Blocking stops a person from messaging you, calling you, or seeing your active status
When you block someone on Messenger, they cannot send you messages, call you, or see when you are online. They also cannot find your profile by searching for your name. If you had a conversation with them before, that chat disappears from your inbox — though they can still see the old conversation on their end. Blocking is permanent until you unblock them, and the person is not notified that you blocked them, though they may figure it out when their messages stop going through.
The block applies only to Messenger itself. It does not prevent them from contacting you through Facebook's main platform, Instagram, or WhatsApp if you use those apps. If you want to block someone across multiple Meta services at once, you will need to block them separately on each one.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on Messenger removes them from your chat list and prevents them from sending you messages or seeing your online status.
- The person you block can still see your old conversations with them, but cannot start new ones or call you.
- You can block someone from a chat, from their profile, or from a message request — the steps differ slightly depending on where you start.
- Unblocking is just as quick as blocking, and you can block and unblock the same person as many times as you need to.
How to block someone from an open chat
If you have a conversation open with the person you want to block, the fastest route is to block them directly from that chat. On the mobile app, open the conversation, tap their name at the top of the screen, scroll down, and tap Block. On the web version, open the chat, click the person's name in the top right, scroll to the bottom of the panel that opens, and click Block.
After you block them, Messenger will ask you to confirm. You will see options like "Block and report" or just "Block" — choose whichever fits your situation. Once confirmed, the chat disappears from your inbox when ready. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them the same way.
How to block someone from their profile
You can also block someone by visiting their Messenger profile. On mobile, tap their name at the top of any chat with them, then scroll down and tap Block. On the web, click their name in the chat header, and when their profile card opens on the right side, scroll down and click Block.
This method is useful if you want to block someone but do not have an active chat with them, or if you want to review their profile before blocking. The result is the same — they lose the ability to message you, and the block takes effect when ready.
How to block someone from a message request
Messenger separates messages from people you know from messages from strangers. Stranger messages land in a Message Requests folder. If someone you do not know is messaging you, you can block them without opening the conversation. On mobile, swipe left on their message request and tap the trash icon, then tap Block. On the web, hover over the message request and click the three dots, then select Block.
Blocking from message requests works the same way as blocking from a chat — they cannot message you again, and they cannot see your status. This is often the quickest way to stop unwanted contact from someone you have never spoken to before.
What happens after you block someone
Once you block someone, they will not see a notification saying you blocked them. However, they may realize it when they try to message you and their messages do not go through, or when they search for you and cannot find your profile. Their old messages to you remain in their chat history, so they can scroll back and see what you said before the block — but they cannot send new messages or see your replies.
If you block someone and then change your mind, unblocking is straightforward. Go to your Messenger settings, tap People, find the blocked person's name, and tap Unblock. On the web, click the settings gear icon, select People, locate their name, and click Unblock. Unblocking restores their ability to message you and see your status, but it does not restore the chat to your inbox — they have to start a new conversation.
Blocking versus other options
Messenger offers a few ways to control who can contact you, and blocking is the strongest one. If you do not want to block someone completely, you can mute their chat instead — muting hides notifications from that person but they can still message you and see your status. You can also ignore a message request, which moves it out of your main inbox without blocking the person.
Use muting if you want to reduce notifications from someone but stay in contact. Use ignoring if you want to keep the conversation out of sight but do not want to block them entirely. Use blocking only when you want to stop all contact. All three options are reversible, so you can change your mind at any point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I blocked them?
They are not notified, but they may figure it out. If their messages stop going through or they cannot find your profile when they search, they will know something changed. There is no way to block someone invisibly — the only question is whether they notice.
Will they see our old messages after I block them?
Yes. They can still scroll back through your conversation history and read everything you said before the block. Blocking only stops new messages — it does not erase the past. If you want to delete old messages, you have to do that separately before blocking.
What if I block someone by mistake?
Unblocking takes the same few taps as blocking. Go to settings, find People, locate their name in your blocked list, and tap Unblock. They will then be able to message you again, though your chat will not automatically reappear in your inbox.
Does blocking on Messenger block them on Facebook too?
No. Blocking on Messenger only affects Messenger. If you want to block them on Facebook itself, Instagram, or WhatsApp, you have to block them separately on each app. Meta treats each service as its own space for blocking purposes.
Can I block someone without them seeing that I read their last message?
If you have read receipts turned on, they will see that you read their message before you blocked them. To avoid this, turn off read receipts in your Messenger settings before blocking, though this affects all your chats, not just theirs.