What blocking does on Discord
When you block someone on Discord, you prevent them from sending you direct messages, seeing that you are online, or viewing your profile. They can still see servers you both belong to and read messages you posted there before the block, but they cannot start a conversation with you or add you as a friend. The block is one-way — they will not receive a notification that you blocked them, though they may notice they cannot message you.
Blocking is different from muting or leaving a server. Muting silences notifications from a person or channel but does not prevent them from contacting you. Leaving a server removes you from that space entirely. Blocking is the right choice when you want to cut off direct contact with someone while staying in shared servers.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking prevents someone from sending you direct messages and hides your online status from them, but does not remove messages they already sent you.
- You can block someone from their profile, from a direct message conversation, or from a server member list.
- The person you block will not receive a notification, but they may realize they cannot message you when they try.
- You can unblock someone at any time by finding them in your blocked users list and removing the block.
How to block someone from a direct message
Open the direct message conversation with the person you want to block. Look for their username at the top of the chat window. On desktop, right-click their name or click the three-dot menu icon next to it. On mobile, tap their name at the top of the screen. A menu will appear with options including "Block User" or "Block @[username]".
Click or tap "Block User". Discord will ask you to confirm. Select "Block" again when the confirmation window appears. The conversation will remain in your direct messages list, but you will no longer receive messages from them, and they cannot see when you are online.
How to block someone from their profile
Find the person's profile by clicking their username or avatar anywhere in Discord — in a server, in a direct message, or in a member list. Their profile card will open. On desktop, look for the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the profile. On mobile, tap the three dots at the bottom of the profile card.
Select "Block User" from the menu. Confirm the block when Discord asks. The profile will close, and the block will take effect when ready. You can view this person's profile again later if you change your mind, because blocking does not hide their existence from you — it only prevents them from contacting you.
How to block someone from a server member list
Open a server where you both are members. Click the server name at the top to open the server menu, then select "Members" or look for the members icon (usually a person or people icon) on the right side of the screen. Search for the person's name or scroll through the list to find them.
Click or tap their name to open their profile card. Follow the same steps as blocking from a profile: tap the three-dot menu and select "Block User". This is useful when you want to block someone without opening a direct message conversation with them first.
What happens after you block someone
The person you blocked can no longer send you direct messages. If they try, they will see an error message saying the message could not be delivered. They cannot see your online status, your profile picture, or your "Now Playing" status. However, they can still see messages you posted in shared servers before you blocked them, and they can read your username in server chats.
Your previous direct message conversation with them will still appear in your direct messages list, but marked as blocked. You can read the old messages in that conversation, but no new messages will come through. If you want to remove the conversation from your list entirely, you can delete the chat — this does not unblock the person, but it clears the conversation history from your view.
How to unblock someone
Open your Discord settings by clicking the gear icon next to your username at the bottom left of the screen (desktop) or by tapping your profile icon and selecting Settings (mobile). Select "Privacy & Safety" from the left menu. Scroll down to find "Blocked Users" and click or tap it.
You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and click the "X" or "Unblock" button next to their name. Confirm when Discord asks. They will when ready be able to send you direct messages again, and you will see their online status.
Blocking across devices and servers
Your block list syncs across all devices where you use Discord. If you block someone on your phone, they are also blocked on your desktop and in the web version. The block applies to direct messages everywhere, but it does not prevent you from seeing them in shared servers on any device.
Blocking someone does not remove them from servers you both belong to, and it does not prevent them from joining new servers with you. If you need to prevent someone from contacting you in a server you moderate, consider using server-level tools like muting, kicking, or banning instead — those are separate from personal blocks and give you more control over server behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
Discord does not send a notification when you block someone. However, they may figure it out if they try to message you and see an error, or if they notice they cannot see your online status anymore. There is no way to block someone secretly — they can discover the block through their own actions.
Can I block someone if we are not friends?
Yes. You can block anyone on Discord, whether you are friends with them or not. You do not need to be connected to someone to prevent them from messaging you. Blocking works the same way regardless of your relationship status.
What if someone blocks me?
If someone blocks you, you will not receive a notification. You may notice when you try to send them a direct message and see an error saying the message could not be delivered. You can still see their username in servers you share, but you cannot start a conversation with them or see their profile details.
Does blocking delete our old messages?
No. Messages you already sent to the person before blocking them will still be in their inbox, and messages they sent you will still be in your direct message history. Blocking only stops new messages from being delivered going forward. If you want to remove a conversation from your view, you can delete the chat separately.
Can I block someone temporarily?
Blocking is not temporary — once you block someone, they stay blocked until you unblock them. If you want to mute notifications from someone without fully blocking them, use the mute feature instead. You can mute a person or a server for a set amount of time, then have notifications automatically turn back on.