the channel name but do not want to scroll through the full guide.
Set up separate profiles to manage blocks for different people
If you share a YouTube TV account with family members, each person can have their own profile with separate blocked channels. Go to your account settings in the YouTube TV app and select "Manage profiles." Create a new profile for each household member.
When someone switches to their profile, they will see only the channels they have chosen to block, not the blocks set by other profiles. This is useful if some household members want to hide certain channels while others do not. Each profile maintains its own guide, recommendations, and watch history.
Find and unblock channels you have blocked
To see which channels you have blocked, go to your account settings in the YouTube TV app and look for a "Blocked channels" or "Content restrictions" section. The exact location depends on your device, but it is usually under settings or preferences.
Highlight any blocked channel in that list and press the menu button. Select "Unblock channel" to restore it to your guide and search results. You can unblock channels one at a time whenever you change your mind.
Blocking channels on different devices
Blocks you set on one device do not automatically carry over to other devices. If you block a channel on your living room TV, that channel will still appear in the guide on your bedroom TV or on a streaming stick in another room, unless you block it on those devices too.
To block the same channel across multiple devices, you will need to repeat the blocking process on each one. This gives you flexibility — you can block a channel only on devices where certain household members watch, while leaving it visible on other devices.
What happens when you block a channel
Blocking a channel removes it from your guide, hides it from search results, and stops it from appearing in your recommendations. However, blocking does not prevent someone from typing the channel name directly into the search box and watching it if they know it exists.
If you want stronger content controls — such as preventing access to certain channels entirely — you may want to explore parental controls or PIN protection through your YouTube TV account settings. These tools go beyond hiding channels and can restrict access based on content ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will blocking a channel stop it from appearing on all my devices?
No. Blocks are set per device and per profile. A channel you block on your living room TV will still show up on your bedroom TV or on a mobile device unless you block it there too. If you want to block a channel across all your devices, you will need to block it on each one separately.
Can I block a channel without watching it first?
Yes. You can block a channel from the guide by scrolling to it, pressing the menu button, and selecting block. You do not have to click on it or watch any content first. You can also search for the channel by name and block it from the search results.
What if someone in my household unblocks a channel I blocked?
If they have access to the same profile, they can unblock any channel you blocked on that profile. To prevent this, create a separate profile for them with its own PIN or password protection. Each profile maintains its own blocked channels list independently.
Can I block a channel permanently so no one can unblock it?
YouTube TV does not offer a permanent lock on blocked channels. Any user with access to the profile can unblock a channel at any time. For stronger restrictions, use parental controls or PIN protection through your account settings, which can prevent access to content rated above a certain level.
Does blocking a channel stop it from being recommended to me?
Yes. Once you block a channel, it will not appear in your recommendations or suggested content. However, if you search for the channel by name directly, you will still be able to find and watch it. Blocking hides the channel from discovery but does not prevent access if you search for it intentionally.