Blocking stops someone from seeing your profile and contacting you
When you block someone on Facebook, that person cannot see your profile, find you in search, message you, or see your posts and comments anywhere on the platform. They also cannot add you as a friend or see your friends list. If you were already friends, blocking removes that connection immediately.
The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile or search for you and cannot find you. Facebook does not tell them why they cannot reach you.
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 and is the right choice if someone is harassing you, if you want no contact at all, or if you need to keep your profile completely hidden from that person.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone removes them from your friends list, hides your profile from them, and stops them from messaging or finding you on Facebook.
- The person you block will not get a notification, but they may discover it by trying to visit your profile or search for you.
- You can block someone from their profile, from a message thread, or from your settings, depending on where you are when you decide to block.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to your settings, though unblocking does not automatically restore your friendship.
- Blocking someone on Facebook does not affect them on Instagram or other Meta platforms unless you block them separately there.
How to block someone from their Facebook profile
The fastest way to block someone is to go to their profile and use the menu there. Open Facebook and search for the person's name, or click on their name if you see them in a comment or post. Once you are on their profile, look for the three dots (•••) or the down arrow in the top right corner of their profile header.
Click those three dots or the arrow. A menu will appear with several options. Look for "Block" in that menu and click it. Facebook will ask you to confirm — click "Block" again. That is all. The person is now blocked, and their profile will no longer be visible to you either.
How to block someone from a message or comment
If someone is messaging you and you want to block them without visiting their profile, open the message thread. At the top of the conversation, you will see their name and a small information icon (usually a circle with an "i"). Click that icon, then look for "Block" in the menu that appears. Click it and confirm.
You can also block someone from a comment they made on your post or someone else's post. Hover over or tap their comment, and a menu of options will appear. Click the three dots or the menu icon, then select "Block." Confirm the block when Facebook asks.
How to block someone from your settings
If you want to block someone but do not want to visit their profile, you can do it from your Facebook settings. Click the down arrow in the top right corner of Facebook (on a computer) or tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines on a phone). Scroll down and click "Settings and privacy," then click "Settings."
On the left side, click "Blocking." You will see a section that says "Block users." Type the person's name in the box and click their name when it appears in the dropdown. Click "Block" next to their name. You can block multiple people this way — just repeat the process for each person.
What happens when you block someone
Once you block someone, they immediately lose access to your profile. They cannot see your posts, photos, friends list, or any information you have shared. Any messages you sent them before the block remain in their inbox, but they cannot send you new messages. If you were in a group chat together, they can still see the conversation, but they cannot message you privately.
If you had tagged the person in photos or posts before blocking them, those tags remain visible to other people, but the blocked person cannot click on your name to reach your profile. Comments the blocked person made on your posts before the block stay visible on those posts, but you will not see any new comments from them.
How to unblock someone
If you change your mind, you can unblock someone at any time. Go to your settings the same way you did to block them: click the down arrow, then "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." Click "Blocking" on the left side. You will see a list of people you have blocked under "Blocked users."
Find the person you want to unblock and click "Unblock" next to their name. Confirm when Facebook asks. The person is now unblocked, and they can find and message you again. However, unblocking does not automatically restore your friendship — if you were friends before you blocked them, you will need to add them as a friend again, or they will need to send you a friend request.
Blocking on Instagram and other Meta platforms
If you block someone on Facebook, they are not automatically blocked on Instagram, WhatsApp, or other apps owned by Meta. You will need to block them separately on each platform if you want to block them everywhere. Go to the person's Instagram profile, tap the three dots, and select "Block." The process is similar on other Meta apps, though the exact steps vary slightly.
If someone is harassing you across multiple platforms, blocking them on each one is important. You can also report the person to Meta if their behavior violates the platform's rules — blocking and reporting are separate actions, and you can do both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
Facebook does not send a notification when you block someone. However, they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile, search for you, or message you and cannot. There is no way to block someone completely invisibly, but Facebook does not tell them directly that you blocked them.
Can a blocked person still see my old comments on their posts?
Yes. Comments you made on their posts before you blocked them will still be visible to them and to other people. Blocking only stops them from seeing new activity and from contacting you going forward. If you want to remove an old comment, you can delete it yourself.
What if I block someone by accident?
You can unblock them immediately by going to Settings, then Blocking, finding their name under "Blocked users," and clicking "Unblock." There is no penalty for blocking and unblocking someone, and Facebook does not track how many times you have done it.
Does blocking someone remove them from my friends list?
Yes. If you were friends with someone when you block them, the friendship is removed immediately. When you unblock them later, you are not automatically friends again — you will both need to send a new friend request to reconnect.
Can I block someone without them seeing that I unfriended them first?
If you are friends with someone, blocking them automatically removes the friendship, so there is no need to unfriend first. If you want to avoid the appearance of unfriending, blocking accomplishes the same thing in one step.