Blocking stops a person from contacting you and seeing your profile
When you block someone in Messenger, they cannot send you messages, see that you are online, or view your profile picture and status. They also cannot call you through Messenger or add you to group chats. If you were already in a group chat together, the conversation stays in their chat list, but they cannot see your messages or replies — your old messages appear as blank spaces.
Blocking is permanent until you unblock the person. It is different from muting (which silences notifications but lets them still message you) or ignoring a message request (which puts their messages in a separate folder). If you want to stop seeing someone's messages without fully blocking them, muting or ignoring may be a better choice.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone in Messenger prevents them from sending you messages, seeing your online status, or viewing your profile.
- You can block someone from their chat, from their profile, or from a message request — the steps differ slightly depending on where you start.
- The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may notice they cannot message you.
- You can unblock someone at any time through your blocked list in Messenger settings.
- Blocking in Messenger does not block them on Facebook itself — you need to block them separately on Facebook if you want to block them there too.
How to block someone from an open chat
Open the conversation with the person you want to block. Tap their name at the top of the chat (on mobile) or click the info icon in the top right (on desktop). Scroll down to find the block option — on mobile it says "Block [Name]", and on desktop it appears in a menu under their profile details.
Tap or click "Block [Name]", then confirm when the app asks you to verify. The chat will remain in your message list, but you will not receive any new messages from them, and any messages you send will not go through.
How to block someone from their profile
Search for the person's name in Messenger or find them in your friends list. Tap or click their profile picture to open their profile. On mobile, tap the three dots in the top right corner; on desktop, look for a menu icon or three dots. Select "Block" from the menu that appears.
Confirm the block when prompted. This method works even if you do not have an active chat with the person, and it is useful if someone is trying to contact you through a message request.
How to block someone from a message request
Message requests are messages from people you are not connected with or who are not in your contacts. Open your message requests folder (usually found under "Inbox" or in a separate "Requests" tab). Find the message from the person you want to block, then tap or click the three dots next to their name.
Select "Block" from the options. This prevents them from sending you any more message requests and removes their existing request from your inbox.
What happens after you block someone
The person you blocked will not see a notification saying you blocked them. However, they will notice that they cannot send you messages — their messages will fail to send, or they will see an error. If they try to search for you in Messenger, your profile will not appear in their results.
Any group chats you were both in will still exist for them, but they cannot see your messages or interact with you in that chat. If you were friends on Facebook, blocking in Messenger does not remove that friendship — you would need to unfriend or block them on Facebook separately if you want to do that.
How to unblock someone
Open Messenger and go to your settings. On mobile, tap your profile picture in the top left, then scroll down and tap "Privacy". On desktop, click the gear icon and select "Privacy". Look for "Blocked people" or "Blocked accounts" — the exact wording varies by device and app version.
Find the person you want to unblock and tap or click "Unblock". They will be able to message you again when ready, and you will see their messages in your inbox. Unblocking does not automatically restore your friendship on Facebook — that is a separate action.
Blocking versus other ways to limit contact
Blocking is the strongest option and is best when you do not want any contact at all. Muting a chat silences notifications but still lets the person message you — you just will not be alerted. Ignoring a message request puts their messages in a separate folder so they do not clutter your main inbox, but they can still send you messages.
If someone is harassing you, blocking is the right choice. If someone is just annoying but not threatening, muting may be enough. If you are not sure whether you want to block someone permanently, try muting first — you can always block later if the behavior continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I blocked them?
They will not get a notification, but they will figure it out when their messages fail to send or when they cannot find your profile. There is no way to hide that you blocked them once they try to contact you.
If I block someone, do they disappear from my friends list?
Blocking in Messenger does not remove them from your Facebook friends list. You need to unfriend them on Facebook separately if you want to do that. Blocking only affects Messenger contact.
Can I block someone without them knowing I read their last message?
No. If you read their message before blocking them, they will see that it was read. Blocking does not hide your read receipts for past messages — it only stops future messages from going through.
What if I block someone by accident?
Go to your blocked list in Messenger settings and tap "Unblock" next to their name. They will be able to message you again right away, and you will see all their messages in your inbox as normal.
Does blocking someone in Messenger also block them on Facebook?
No. Blocking in Messenger only affects Messenger contact. If you want to block them on Facebook itself, you need to go to their Facebook profile and block them separately through Facebook settings.