One of the big problems with social media—and the Internet in general—is the delicate balance of maintaining privacy without being a completely boxed-in hermit of anonymity. As useful as Twitter is, it can sometimes be easy to be stalked and harassed while using it. Thankfully, Twitter allows you to block users making your Twitter experience more pleasant.

Here, we'll show you how to block annoying users to keep them from accessing your account.

How to Block a User on Twitter

Blocking a user restricts them from following you, seeing your tweets, sending you direct messages, or tagging you in their tweets. You will also automatically unfollow them and stop seeing their tweets in your timeline. Blocking is a good option if you want to completely cut off any interaction with a user who is bothering you.

To block a user, follow these steps:

  1. Go to their profile page by clicking on their username or profile picture.
  2. Tap the three dots icon next to the search icon.
  3. Select Block from the drop-down menu.
  4. Confirm your decision by clicking Block again.

You can also block a user from their tweet by clicking on the three dots icon in the top right corner of the tweet and selecting Block [name of user] from the menu.

Twitter doesn't notify blocked users that they’ve been blocked, but they may be able to discover it since they can't see your updates anymore. You can also consider trying a soft vs. hard block on Twitter if you don't want to offend someone but still want to force them to stop following you.

If you accidentally block the wrong person or are suddenly overcome by a little guilt, unblocking is even easier. Here's how to unblock someone on Twitter:

  1. Go to the user's profile.
  2. Tap the Blocked button and confirm unblock.

Conversely, you can figure out if someone blocked you on Twitter if you suspect the tables have turned.

Blocking is not the only option you have. Depending on the situation, you may want to mute or report the user instead. If you find a user’s tweet irksome, you can mute them. However, if the user is more than just annoying (e.g., if the user is a spam account or if the user is violating Twitter’s terms of service), then you should report them.

How to Mute a User on Twitter

Muting a user keeps their tweets hidden from your timeline and mentions. However, they will still be able to follow you, see your tweets, send you direct messages, and tag you in their tweets. Muting is perfect for managing a user who posts too much without completely severing ties with them.

You can mute a user by following the steps below:

  1. Tap the three dots icon next to their profile.
  2. Select Mute from the drop-down menu.

You can also mute a user from their tweet by clicking on the three dots icon in the top right corner of the tweet and selecting Mute from the menu.

How to Report a User on Twitter

Reporting is a good option if you need to alert Twitter about a user's abusive or harmful activities on the platform. You can report a user for various reasons, such as spamming, impersonating, threatening, or violating Twitter's rules. You can report a user's profile or a particular tweet.

To report a user, follow these steps:

  1. Go to their profile page by clicking on their username or profile picture.
  2. Click on the three dots icon next to the Follow button.
  3. Select Report from the drop-down menu.
  4. Choose your reason for reporting the user and provide any additional details if needed.
  5. Submit your report by clicking Done.

You can report a tweet by clicking on the three dots icon in the top right corner of the tweet and selecting Report Tweet from the menu.

These aren't the only things you can do to limit unwanted interactions on Twitter. Enabling protected Tweets, choosing who can reply to you, and closing your DM's can all help to keep your Twitter space safe.

Dealing With Annoying People on Twitter

Blocking, muting, and reporting are three ways to deal with annoying users on Twitter. Depending on your situation and preference, you can choose one of these actions to protect yourself and improve your Twitter experience. Remember, you can always change your mind and undo any of these actions if needed.