Blocking stops someone from messaging you and finding your profile
When you block someone in Facebook Messenger, they can no longer send you messages, see when you're online, or find your profile through search. The block works across both Messenger and Facebook itself. They won't receive a notification that you blocked them, but they will notice they can't message you or see your profile anymore.
Blocking is different from muting or ignoring a conversation. Muting silences notifications from someone but they can still message you and see your online status. Blocking is the stronger action — it stops the contact entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Open the conversation with the person you want to block, tap their name at the top, scroll down, and select "Block."
- On a computer, right-click the person's name in your message list and choose "Block" from the menu.
- Blocking someone removes your past messages from their view and prevents them from finding you through search.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, Privacy, and finding them in your blocked list.
- The person you block will not be told directly that you blocked them, but they will realize it when they cannot message you.
How to block someone on your phone
Open Facebook Messenger and find the conversation with the person you want to block. Tap their name or profile picture at the top of the chat. This opens their profile card within Messenger.
Scroll down to the bottom of that card. You will see a "Block" button in red text. Tap it. A confirmation message will appear asking if you're sure — tap "Block" again to confirm. The conversation will remain in your message list, but they can no longer send you messages.
How to block someone on a computer
In Messenger on your computer, locate the person's name in your message list on the left side. Right-click directly on their name. A menu will appear with several options, including "Block." Click it.
A confirmation window will pop up. Click "Block" to confirm. Unlike the phone version, the conversation may disappear from your list when ready, though you can still find it in your blocked list if you need to unblock them later.
What happens when you block someone
Once you block someone, they lose access to several things. They cannot send you new messages — if they try, they'll see an error or a message saying they can't contact you. They cannot see your profile, your posts, or your online status. Any messages you sent them before the block will disappear from their chat history.
The person can still see old posts you made before the block if they were tagged by someone else or shared publicly, but they cannot visit your profile directly or search for you by name. If you were in a group chat together, the block does not remove them from the group, but they still cannot message you privately.
How to unblock someone
If you change your mind, you can unblock someone at any time. On your phone, open Messenger and tap your profile picture in the top left corner. Go to "Settings and Privacy," then "Settings." Scroll down and tap "Privacy." Look for "Blocked People" or "Blocked Accounts."
Find the person's name in the list and tap "Unblock" next to their name. On a computer, go to Settings in the bottom left, click "Privacy," and find "Blocked People." Hover over the person's name and click "Unblock." They will be able to message you again when ready, and your old messages will reappear in their chat history.
When to block versus mute or ignore
Blocking is the right choice when someone is harassing you, sending unwanted messages repeatedly, or you want no contact with them at all. It's permanent until you unblock them, so use it when you're certain.
Muting is better if you just don't want notifications from someone but might want to read their messages later. To mute, open the conversation, tap their name at the top, and toggle "Mute Messages" on. Ignoring a message (available on some phones) moves a conversation to a separate folder without blocking — the person can still message you, but you won't see it unless you look for it. Use ignore for acquaintances whose messages you don't need to see right away.
Blocking in group chats and what others see
If you block someone who is in a group chat with you, the block only affects your private messages with them. They can still see your messages in the group and you can still see theirs. The block does not remove them from the group or hide the group conversation from them.
Other people in the group will not know you blocked this person. The group chat continues normally for everyone. If you want to leave a group entirely, you can exit the conversation separately — that's a different action from blocking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
They won't receive a notification saying "You've been blocked," but they will figure it out when they try to message you and see an error, or when they search for your profile and can't find it. There's no way to block someone invisibly.
Can I block someone without them seeing our old messages?
No. When you block someone, all your previous messages disappear from their chat history when ready. But if you unblock them later, those messages will reappear. There's no way to delete messages for them without blocking.
What if someone blocks me — can I tell?
Yes. If you try to message them and see "This person isn't available right now" or similar language, or if you can't find their profile through search, they likely blocked you. You can also try visiting their profile directly — if it says "User not found" or you can't see their posts, they've blocked you.
Does blocking on Messenger also block them on Facebook?
Yes. Blocking in Messenger blocks them across Facebook too. They cannot message you, see your profile, or interact with your posts on the main Facebook site. Unblocking reverses this across both platforms.
Can I block someone if I'm not friends with them?
Yes. You can block anyone on Messenger, whether you're friends or not. If someone you don't know is messaging you, you can block them the same way — open the conversation, tap their name, and select Block.