What blocking does and where you can do it

Blocking stops someone from contacting you, seeing your posts or profile, or reaching you through a specific app or service. The exact effect depends on where you block them. On text messaging, they cannot send you messages or see when you are online. On social media, they cannot find your profile, see your posts, or send you messages. On email, their messages go to spam automatically. On a phone call, their calls go straight to voicemail.

You can block people on nearly every platform you use — your phone's built-in messaging and calling apps, social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, email services like Gmail, dating apps, gaming platforms, and messaging apps like WhatsApp or iMessage. Each platform has its own blocking feature, and blocking someone in one place does not block them everywhere else. If you want to block someone completely, you may need to block them on multiple services.

Blocking is different from muting or unfriending. When you mute someone, you still see their posts but they do not show up in your feed. When you unfriend someone on Facebook, they can still see your public posts unless you block them. Blocking is the strongest privacy tool — it cuts off contact entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking stops someone from contacting you and seeing your profile or posts on that specific platform, but you may need to block them on multiple apps if they use more than one to reach you.
  • The steps to block someone are different on each platform — text messaging, email, social media, and phone calls all have separate blocking features.
  • Blocking someone does not delete past messages or posts between you, and they may realize they are blocked if they try to contact you or search for your profile.
  • If someone creates a new account to contact you after being blocked, that is harassment and you can report it to the platform or your phone carrier.

How to block someone on text messaging

On an iPhone, open the conversation with the person you want to block. Tap the person's name or number at the top of the screen, then scroll down and tap Block this Caller. On Android, open the conversation, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select Block. After you block someone, their text messages will not appear in your inbox — they go to a separate blocked messages folder that you can view if you need to.

If you use a third-party messaging app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, the steps are different. In WhatsApp, open the conversation, tap and hold the person's name, then select Block Contact. In Facebook Messenger, open the conversation, tap the person's name at the top, scroll down, and tap Block. Each app stores blocked contacts separately, so blocking someone in WhatsApp does not block them in Facebook Messenger.

How to block someone on social media

On Facebook, go to the person's profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select Block. On Instagram, go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select Block. On Twitter (now called X), tap the three dots on one of their posts or go to their profile and select Block. On TikTok, go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select Block user.

When you block someone on social media, they cannot see your profile, posts, stories, or follower list. They cannot send you direct messages. If they search for your name, your profile will not appear in the results. However, they may notice they are blocked if they try to visit your profile directly or if they realize they can no longer see your posts in their feed.

Some platforms let you block someone without them knowing immediately. On Instagram and Facebook, you can also restrict someone instead of blocking them — they can still see your public posts, but their comments will be hidden from other people and they cannot see when you are online. Restricting is useful if you want to limit contact without a complete block.

How to block someone on email

In Gmail, open an email from the person you want to block, click the three dots in the top right corner, and select Block [person's name]. Their future emails will go directly to your spam folder. In Outlook, right-click the email and select Junk, then Block Sender. In Apple Mail, select the email and click Mail in the menu bar, then Junk Mail, then Block Sender.

Email blocking works by filtering — their messages still arrive at your email server, but they automatically go to spam instead of your inbox. You can still view blocked emails if you check your spam folder, and you can unblock someone at any time. If someone uses multiple email addresses to contact you, you may need to block each address separately.

How to block someone on phone calls

On an iPhone, open the Phone app, find the person's number in your recent calls or contacts, tap the information icon (the "i" in a circle), scroll down, and tap Block this Caller. On Android, open the Phone app, find the number, tap the three dots, and select Block number. Their calls will go straight to voicemail, and you will not see a missed call notification.

If you receive calls from an unknown number, you can block it without saving it as a contact. On iPhone, tap the information icon next to the recent call and select Block this Caller. On Android, tap the three dots next to the number and select Block. Some phone carriers also offer call-blocking services through your phone plan — contact your carrier to learn what options they provide.

What happens after you block someone

After you block someone, past messages or posts between you remain in your account — blocking does not delete your conversation history. You can still see old messages if you unblock them later. However, the person you blocked cannot see those old messages, and they cannot send you new ones.

The person you blocked may realize they are blocked if they try to contact you and their message does not go through, or if they search for your profile and cannot find it. On some platforms like Instagram, they might notice that they can no longer see your posts in their feed. There is no notification that tells them they have been blocked, but they can figure it out by trying to reach you.

If someone creates a new account to contact you after being blocked, that crosses into harassment. You can report the new account to the platform and block it as well. If the harassment continues, you can report it to your local police or contact the platform's support team for additional help.

Unblocking someone if you change your mind

You can unblock someone at any time using the same steps you used to block them. On iPhone text messaging, go to Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts and swipe left on the person's name to unblock. On Android, open the Messages app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Blocked numbers, and tap the X next to their number. On social media, go to the person's profile or your blocked list and select Unblock.

When you unblock someone, they can contact you again and see your profile and posts. They will not receive a notification that you unblocked them. If you unblock someone and then block them again later, the process is the same — there is no limit to how many times you can block and unblock the same person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

They cannot receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out by trying to contact you or search for your profile. On social media, if they cannot find your profile or see your posts anymore, they will likely realize they are blocked. On text messaging, if their messages do not go through and they do not see a delivery confirmation, they may suspect they are blocked.

If I block someone, can they still see my old messages?

No. On most platforms, when you block someone, they cannot see your old messages or posts. The messages remain in your account, but they are hidden from the blocked person. If you unblock them later, they will be able to see the old messages again.

What if someone keeps contacting me from different accounts?

If someone creates new accounts to contact you after being blocked, that is harassment. Block each new account as it appears. You can also report the accounts to the platform for violating their terms of service. If the harassment continues, contact your local police or the platform's support team for additional help.

Does blocking someone on one app block them everywhere?

No. Blocking someone on Facebook does not block them on Instagram, WhatsApp, or your phone's text messaging app. You need to block them separately on each platform if you want to cut off contact completely. Some people use multiple apps to reach others, so blocking in one place may not stop all contact.

Can I block someone without them knowing?

There is no way to block someone without them eventually realizing it, because they will notice when they cannot reach you or find your profile. However, they will not receive a notification that says "you have been blocked." On social media, you can restrict someone instead of blocking them — they can still see your public posts, but you have more control over what they see.