The basic steps to block someone on Snapchat
To block someone on Snapchat, open the app and go to your Friends list. Find the person you want to block, press and hold their name, then tap "Block" from the menu that appears. Snapchat will ask you to confirm — tap "Block" again. That person can no longer send you messages, see your stories, or view your location if you share it.
You can also block someone from a conversation. Open the chat with that person, swipe left on their name (on iPhone) or press and hold their name (on Android), then select "Block." The effect is the same either way.
Blocking happens when ready. The person you block will not receive a notification that says "you've been blocked," but they will notice they can no longer message you or see your profile when they search for you.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on Snapchat removes their ability to message you, see your stories, or view your location, and takes effect right away.
- You can block from your Friends list by pressing and holding a name, or from an open conversation by swiping left (iPhone) or pressing and holding (Android).
- The person you block will not get a notification, but they will see that your profile is no longer searchable to them.
- Blocking is different from removing a friend — removing just deletes them from your list, but they can still message you and see your public stories.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, selecting "Blocked," finding their name, and tapping "Unblock."
What blocking actually prevents
When you block someone on Snapchat, they lose several specific abilities. They cannot send you Snaps, Chats, or voice messages. They cannot see your Stories, even if you have set them to public. If you use Snapchat's location feature, they cannot see where you are.
Blocking does not delete past conversations. If you had a chat history with that person before you blocked them, those old messages stay in your chat list — but they will be grayed out and marked as "blocked." You can still read them, but the person you blocked cannot see that conversation on their end.
One thing blocking does not do: it does not prevent someone from creating a new account and contacting you again. If someone is harassing you, blocking is a first step, but you may also want to report them to Snapchat or adjust your privacy settings so only friends can message you.
The difference between blocking, removing, and muting
Snapchat offers three ways to limit contact with someone, and they work differently. Removing a friend deletes them from your Friends list, but they can still send you messages and see your public Stories. They will know something changed because you will no longer appear in their Friends list, but it is less obvious than a block.
Muting is different again. When you mute someone, you still stay friends, but you will not see their Stories or receive notifications when they message you. They do not know they are muted. Muting is useful if you want to stay connected but do not want to see their content right now.
Blocking is the strongest action — it cuts off all contact and makes your profile unsearchable to them. Use blocking when you want to stop someone from contacting you entirely. Use removing if you just want them out of your Friends list but do not mind if they message you. Use muting if you want to stay friends but do not want to see their activity.
How to unblock someone
If you change your mind, you can unblock someone. Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left corner. Go to Settings, then scroll down and tap "Blocked." You will see a list of everyone you have blocked.
Find the person you want to unblock and tap their name. A menu will appear with the option to "Unblock." Tap it, and that person can now message you and see your Stories again. Unblocking does not automatically re-add them to your Friends list — they will have to send you a friend request again, or you can add them back manually.
What to do if someone is harassing you
Blocking stops someone from contacting you through Snapchat, but if the harassment is serious, you should also report them. Open the conversation with the person (or go to your Friends list and find their name), press and hold, and select "Report." Choose the reason that best fits what happened — Snapchat takes reports of harassment, threats, and abuse seriously.
You can also adjust your privacy settings to make it harder for strangers to contact you in the first place. Go to Settings, tap "Privacy," and change "Contact Me" to "Friends" instead of "Everyone." This means only people already on your Friends list can send you messages. You can also turn off location sharing entirely in the same menu.
If someone is threatening you or the harassment continues after you block them, save screenshots of the messages and consider reporting it to local police or the platform's safety team. Snapchat has a dedicated reporting process for serious safety concerns.
Privacy settings that work alongside blocking
Blocking one person is useful, but controlling who can contact you in general gives you more power. In Settings under "Privacy," you can set "Contact Me" to "Friends" so strangers cannot message you at all. You can also set "View My Story" to "Friends" so only people you have added can see your Stories.
Location sharing is another privacy control. By default, Snapchat does not share your location with anyone, but if you have turned on location sharing for specific friends, you can turn it off for individual people or disable it entirely. Go to Settings, tap "See Me," and adjust who can see your location.
You can also make your account private so people cannot find you by searching your username. Go to Settings, tap "Privacy," and set "Username Search" to "Friends." This means only people already on your Friends list can find you by searching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person I block know I blocked them?
They will not get a notification saying "you've been blocked," but they will figure it out when they try to message you or search for your profile and cannot find you. If they search for your username, they will see a message saying the user could not be found.
Can I block someone without them knowing I removed them as a friend first?
Yes. Blocking removes them from your Friends list and prevents all contact in one action. You do not have to remove them first — blocking does both things at once.
If I block someone, can they still see old Snaps I sent them?
No. Snaps disappear after they are viewed or after 24 hours, depending on your settings. Once a Snap is gone, blocking does not bring it back. But old chat messages in your conversation history will still be visible to them until you block them — after that, the conversation becomes grayed out on their end.
What happens if I block someone and then unblock them later?
Unblocking restores their ability to message you and see your Stories, but it does not automatically re-add them to your Friends list. They will need to send you a new friend request, or you can add them back yourself. Your chat history will become visible again.
Can I block someone on Snapchat if they are not my friend?
Yes. If someone who is not on your Friends list is messaging you or bothering you, you can block them from the conversation. Press and hold their name and select "Block." This prevents them from contacting you even though you were never friends.