Blocking stops someone from contacting you and seeing your profile
When you block someone on Facebook Messenger, they cannot send you messages, see your profile, or find you in search results. The block applies across both Facebook and Messenger — if you block them on one, they are blocked on both. They will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they will notice they cannot message you or find your profile if they search for you.
Blocking is different from muting or unfriending. Muting silences notifications from someone but they can still message you. Unfriending removes them from your friends list but they can still message you if your settings allow it. Blocking is the strongest action you can take to stop contact.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on Messenger prevents them from sending you messages, seeing your profile, or finding you in search results.
- You can block someone directly from a Messenger conversation by tapping their name and selecting the block option.
- Blocking does not delete past messages — they remain in your chat history unless you delete the conversation.
- You can unblock someone at any time through your Facebook settings if you change your mind.
- Blocked people cannot see that you have blocked them, but they will notice they cannot reach you or view your profile.
How to block someone from a Messenger conversation
Open Messenger and find the conversation with the person you want to block. Tap their name at the top of the chat. On the screen that appears, scroll down and tap Block. A confirmation message will appear asking if you want to block this person — tap Block again to confirm.
On a computer, open Messenger and click the conversation. Click their name or profile picture at the top right. Scroll down to find the block option and click it. Confirm when prompted.
After you block someone, the conversation remains in your message list but you cannot see new messages from them. If they try to message you, the message will not arrive in your inbox.
How to block someone from their Facebook profile
You can also block someone by visiting their Facebook profile directly. Go to their profile, click the three dots (more options) near the top, and select Block from the menu. Confirm the action when prompted.
This method works the same way as blocking from Messenger — it blocks them across both platforms. Use this route if you want to block someone you are not currently messaging with, or if you want to block them while looking at their profile.
What happens to your past messages when you block someone
Blocking does not automatically delete your message history. All past messages between you and the blocked person stay in your Messenger conversation list. You can still read them, but the blocked person cannot see them or send you new ones.
If you want to remove the conversation entirely, you can delete it. Open Messenger, find the conversation, swipe left on it (on mobile) or right-click it (on computer), and select Delete. This removes the entire chat from your inbox, though Facebook may retain a record of it on their servers.
How to unblock someone if you change your mind
Open Facebook and go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Click Blocking on the left side. You will see a list of people you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click Unblock next to their name.
Once you unblock someone, they can message you again and see your profile. They will not know you had blocked them. You can block them again at any time if needed.
When blocking is not enough
If someone is harassing you, threatening you, or sending unwanted content, blocking prevents them from reaching you through Messenger. However, they may try to contact you through other means — a different account, email, phone, or in person.
If the behavior is severe or ongoing, you can report it to Facebook. Open the conversation (or their profile), tap the three dots, and select Report. Describe what is happening and Facebook will review it. You can also report to local law enforcement if you feel unsafe.
Blocking and your privacy settings
Blocking someone does not change your other privacy settings. If your profile is public, other people can still see it. If you have a private account, only your friends can see it. Blocking only affects the specific person you blocked.
If you want to limit who can message you overall, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Privacy. Under Who can message you? you can choose to allow messages only from friends, or from everyone. These settings explore to all users, not just the person you blocked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
They will not receive a notification, but they will notice they cannot message you or find your profile if they search for you. If they try to message you, they will see an error or their message will not send.
Can I block someone without them seeing that I read their last message?
No. If you have read receipts on, they will see that you read their message before you blocked them. Blocking happens after the fact and does not hide past read status. If you want to avoid this, you can turn off read receipts in your Messenger settings before blocking, but this only affects future messages.
What if someone blocks me — can I still see their messages?
No. If someone blocks you, you cannot see their profile, send them messages, or see their past messages in your chat. The conversation may still appear in your list, but you cannot open it or interact with it.
Can I block someone on Messenger without blocking them on Facebook?
No. Blocking on Messenger automatically blocks them on Facebook, and vice versa. The block applies to both platforms at once. You cannot block them on one platform only.
If I delete a conversation, does that block the person?
No. Deleting a conversation only removes it from your inbox. The person can still message you and see your profile. To stop them from contacting you, you must block them separately.