Blocking stops someone from seeing your profile and contacting you

When you block someone on Facebook, they cannot see your profile, posts, or story. They cannot message you, tag you in photos, or add you as a friend. If you were already friends, blocking removes that connection. The person will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile and see an error message instead.

Blocking is different from unfriending. When you unfriend someone, they can still see your public posts and send you messages unless you block them too. Blocking is the stronger action — use it when you want complete separation from someone, not just to remove them from your friends list.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking someone removes them from your friends list, hides your profile from them, and stops them from messaging or tagging you.
  • You can block someone from their profile, from a message thread, or from your friends list in under 30 seconds.
  • You can unblock someone at any time if you change your mind, and they will not be notified when you do.
  • Blocking does not delete past messages or comments — those remain in your message history unless you delete them separately.
  • If someone creates a new account to contact you after being blocked, that is harassment and you can report it to Facebook.

Block someone from their Facebook profile

The fastest way to block someone is from their profile page. Open their profile, look for the three dots (menu icon) in the top right corner of their cover photo, and tap or click it. A menu will appear with several options.

Select Block from that menu. Facebook will ask you to confirm — tap or click Block again. The person is now blocked. Their profile will disappear from your view, and you will no longer see their posts in your feed.

Block someone from a message or chat

If you want to block someone you have been messaging with, open the message thread with that person. Look for the person's name at the top of the conversation and tap or click it. A menu will open showing options for that conversation.

Scroll down and select Block. Confirm your choice when Facebook asks. This blocks them and also removes the message thread from your inbox — you will not see their name in your messages anymore. The messages themselves are not deleted; they are just hidden from your main message list.

Block someone from your friends list

You can also block someone directly from your friends list without visiting their profile. Go to your profile, tap or click Friends, and find the person you want to block. Hover over their name or tap the three dots next to it.

Select Unfriend first if you want to remove them cleanly, or go straight to Block if you want the stronger action. Either way, select Block from the menu that appears. The person will be removed from your friends list and blocked from seeing your profile.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block someone, they cannot find your profile by searching for you. If they try to visit your profile directly using an old link, they will see a message saying the profile is not available. They cannot see your posts, photos, or story. Any messages you sent them before the block remain in their inbox, but they cannot send you new messages.

If you were tagged in photos together before the block, those photos and tags remain visible to other people, but the blocked person cannot see them. Comments you made on public posts before the block may still be visible to others, but the blocked person cannot see them.

Unblock someone if you change your mind

You can unblock someone at any time. Go to your Settings (the gear icon or three horizontal lines), then select Privacy or Settings and Privacy depending on your device. Look for Blocking in the menu.

You will see a list of people you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and tap or click Unblock next to their name. Confirm your choice. They will not be notified that you unblocked them. They can now see your profile and send you messages again, but you will not be automatically re-added as friends.

What to do if someone blocks you

If someone blocks you, you will not receive a notification. You may notice when you try to visit their profile and see an error, or when you search for them and cannot find them. You cannot see their profile, posts, or story. Any messages you sent them before the block will still be in your message history, but you cannot send new messages.

If you believe someone has blocked you unfairly or if you need to contact them, you have limited options. You cannot message them directly. If the block is from someone you know in person, the best approach is to talk to them outside of Facebook. If you are being harassed by someone who repeatedly blocks and unblocks you or creates new accounts to contact you, you can report that behavior to Facebook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

They will not receive a notification, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile and see an error message. They might also notice they cannot find you in search or that your messages are gone. There is no way for them to know for certain without trying to contact you.

Will blocking someone delete our old messages?

No. Messages you sent before the block remain in both your inboxes. They just cannot send you new messages. If you want to delete old messages, you must delete them separately from your message history.

What if someone creates a new account to contact me after I blocked them?

That is harassment. You can block the new account as well. If it continues, report the behavior to Facebook by going to the profile, tapping the three dots, and selecting Report. Tell Facebook that this person is harassing you with multiple accounts.

If I unblock someone, will we be friends again?

No. Unblocking just removes the block — it does not restore your friendship. You will both have to send friend requests again if you want to be connected.

Can I block someone without them seeing that I unfriended them first?

If you block someone, they are automatically removed from your friends list. You do not need to unfriend them separately. Blocking handles both actions at once.