Blocking a Contact

If you no longer want to receive instant messages from a specific contact, you can block the contact from directly sending you instant messages. When you block a contact, you appear to be offline to the person, who doesn't know blocking is turned on. If another contact invites you and someone you blocked into a conversation, the blocked person can send you messages indirectly. Blocking a contact moves them from your Allow list to your Block list. Deleting a blocked contact from your Contacts list does not remove the block.

Block or Unblock a Contact

Click the Tools menu, and then click Options.

Click the Privacy tab.

Select the contacts you want to block, and then click Block.

Select the contacts you don't want to block, and then click Allow.

To find out which users have added you to their Contacts list, click View, and then click Close.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can quickly block or unblock a contact . Right-click the contact, and then click Unblock or Block. You can also click the Block button during a conversation.

You can block a person not in your Contacts list . Click Send An Instant Message, click Other, type the person's e-mail address, click OK, and then click the Block button.