What blocking does and when you need it
Blocking someone on TikTok prevents that person from finding your account, watching your videos, or sending you messages. When you block someone, they cannot see your profile even if they search for your username directly. They also cannot comment on your videos or interact with your content in any way.
You might block someone because they are harassing you, leaving unwanted comments, or sending repeated messages you do not want to receive. You can block accounts that belong to people you know in real life or complete strangers. TikTok does not notify the blocked person that you blocked them, though they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile and cannot find it.
Blocking is different from muting or restricting. Muting hides someone's videos from your feed without them knowing. Restricting limits what someone can see on your profile and hides their comments from public view, but they can still find your account. Blocking is the strongest action you can take against an account.
Key Takeaways
- You can block someone directly from their profile, from a comment they left on your video, or from a message they sent you.
- Blocking prevents someone from viewing your profile, watching your videos, or sending you messages, but does not delete their past comments or messages.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to your blocked accounts list in Settings.
- TikTok does not tell the blocked person that you blocked them, though they may notice they cannot find your account.
How to block someone from their profile
Open TikTok and search for the person's username or navigate to their profile if you already follow them. Once you are on their profile page, look for the three dots (called a menu icon) in the top right corner of the screen. Tap those three dots to open a menu with several options.
In that menu, you will see the option to "Block." Tap it. TikTok will ask you to confirm that you want to block this account. Tap "Block" again to confirm. The person's profile will when ready disappear from your view, and they will no longer be able to see your account or interact with your content.
How to block someone from a comment
If someone has left a comment on one of your videos that you want to block them for, you do not have to visit their profile first. Open the video where they commented and tap the comment to highlight it. A menu will appear with options including "Block user."
Tap "Block user" and confirm when TikTok asks you to verify. This blocks the account when ready and removes all of their past comments from that video and any other videos you have posted. This is often faster than navigating to their profile, especially if you do not know their username.
How to block someone from a direct message
Open your direct messages by tapping the envelope icon at the bottom of the screen. Find the conversation with the person you want to block and swipe left on their name (on iPhone) or long-press their name (on Android). A menu will appear with the option to "Block."
Tap "Block" and confirm. This blocks the account and deletes the entire conversation from your inbox. The person will no longer be able to send you messages, and you will not see any future messages from them. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them and the conversation history will not return.
How to see your blocked accounts list
To view everyone you have blocked, open TikTok and tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner. Tap the three lines (menu icon) in the top right corner of your profile. Scroll down and tap "Settings and privacy," then tap "Settings."
In Settings, scroll down to the "Privacy" section and tap "Blocked accounts." This shows you a complete list of every account you have blocked. From this list, you can tap any account and choose to unblock them if you change your mind. You can also block new accounts directly from this screen by tapping the plus icon.
How to unblock someone
Go to your blocked accounts list using the steps above: Profile icon, menu icon, Settings and privacy, Settings, then Blocked accounts. Find the person you want to unblock and tap their name. A button will appear that says "Unblock." Tap it and confirm.
Once you unblock someone, they can see your profile again and interact with your content. However, unblocking does not automatically restore any comments they made before you blocked them — those remain deleted. If you unblock someone and then want to block them again later, you can do so at any time.
What happens after you block someone
The person you blocked will not receive a notification that you blocked them. However, they may realize it happened if they try to visit your profile and cannot find it, or if they search for your username and your account does not appear in the results. If they try to message you, they will see an error message saying the message could not be sent.
Any comments they left on your videos before you blocked them will be deleted from public view. If they had sent you direct messages, those conversations will disappear from your inbox. They cannot undo this by unblocking themselves — only you can unblock them, and the deleted messages will not come back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I blocked them?
TikTok does not send a notification, but someone may figure it out if they cannot find your profile or if their messages fail to send. They might also notice if they previously followed you and can no longer see your videos in their feed.
If I block someone, do my old videos disappear from their account?
No. If they previously watched or liked your videos, those videos remain in their history. However, they cannot see your profile or any new videos you post after you block them. They also cannot comment on your videos or send you messages.
Can I block someone without them knowing my account exists?
If you block someone before they ever find your account, they will have no way to know you blocked them. However, if they already follow you or have seen your videos, they may notice when they can no longer access your profile.
What is the difference between blocking and restricting?
Restricting hides someone's comments from your videos and limits what they can see on your profile, but they can still find you and know you exist. Blocking removes your account from their view entirely and prevents all interaction. Blocking is stronger and more complete.
Can I block multiple accounts at once?
No. You must block accounts one at a time through their profile, a comment, or a direct message. There is no bulk-block feature in TikTok, so if you need to block many accounts, you will need to do each one separately.