How to block a contact on WhatsApp
Open WhatsApp and find the person's name in your Chats or Contacts list. Press and hold their name until a menu appears, then tap Block. On some phones you may see additional options — select the one that says Block Contact or Block This Chat. That person can no longer message you, call you, or see when you are online.
The block takes effect when ready. Any messages they send after you block them will not reach your phone, and they will not receive a notification that you blocked them. However, they can still see your profile picture, status, and last-seen time if they had access to those before the block — WhatsApp does not retroactively hide your past activity.
If you change your mind, you can unblock the same person by going to Settings, then Account, then Privacy, then Blocked Contacts. Find their name and tap Unblock. They will have no record that you ever blocked them.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on WhatsApp prevents them from sending you messages or calling you, and hides your online status from them going forward.
- The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may notice they cannot reach you.
- You can unblock someone at any time through Settings > Account > Privacy > Blocked Contacts.
- Blocking only affects future communication — messages they sent before the block remain in your chat history unless you delete the conversation.
- If someone is harassing you, blocking is a first step, but you can also report them to WhatsApp or your phone's operating system.
What happens when you block someone
Once you block a contact, they cannot send you new messages or make calls to you. Any message they try to send will appear to go through on their end, but it will never arrive on your phone. They will not see a delivery checkmark or read receipt, which may tip them off that something is wrong, but WhatsApp does not tell them explicitly that they are blocked.
The blocked person can still see your profile picture, status updates, and the last time you were online — unless you have already set those to private in your privacy settings. Blocking does not change what they could see before. If you want to hide those details from them, you need to adjust your privacy settings separately, which you can do in Settings > Account > Privacy.
If you delete the conversation with someone after blocking them, the block remains in place. Unblocking them will not restore the deleted chat history.
Blocking on different devices
The steps are nearly identical on iPhone and Android, but the exact menu names differ slightly. On iPhone, open WhatsApp, go to Chats, swipe left on the contact's name, and tap More, then Block. On Android, press and hold the contact name in Chats, tap the three dots at the top right, and select Block.
If you use WhatsApp on a computer or tablet as well as your phone, blocking someone on one device blocks them on all of them. WhatsApp syncs your blocked list across all your active sessions. However, if you use WhatsApp Web (the browser version), you must block the contact on your phone first — you cannot block directly from the web version.
Blocking versus muting and archiving
Blocking is different from muting or archiving a chat. When you mute a conversation, you still receive messages from that person, but you do not get notifications. When you archive a chat, it moves out of your main list but the messages remain, and you can still message them. Blocking stops all communication in both directions.
Use muting if someone is not bothering you but you do not want constant notifications. Use archiving if you want to clean up your chat list but may want to talk to them later. Use blocking only if you do not want to hear from them at all.
If someone is harassing you
Blocking stops the person from reaching you through WhatsApp, but if they are harassing you across multiple platforms or in person, blocking alone may not be enough. You can report the contact to WhatsApp by opening the chat, tapping the three dots at the top, and selecting Report. WhatsApp will review the report and may take action against the account.
If the harassment is severe or involves threats, you can also report it to your phone's operating system. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Block and Report Junk, or use the Report Junk option in the Messages app. On Android, you can report the number through your phone's default messaging app or contact your local police. WhatsApp reports and phone-level reports are separate — doing one does not automatically do the other.
Blocking group chats and broadcast lists
You can block someone who is in a group chat with you, but you will still see their messages in the group. Blocking only prevents them from contacting you directly. If their presence in the group bothers you, you can leave the group instead, or ask the group admin to remove them.
If someone sends you a broadcast message (a message sent to multiple people at once but appearing as a direct message), you can block them the same way you block a regular contact. Broadcast messages from blocked contacts will not reach you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
WhatsApp does not send a notification saying you blocked them. However, they may figure it out if they try to message you and never see a delivery checkmark, or if they cannot call you. There is no way to block someone completely silently.
Can I block someone without them seeing my profile picture first?
No. If they already have your contact saved, they have already seen your profile picture and status. Blocking does not hide information they already saw. If you want to prevent someone from seeing your profile picture going forward, adjust your privacy settings in Settings > Account > Privacy > Profile Photo.
What if I block someone by accident?
Go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Blocked Contacts, find their name, and tap Unblock. They will not know you blocked them, and unblocking them restores normal messaging. Your chat history with them remains unless you deleted it.
Can I block someone if they are not in my contacts?
Yes. If someone messages you and they are not saved in your phone's contacts, you can still block them. Open the message, tap the three dots, and select Block. They will be added to your blocked list even if they were never in your contacts.
Does blocking someone delete our chat history?
No. Blocking only stops future messages. Your past conversation with them stays in your chat list unless you manually delete it. If you want to remove the chat, swipe left on it (iPhone) or press and hold it (Android), then select Delete Chat.