---
title: Block bot web traffic
description: "Create a block filter in Amplitude to stop ingesting bot traffic from crawlers, scrapers, and similar tools."
product: data
token_estimate: 438
---
# Block bot web traffic

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at [/docs/llms.txt](/docs/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any page URL for markdown, or send `Accept: text/markdown`.

To block bot traffic in Amplitude, create a **block filter** for bot traffic. Amplitude then stops ingesting events from crawlers, scrapers, and similar tools, which matters if you track events on public, unauthenticated websites where bot traffic can skew your metrics.

## How bot blocking works

Amplitude blocks bot traffic based on User-Agent, as identified by the [IAB/ABC International Spiders and Bots List](https://www.iab.com/guidelines/iab-abc-international-spiders-bots-list/). Blocking applies by default to data sent through the [legacy JavaScript SDK](https://github.com/amplitude/Amplitude-JavaScript) or the [TypeScript Browser SDK](https://github.com/amplitude/Amplitude-TypeScript/tree/main/packages/analytics-browser) (version 1.10.0 and later). You can also provide the `user_agent` field directly on events sent through the HTTP API or Batch API. Be careful when doing this, because the value **must represent a valid browser** or Amplitude drops the event.

You can't recover data that a block filter removes, because Amplitude never ingests it.

## Create a block filter for bot web traffic

To create a block filter for bot web traffic, follow these steps:

1. Make sure you're on `main`. Filters aren't accessible from any other branch.
2. In the left-hand sidebar, click **Filters**, then select the **Block Filters** tab.
3. Click **+ Create Block Filter** to open the Filter Configuration fly-out panel.
4. Select **Bot Traffic** from the **Block** drop-down.
5. When you're ready, click **Block Data** to start the block filter.