Message blocking on iPhone stops texts and calls from specific contacts from reaching you

When you block someone on iPhone, their calls, texts, and FaceTime requests don't come through — they go nowhere, and the blocked person doesn't get a notification that they're blocked. If you've blocked a contact and want to receive their messages again, you can unblock them in Settings. The process takes less than a minute and works the same way whether you blocked them through the Messages app, Phone app, or FaceTime.

Unblocking doesn't send a notification to the person you unblocked, and it doesn't restore old messages they sent while they were blocked. Once you unblock them, new messages will arrive normally.

Key Takeaways

  • You can unblock a contact through Settings > Phone, Messages, or FaceTime, depending on which app you blocked them in.
  • Unblocking someone does not restore messages they sent while they were blocked — those are permanently deleted from your device.
  • The person you unblock will not receive a notification that you've unblocked them.
  • If you don't remember who you blocked, you can view your full blocked list in Settings and unblock anyone from there.

Unblock a contact through the Phone app

Open Settings and tap Phone. Scroll down and tap Blocked Contacts. You'll see a list of every number or contact you've blocked through the Phone app. Find the person you want to unblock, swipe left on their name, and tap Unblock. That's it — they can call you again when ready.

If you want to block them again later, you can do it the same way: open their contact, tap the info button (the circle with an "i"), scroll to the bottom, and tap Block this Caller.

Unblock a contact through Messages

Open Settings and tap Messages. Scroll down and tap Blocked Contacts. This list shows only people you've blocked through the Messages app, separate from your Phone app blocks. Swipe left on the contact you want to unblock and tap Unblock.

You can also unblock someone directly from a conversation. Open Messages, find a conversation with someone you've blocked, swipe left on it, tap More (the three dots), and select Unblock. The conversation will reappear in your message list, and new messages from them will come through.

Unblock a contact through FaceTime

Open Settings and tap FaceTime. Scroll down and tap Blocked Contacts. Swipe left on the person you want to unblock and tap Unblock. They can now send you FaceTime requests again.

If you want to block them from FaceTime only — not from calls or texts — you can do that too. Open FaceTime, find their name in your recent calls or contacts, tap the info button, and select Block this Caller.

What happens when you unblock someone

Once you unblock a contact, they can reach you through that app or service when ready. If you unblock them in Messages, they can text you right away, but they're still blocked in Phone and FaceTime unless you unblock them there too. Blocking is separate for each app, so you may need to unblock someone in multiple places if you blocked them in more than one.

Messages that arrived while someone was blocked are gone — they don't reappear when you unblock them. The person who was blocked won't know you've unblocked them, and they won't see any notification. If they try to send you a message while they're still blocked, it will fail to deliver, and they may see a "Not Delivered" error.

Find your blocked contacts list if you forgot who you blocked

If you don't remember who you've blocked, you can see the full list in Settings. Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts, Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts, or Settings > FaceTime > Blocked Contacts. Each app keeps its own list, so check all three if you're not sure which one you used.

You can unblock anyone from these lists without opening a conversation with them. Just swipe left and tap Unblock. There's no way to see when you blocked someone or why, so if you're unsure whether you want to unblock them, you can wait and unblock them later.

Block someone again if needed

If you unblock someone and later decide you want to block them again, the process is quick. Open their contact card, tap the info button (circle with "i"), scroll to the bottom, and tap Block this Caller. In Messages, you can also swipe left on a conversation and tap Block. Once you block them again, their messages and calls won't come through.

Blocking and unblocking doesn't affect your contact list — the person stays in your contacts either way. You can delete their contact separately if you want to remove them entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person I unblock know that I unblocked them?

No. Unblocking sends no notification. They won't know you've unblocked them unless you tell them or they try to contact you and their message goes through when it didn't before.

Can I see messages someone sent me while they were blocked?

No. Messages that arrive while someone is blocked are deleted and don't reappear when you unblock them. The person who was blocked won't know their messages didn't reach you.

If I block someone in Messages, are they also blocked in Phone and FaceTime?

No. Blocking is separate for each app. You can block someone in Messages but still receive their calls and FaceTime requests unless you block them in those apps too. Check all three lists if you want to block someone completely.

What if I unblock someone by accident?

You can block them again when ready by opening their contact, tapping the info button, scrolling down, and tapping Block this Caller. There's no undo button, but re-blocking takes just a few seconds.

Can I block someone without them knowing?

Yes. When you block someone, they don't get a notification. If they try to call or text you, they may see a "Not Delivered" error or think your phone is off, but they won't see a message saying you've blocked them.