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# Restrict or Block Users: Group Changes, Account Bans, and IP Blacklisting

This article explains how to **update a user's group**, **ban a user account**, or **ban a user's IP address** through the Admin Dashboard.  
All actions must be performed **within the user’s profile**.

You will find step-by-step instructions below, including screenshots to guide you.
---

| **Why Prioritize Group Updates Before Banning?**
| In many cases, adjusting a user's permissions by changing their **User Group** can be enough to correct inappropriate behavior or limit access without completely banning the user. Banning an account or an IP address should be considered **only when necessary**, such as for severe violations or security threats. By following this progressive approach, you maintain fairness, minimize disruption, and preserve good users while protecting your platform when needed.

## 1. Update a User’s User Group

Sometimes, you may need to change a user's group to modify their permissions, access levels, or roles.

To update a user's group:

1. Go to the user's profile in the Admin Dashboard.
2. Navigate to the **Settings** tab.
3. Under **You are...**, select the new group from the dropdown list and **save** the changes.
   - This will define the permissions and access rights the user will have upon their next login.
4. After changing the group, it is **mandatory to click "Force user logout"** to apply the changes immediately.
   - This will ensure that the user is disconnected and must log back in, loading the new permissions tied to their updated group.

![User Group dropdown and Force Logout link](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/c/a/5/b/ca5bb4e1bab89000/groupupdate_k6lzpc.jpg)

||| **Note:** If the user remains logged in without being logged out, they will still operate under their old permissions until they manually log out or their session expires.

## 2. Ban a User Account

To ban a user from accessing their account:

1. Go to the user's profile in the Admin Dashboard.
2. Navigate to the **Settings** tab.
3. Under **Account Authorization**, select **Banned** from the dropdown list and **save** the changes.
   - This will prevent the user from logging into their account.
4. To immediately apply the ban, **click the link "Force user logout"**.
   - This will terminate any active sessions the user might have and apply the new ban status immediately.

!["Account Authorization" and "Force user logout"](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/c/a/5/b/ca5bb4e1bab89000/banuser_sy8u9r.jpg)

||| **Note:** If you do not click "Force user logout," the user will remain logged in until they manually log out or their session expires. Always force logout after banning.

## 3. Ban a User's IP Address

If you want to restrict access from a specific IP address associated with the user:

1. Go to the user's profile in the Admin Dashboard.
2. Navigate to the **Activities** tab.
3. Locate the IP address you wish to ban (displayed in the list of login or activity records).
4. Hover over the IP address, and a tooltip will appear.
5. Click on **"Blacklist this IP"**.

![Activities tab, IP addresses, and tooltip action](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/c/a/5/b/ca5bb4e1bab89000/banip_1ucgqmn.jpg)

This will automatically add the IP address to the platform's blacklist, blocking any future access attempts from that IP.

## Additional IP Management

-  In the Admin Dashboard, you can view and manage all banned IP addresses manually by going to:
  **Settings > Security**.

- In this section, you can:
  - Review blacklisted IPs
  - Remove IPs from the blacklist
  - Document the ban reason
  - Add new IPs manually for preventive restrictions.

![Settings > Security page](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/c/a/5/b/ca5bb4e1bab89000/ipssettings_10ag1io.jpg)

||| **Note:** IP banning is effective immediately after it is added to the blacklist. However, be aware that some users may have dynamic IPs (which change over time) or use a VPN, so banning an IP might not be sufficient to permanently block a user.
---

## Best Practices

- Always document why an account or IP was banned (e.g., in an admin only user attribute)
- Use account bans for **behavioral issues** (e.g., policy violations) and IP bans for **technical/security issues** (e.g., bot attacks, repeated abusive logins).