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+---
+stage: Manage
+group: Access
+info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
+type: howto
+---
+
+# Moderate users
+
+GitLab administrators can moderate user access by blocking, banning, or deactivating users.
+
+## Blocking and unblocking users
+
+GitLab administrators can block and unblock users.
+
+### Blocking a user
+
+In order to completely prevent access of a user to the GitLab instance,
+administrators can choose to block the user.
+
+Users can be blocked [via an abuse report](review_abuse_reports.md#blocking-users),
+or directly from the Admin Area. To do this:
+
+1. Navigate to  **Admin Area > Overview > Users**.
+1. Select a user.
+1. Under the **Account** tab, click **Block user**.
+
+A blocked user:
+
+- Cannot log in.
+- Cannot access Git repositories or the API.
+- Does not receive any notifications from GitLab.
+- Cannot use [slash commands](../../integration/slash_commands.md).
+
+Personal projects, and group and user history of the blocked user are left intact.
+
+Users can also be blocked using the [GitLab API](../../api/users.md#block-user).
+
+NOTE:
+A blocked user does not consume a [seat](../../subscriptions/self_managed/index.md#billable-users).
+
+### Unblocking a user
+
+A blocked user can be unblocked from the Admin Area. To do this:
+
+1. Navigate to  **Admin Area > Overview > Users**.
+1. Click on the **Blocked** tab.
+1. Select a user.
+1. Under the **Account** tab, click **Unblock user**.
+
+Users can also be unblocked using the [GitLab API](../../api/users.md#unblock-user).
+
+NOTE:
+Unblocking a user changes the user's state to active and consumes a
+[seat](../../subscriptions/self_managed/index.md#billable-users).
+
+## Activating and deactivating users
+
+GitLab administrators can deactivate and activate users.
+
+### Deactivating a user
+
+> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/22257) in GitLab 12.4.
+
+In order to temporarily prevent access by a GitLab user that has no recent activity,
+administrators can choose to deactivate the user.
+
+Deactivating a user is functionally identical to [blocking a user](#blocking-and-unblocking-users),
+with the following differences:
+
+- It does not prohibit the user from logging back in via the UI.
+- Once a deactivated user logs back into the GitLab UI, their account is set to active.
+
+A deactivated user:
+
+- Cannot access Git repositories or the API.
+- Will not receive any notifications from GitLab.
+- Will not be able to use [slash commands](../../integration/slash_commands.md).
+
+Personal projects, and group and user history of the deactivated user are left intact.
+
+A user can be deactivated from the Admin Area. To do this:
+
+1. Navigate to  **Admin Area > Overview > Users**.
+1. Select a user.
+1. Under the **Account** tab, click **Deactivate user**.
+
+Please note that for the deactivation option to be visible to an admin, the user:
+
+- Must be currently active.
+- Must not have signed in, or have any activity, in the last 90 days.
+
+Users can also be deactivated using the [GitLab API](../../api/users.md#deactivate-user).
+
+NOTE:
+A deactivated user does not consume a [seat](../../subscriptions/self_managed/index.md#billable-users).
+
+### Activating a user
+
+> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/22257) in GitLab 12.4.
+
+A deactivated user can be activated from the Admin Area.
+
+To do this:
+
+1. Navigate to  **Admin Area > Overview > Users**.
+1. Click on the **Deactivated** tab.
+1. Select a user.
+1. Under the **Account** tab, click **Activate user**.
+
+Users can also be activated using the [GitLab API](../../api/users.md#activate-user).
+
+NOTE:
+Activating a user changes the user's state to active and consumes a
+[seat](../../subscriptions/self_managed/index.md#billable-users).
+
+NOTE:
+A deactivated user can also activate their account themselves by logging back in via the UI.
+
+## Ban and unban users
+
+> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/327353) in GitLab 13.12.
+
+GitLab administrators can ban users.
+
+NOTE:
+This feature is behind a feature flag that is disabled by default. GitLab administrators 
+with access to the GitLab Rails console can [enable](../../administration/feature_flags.md)
+this feature for your GitLab instance.
+
+### Ban a user
+
+To completely block a user, administrators can choose to ban the user.
+
+Users can be banned using the Admin Area. To do this:
+
+1. Navigate to  **Admin Area > Overview > Users**.
+1. Select a user.
+1. Under the **Account** tab, click **Ban user**.
+
+NOTE:
+This feature is a work in progress. Currently, banning a user
+only blocks them and does not hide their comments or issues.
+This functionality will be implemented in follow up issues.
+
+### Unban a user
+
+A banned user can be unbanned using the Admin Area. To do this:
+
+1. Navigate to  **Admin Area > Overview > Users**.
+1. Click on the **Banned** tab.
+1. Select a user.
+1. Under the **Account** tab, click **Unban user**.
+
+NOTE:
+Unbanning a user changes the user's state to active and consumes a
+[seat](../../subscriptions/self_managed/index.md#billable-users).