You can stop someone from sending you friend requests by blocking them first
Facebook does not have a setting that prevents specific people from sending you requests — the platform assumes you want to see all requests and decide whether to accept or ignore them. But you can block someone before they ever send a request, and blocking stops them from contacting you in almost every way on Facebook. Once you block someone, they cannot send you a friend request, message you, see your profile, or find you in search.
If someone has already sent you a request and you want to stop them from sending more, you can delete the request and then block them. The block is what actually stops future requests; deleting the request alone does not.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone prevents them from sending friend requests, messaging you, viewing your profile, or finding you in search results.
- To block someone before they request, search for their profile, open it, and select the three-dot menu to find the block option.
- If you have already received a request, delete it first, then find their profile and block them to stop future requests.
- Blocked people do not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may notice they cannot find your profile or that a previous friendship has disappeared.
- You can unblock someone at any time from your blocked list in Settings, and they will be able to send requests again after 48 hours.
How to block someone before they send a request
Search for the person's name or profile in the Facebook search bar at the top of your screen. When their profile appears in the results, click on it to open their full profile page.
Look for the three-dot menu icon (also called "More") in the top right area of their profile header, near where it shows their name and profile picture. Click that menu. A dropdown list will appear with options including "Block." Select "Block" from that list.
Facebook will ask you to confirm. Click "Block [Name]" to finish. The person is now blocked and cannot send you a friend request.
How to block someone who has already sent you a request
Go to your friend requests by clicking the friend icon (two people) at the top of Facebook, then select "Friend Requests." You will see a list of pending requests.
Find the request from the person you want to block. Next to their name, you will see two buttons: a checkmark (to accept) and an X (to decline). Click the X to delete the request. This removes the request from your list but does not block them.
After you delete the request, search for their profile using the search bar. Open their profile, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block." This prevents them from sending you another request in the future.
What happens when you block someone
Once you block someone, they lose access to your profile immediately. They cannot see your posts, photos, friends list, or any information you have shared. If you were already friends with them, that friendship is removed from both of your accounts — they will not see you in their friends list, and you will not see them in yours.
Blocked people cannot message you, tag you in posts, or see you in search results. They also cannot see comments you make on public posts or pages, and they cannot add you to groups. Essentially, you become invisible to them on Facebook.
The blocked person does not receive a notification saying you blocked them. However, if they try to visit your profile or search for you, they will see a message saying the profile is not available or that the user could not be found. If you were previously friends, they may notice the friendship has disappeared.
Blocking on mobile versus desktop
The steps are the same whether you use Facebook on a computer, iPhone, or Android phone. Search for the person, open their profile, tap or click the three-dot menu, and select "Block."
On mobile, the three-dot menu may be labeled "More" and might appear in a slightly different location depending on your phone's screen size, but the option to block is always in that menu. If you cannot find it immediately, scroll down on their profile — sometimes the menu appears lower on the page on smaller screens.
How to unblock someone
If you change your mind, you can unblock someone at any time. Go to Settings (the gear icon or three horizontal lines, depending on your device), then select "Settings & Privacy" and "Settings." Scroll down to "Blocking" and click on it.
You will see a list of people you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click "Unblock" next to their name. Confirm when Facebook asks you to verify.
After you unblock someone, they can send you friend requests again, but there is a 48-hour waiting period before Facebook allows them to do so. This delay is built into Facebook's system and applies to everyone.
Blocking versus other privacy options
Blocking is the strongest action you can take against someone on Facebook. If you want a less severe option, you can ignore a friend request instead of blocking — this simply leaves the request in your list without accepting it, but the person can still see your profile and send you messages.
You can also adjust your privacy settings to limit who can send you friend requests. Go to Settings, then "Privacy," and look for "Who can send you friend requests?" You can restrict this to friends of friends only, rather than anyone on Facebook. This does not block specific people, but it reduces the total number of requests you receive from strangers.
Another option is to restrict someone instead of blocking them. Restricting limits what they can see on your profile and what notifications you receive from them, but they can still send requests and messages. Restricting is useful if you want to maintain a connection but limit their access — blocking is better if you want no contact at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
They will not receive a notification, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile or search for you and see that you are not findable. If you were friends before blocking, they will notice the friendship disappeared from their account.
Can a blocked person still see my old comments or posts they are tagged in?
No. Once blocked, they cannot see any of your content, including old posts or comments you made before the block. If they are tagged in a photo with you, they can still see the photo (because they are tagged), but they cannot see your profile or your other content.
What if I block someone and then they create a new account?
The block only applies to the specific account you blocked. If they create a new account, that new account is not automatically blocked, and they could send you a request from it. You would need to block the new account separately if they contact you again.
Can I block someone without them being my friend first?
Yes. You can block anyone on Facebook whether you are friends with them or not. Blocking works the same way regardless of your relationship status — they lose access to your profile and cannot contact you.
If I block someone, will they see that I deleted their friend request?
No. Deleting a request and then blocking someone are two separate actions, and the person will not receive notifications for either one. They will only notice if they try to contact you or visit your profile.