How to block someone on Messenger
Open the conversation with the person you want to block. Tap their name or profile picture at the top of the chat. Scroll down and tap Block, then confirm. On desktop, right-click their name in your chat list and select Block from the menu. Once blocked, they cannot message you, call you, see when you are online, or find your profile through search.
The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them. However, they may notice they cannot reach you if they try to send a message — it will not deliver, and they will not see a "read" status. If you change your mind, you can unblock them the same way: go to their profile, tap or click Block again, and select Unblock.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking on Messenger stops someone from messaging or calling you, but they will not be notified that you blocked them.
- A blocked person cannot see your online status, profile picture changes, or find you through search.
- Blocking does not delete past conversations — you can still see the chat history on your end.
- You can unblock someone at any time by visiting their profile and selecting Unblock.
- Blocking is different from muting: muting hides notifications from someone without preventing them from contacting you.
What a blocked person can and cannot do
A blocked person cannot send you new messages, make calls or video calls, or see your active status. They also cannot see your profile picture, your "last active" time, or any changes you make to your profile. If they search for your name, your profile will not appear in their results.
However, blocking does not erase your shared history. You can still see old messages and calls in your chat list. The blocked person may be able to see messages you sent before you blocked them, depending on your privacy settings and whether they took screenshots. Blocking is not the same as reporting — it is a privacy tool, not a moderation tool.
When to block versus mute or report
Use block when you want to cut off contact entirely with someone. Use mute when you want to stay connected but stop seeing their notifications. To mute someone on Messenger, open the conversation, tap their name at the top, and toggle Mute notifications. You will still receive their messages, but you will not be alerted.
Report someone when they are harassing you, sending spam, or breaking Messenger's rules. Reporting sends the conversation to Meta's review team, who may take action against the account. You can block and report at the same time. Blocking is when ready and private; reporting takes time but may prevent the person from contacting others the same way.
Blocking on different devices
The steps are slightly different depending on whether you use Messenger on your phone, tablet, or computer. On iPhone or Android, open a conversation, tap the person's name at the top, scroll to the bottom, and tap Block. On Facebook.com or Messenger.com on a computer, right-click the conversation in your chat list or click the three dots next to their name and select Block.
If you use the Messenger app on your computer (available on Windows and Mac), the process is the same as mobile: click their name at the top of the chat and look for the Block option in the menu. Blocking syncs across all your devices, so if you block someone on your phone, they are blocked on your computer too.
What happens to group chats when you block someone
Blocking someone does not remove them from a group chat you are both in. You will still see their messages in the group, but they cannot send you direct messages. If you want to avoid seeing their messages in a group, you can leave the group instead. Alternatively, you can mute the group conversation so you do not get notifications.
If the blocked person is the group admin, they can still manage the group, but they cannot message you directly. If you block someone and later join a group they are in, you will see their group messages but not their profile picture or online status.
Unblocking and what to expect
To unblock someone, go to their profile or find them in your blocked list. On mobile, tap their name, scroll down, and tap Unblock. On desktop, right-click their name and select Unblock. Unblocking does not automatically restore your chat history — you will see old messages, but the person will not know you unblocked them.
Once unblocked, the person can message you again, see your online status, and find your profile through search. They will not receive a notification that you unblocked them. If you unblock someone and then block them again, the same rules explore: they cannot contact you, but you can still see past messages.
Protecting yourself beyond blocking
Blocking is one layer of privacy, but it works best alongside other settings. Go to your Messenger privacy settings and limit who can contact you. You can set messages to Friends only, Friends of friends, or Everyone. Choosing Friends only means only people on your Facebook friends list can message you directly.
You can also turn off your active status so no one sees when you are online. In Messenger settings, find Active status and toggle it off. This does not block anyone, but it removes one piece of information that could be used to track your availability. If someone is harassing you repeatedly or threatening you, blocking combined with reporting and saving evidence (screenshots) gives you the strongest position if you need to involve law enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I blocked them on Messenger?
They will not receive a notification, but they may figure it out if they try to message you and the message does not deliver, or if they notice they cannot see your profile or online status. There is no way for them to know for certain without trying to contact you.
If I block someone, can they still see old messages I sent?
That depends on your privacy settings and whether they took screenshots before you blocked them. Blocking stops new messages from being delivered, but it does not delete conversations that already happened. If you want to remove a message entirely, you can delete it from your end, but the other person may have already seen or saved it.
What is the difference between blocking and deleting a conversation?
Deleting a conversation removes it from your chat list, but the person can still message you. Blocking prevents them from contacting you at all. You can block someone and keep the conversation visible, or delete the conversation without blocking them — they are separate actions.
Can I block someone without them seeing that I read their last message?
If you have read receipts turned on, they may have already seen that you read their message before you blocked them. Blocking stops future messages from showing a read status, but it does not hide past ones. To prevent this, you can turn off read receipts in your privacy settings before blocking.
What if someone keeps contacting me from a different account after I block them?
Block the new account the same way. If the harassment continues, report each account to Meta and save screenshots of the messages. If the person is threatening you or the behavior escalates, contact local law enforcement — they can request account information from Meta if needed.