How to block someone on Facebook
To block someone on Facebook, go to their profile, tap the three dots in the top right corner, and select "Block." Facebook will when ready prevent that person from seeing your profile, sending you messages, or finding you in search results. The block is one-way — they won't be notified, but they may notice they can no longer see your posts or find your profile if they search for you.
You can also block someone from a conversation. Open the chat, tap their name at the top, scroll down, and select "Block." Or block them from their profile picture anywhere it appears on Facebook — tap the three dots next to their name and choose "Block."
On mobile, the steps are the same: visit their profile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines or three dots depending on your phone), and select "Block." On desktop, the three-dot menu appears in the top right of their profile header.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on Facebook prevents them from seeing your profile, posts, or messages, and removes you from their friends list if you were connected.
- The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may realize it if they try to visit your profile or search for you.
- You can block someone from their profile, from a conversation, or from a comment or post they made.
- Blocking is different from unfriending — unfriending removes them from your friends list but they can still see your public posts and message you unless you also block them.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to your settings, finding the blocked list, and selecting "Unblock" next to their name.
What happens when you block someone
When you block a person on Facebook, several things happen when ready. They are removed from your friends list if you were friends. They can no longer see your profile, posts, photos, or any content you share. They cannot send you messages or add you as a friend. If you have a conversation history, they can still see old messages in their chat, but they cannot send new ones to you.
The blocked person cannot tag you in posts or photos, and you will not appear in their search results. If they try to visit your profile directly using a link, they will see a message saying the profile is not available. However, if your profile is set to public and they are not logged in, they may still be able to see your public posts through a search engine or shared link.
Blocking versus unfriending and other privacy controls
Unfriending and blocking are not the same. When you unfriend someone, they are removed from your friends list, but they can still see your public posts, visit your profile if it is public, and send you messages. Blocking is stronger — it hides your entire profile and stops all contact.
If you want to stay friends but limit what someone sees, use Facebook's privacy settings instead. You can restrict a person so they only see your public posts, or you can customize your privacy settings to hide specific posts from specific people. Go to your settings, select "Privacy," and choose who can see your posts, friend list, and other information.
Another option is to mute someone. Muting hides their posts from your feed without unfriending them — they remain your friend, but you will not see their updates. You can mute someone by hovering over their name in your feed and selecting "Mute."
How to unblock someone on Facebook
If you change your mind, you can unblock someone at any time. Go to your settings by clicking the downward arrow in the top right corner of Facebook. Select "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." On the left side, click "Privacy." Scroll down to "Blocking" and click "See all."
You will see a list of people you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click "Unblock" next to their name. Confirm the action. Once you unblock them, they can see your profile and message you again, but you will not automatically become friends — you will need to send a friend request or they will need to send one to you.
Blocking someone who is harassing or threatening you
If someone is harassing, threatening, or abusing you on Facebook, blocking them is the first step, but it may not be enough. After you block them, report their behavior to Facebook. Go to the post, message, or profile, tap the three dots, and select "Report." Choose the reason — harassment, hate speech, threats, or another option that fits — and Facebook will review it.
If the person is threatening your safety, contact local police and provide them with screenshots of the threats. Facebook can provide information to law enforcement with a valid legal request. Keep records of all messages, posts, and screenshots in case you need them later.
Blocking someone who keeps creating new accounts
If someone you blocked creates a new account to contact you or view your profile, you can block the new account as well. However, Facebook's systems may detect this pattern and take action against the person for ban evasion — the practice of creating new accounts to get around a block or suspension.
If this is happening repeatedly, report it to Facebook. Go to the new account's profile, tap the three dots, and select "Report." Choose "It's pretending to be someone else" or "It's spam" depending on the situation. You can also report it as harassment if the person is using the new account to contact you after you blocked them.
Blocking on Facebook Messenger
You can block someone directly from Facebook Messenger without going to their profile. Open the conversation with the person, tap their name at the top of the chat, scroll down, and select "Block." This blocks them on both Messenger and Facebook.
If you block someone in Messenger, the conversation will remain in your chat list, but they will not be able to send you new messages. If you want to delete the conversation entirely, swipe left on it (on mobile) or right-click it (on desktop) and select "Delete."
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
Facebook does not send a notification when you block someone. However, they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile, search for you, or send you a message and realize they cannot. There is no way to block someone without them potentially discovering it eventually.
Can I block someone without them seeing my old messages?
No. If you have an existing conversation with someone, they can still see the old messages you sent before you blocked them. Blocking only stops new messages from being sent. If you want to delete a conversation, you can delete it from your chat list, but the other person will still have their copy.
What if someone blocks me on Facebook?
If someone blocks you, you will not be able to see their profile, send them messages, or find them in search results. You may not receive a notification, but you can try searching for their name — if their profile does not appear and you know it exists, they may have blocked you or deactivated their account.
Can I block someone from seeing just one post instead of my whole profile?
Yes. Instead of blocking, you can hide a specific post from a specific person. Go to the post, tap the three dots, select "Edit privacy," and choose "Custom." Then select the people you want to hide it from. This is less extreme than blocking and keeps you connected as friends.
If I unblock someone, do we become friends again?
No. Unblocking only removes the block — it does not restore your friendship. If you were friends before you blocked them, you will need to send a new friend request or they will need to send one to you.