Blocking stops someone from contacting you, but they won't know it happened

When you block a contact on WhatsApp, that person can no longer send you messages, call you, or see when you are online. They cannot see your profile picture, status updates, or "last seen" timestamp. However, WhatsApp does not send them a notification that you blocked them — they will only realize it if they try to message you and notice their messages are not delivering, or if they see that your profile picture has disappeared.

Blocking is different from muting a conversation, which silences notifications but keeps the chat visible to you and lets the other person still reach you. It is also different from deleting a chat, which removes the conversation from your screen but does not prevent future messages from arriving. If you want to stop contact entirely, blocking is the right tool.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the chat with the person you want to block, tap the three-dot menu at the top, and select "Block" — the process takes five seconds.
  • A blocked person cannot message you, call you, or see your online status, profile picture, or status updates.
  • WhatsApp does not notify the blocked person, but they will eventually figure it out when their messages stop delivering.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, Account, Privacy, Blocked Contacts, and tapping the contact name.
  • Blocking someone does not delete your old messages with them — those remain in your chat history unless you delete the conversation separately.

How to block someone on Android

Open WhatsApp and find the chat with the person you want to block. Tap and hold on their name at the top of the chat window until a menu appears. Select "Block contact" from the options. WhatsApp will ask you to confirm — tap "Block" again, and the person is now blocked.

Alternatively, you can block from your contacts list. Open WhatsApp, go to the Chats tab, and tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Select "Settings," then "Account," then "Privacy," then "Blocked contacts." Tap the plus sign or "Add" button, and choose the contact you want to block from your phone's contact list.

How to block someone on iPhone

Open the chat with the person you want to block. Tap their name at the top of the screen to open their contact card. Scroll down and tap "Block this contact," then confirm by tapping "Block contact" in the popup window.

You can also block from the Chats tab. Swipe left on the conversation with the person you want to block, tap the three-dot menu that appears, and select "Block." Or go to Settings, Account, Privacy, Blocked contacts, tap "Add," and choose the person from your contacts.

What happens to old messages when you block someone

Blocking does not automatically delete your message history with that person. All your old conversations remain in your chat list and in your phone's storage. You can still read what was said before you blocked them, and you can search through those messages if you need to find something.

If you want to remove the conversation entirely, you must delete the chat separately. Open the chat, tap and hold on it (or swipe left on iPhone), and select "Delete chat." You will be asked whether you want to delete the chat only or delete the chat and media — choose based on whether you want to keep photos and videos from that conversation. Deleting the chat does not unblock the person; they remain blocked until you manually unblock them.

How to unblock someone

Open WhatsApp and go to Settings. Tap "Account," then "Privacy," then "Blocked contacts." You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock, tap their name, and select "Unblock." They will when ready be able to message and call you again, and they will see your profile picture and online status once more.

Once you unblock someone, they can see all the messages they sent you while blocked — those messages will appear in your chat as if they had arrived normally. If you want to prevent them from seeing old conversations, you would need to delete the chat before unblocking them.

What blocked people can and cannot do

A blocked contact cannot send you messages, make calls, or send you voice messages. They cannot see your profile picture, status updates, or last seen time. They cannot add you to groups or see whether you have read their messages. If they try to call you, the call will not go through, and they will not hear a ringtone — the call will straightforward fail to connect.

What they can still do: they can see your name in their contacts, they can see any messages you sent before blocking them, and they can see any groups you are both members of. If you are in a group together, they can see your messages in that group and your group profile picture, but they still cannot message or call you directly. Blocking only affects one-on-one contact.

When blocking is not enough

If someone is harassing you through multiple accounts, blocking one account will not stop them from creating another and contacting you again. In that case, you may want to report them to WhatsApp as well. Open the chat, tap the three-dot menu, select "Report contact," and WhatsApp will review the account for violations of their terms of service.

If the harassment is severe or involves threats, consider reporting it to your local police or to the platform where you first connected with this person. WhatsApp's block feature is a privacy tool, not a safety tool for serious abuse. For ongoing harassment, you may need to involve law enforcement or seek support from an organization that handles digital safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

WhatsApp does not send a notification, but they will figure it out eventually. If they try to message you and see "Message not delivered" repeatedly, or if they notice your profile picture has disappeared, they will know something is wrong. There is no way to block someone invisibly — they will realize it once they try to contact you.

What if I block someone by accident?

Go to Settings, Account, Privacy, Blocked contacts, find the person's name, and tap "Unblock." They will when ready be able to reach you again, and they will see all the messages they sent while blocked. There is no penalty for unblocking someone.

Does blocking someone delete our chat history?

No. Blocking keeps your message history intact. You can still read old conversations, search through them, and see photos or files you exchanged. If you want to remove the conversation, you must delete the chat separately after blocking.

Can a blocked person see me in groups we are both in?

Yes. Blocking only affects direct messages and calls. If you are in a group chat together, they can still see your messages in that group, your group profile picture, and your name. They just cannot message or call you one-on-one.

What should I do if someone keeps creating new accounts to contact me?

Block each new account as it appears, and report the person to WhatsApp using the "Report contact" option in the three-dot menu. If the behavior is threatening or abusive, contact your local police or the platform where you originally connected with this person.