# Blocking

Spam visitors can be blocked based on their ID or public IP address.

* **Block by ID** – The visitor is prevented from initiating a chat from the same browser unless they clear cookies or use incognito/private mode. In that case, starting a chat will still be possible.
* **Block by IP** – The visitor is blocked based on their IP address. Note that in some locations/offices, multiple people may share the same public IP, so caution is needed to avoid accidentally blocking other users.
* **Expires at** – After the block period ends, the visitor is automatically unblocked. By default, this is one day, but the agent can choose any duration.
* **Agent Name** – The name of the agent who initiated the block.

Go to the **Blocked** page and click the **lock icon** to block or unblock a visitor.

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**Block a Customer by IP:** Go to the **Blocked** page, click the **Block Customer** lock icon, and select **Block by IP**.

**Block a Customer by ID:** During a live chat, click the **Gear** button and block the visitor.

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