What "block" means and how to reverse it

When you block someone on Facebook, you prevent them from seeing your profile, sending you messages, or finding you in search results. If you blocked someone by mistake, or you want to let them contact you again, you can unblock them. Unblocking restores their ability to message you, see your posts if your profile is public, and find your account through search.

The unblock process takes less than a minute and works the same way on desktop, mobile browser, and the Facebook app. You do not need to contact Facebook support — you control your block list directly from your settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Unblocking someone on Facebook restores their ability to message you and see your public posts, but does not automatically re-add them as a friend.
  • You can unblock someone through Settings and Privacy, then Blocking, on any device where you use Facebook.
  • Unblocking takes effect when ready, and the person is not notified that you unblocked them.
  • If you change your mind after unblocking, you can block them again at any time with no limit on how many times you block or unblock the same person.

How to unblock someone on the Facebook app or mobile browser

Open the Facebook app or go to facebook.com on your phone's browser. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) at the bottom right of the screen, then scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy. From there, tap Settings.

Scroll down to the Privacy section and tap Blocking. You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and tap Unblock next to their name. Confirm when Facebook asks you to verify — tap Unblock again in the pop-up window.

How to unblock someone on Facebook desktop

Go to facebook.com and log in. Click the downward arrow at the top right of the page, then click Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Privacy, then click Blocking.

Under the Block users section, you will see a list of blocked accounts. Find the person you want to unblock and click Unblock next to their name. A confirmation window will appear — click Unblock again to finish.

What happens after you unblock someone

Once you unblock someone, they can when ready message you, see your public posts, and search for your profile. However, unblocking does not automatically add them back as a friend. If you were friends before you blocked them, you will need to send them a friend request again, or they will need to send you one.

The person you unblocked will not receive a notification that you unblocked them. They will only know if they try to message you or search for your profile and find that they can now access it.

If you want to block them again later

If you unblock someone and then decide you want to block them again, you can do so at any time. There is no limit to how many times you can block and unblock the same person. Go back to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Privacy, then Blocking. Search for the person's name in the search bar at the top of the page, and click or tap Block next to their name.

Blocking them again will remove any messages between you, prevent them from seeing your profile, and stop them from contacting you — the same as the first time you blocked them.

Difference between blocking and unfriending

Blocking and unfriending are not the same thing. When you unfriend someone, they can still see your public posts and send you messages (unless you have restricted your message settings). When you block someone, they cannot see your profile, message you, or find you in search at all.

If you want to remove someone from your friends list but still let them contact you, unfriend them instead. If you want to cut off all contact and hide your profile from them, block them. You can unblock at any time, but unfriending is permanent unless you send a new friend request later.

Troubleshooting: What if you cannot find the person in your block list

If you are looking for someone in your Blocking section but cannot find them, they may have deleted their account or changed their name. Facebook keeps deleted accounts in your block list for a while, but they will eventually disappear. If the person changed their name, search for their new name in the block list search bar.

If you still cannot find them, you may not have actually blocked them — you may have only unfriended them or restricted them. Check your Restricted list (also in Privacy settings) to see if they are there instead. If you cannot locate them anywhere, you can block them again by searching for their current profile and clicking Block.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I unblocked them?

No. Facebook does not send a notification when you unblock someone. They will only learn about they try to message you or search for your profile and discover they can access it again.

Do my old messages come back after I unblock someone?

No. When you block someone on Facebook, all messages between you are hidden from your inbox. Unblocking does not restore those messages — they remain deleted. You will only see new messages sent after you unblock them.

Can I unblock someone if I deleted my Facebook account?

No. If you permanently deleted your account, you cannot unblock anyone because you no longer have access to Facebook. If you deactivated your account instead, you can reactivate it, unblock the person, and then deactivate again if you want.

What if I block and unblock someone very quickly — will they notice?

They will not receive a notification either way. However, if they tried to message you during the brief time you unblocked them, they may have seen the message go through. Otherwise, there is no record they can see.

Can I unblock multiple people at once?

No. Facebook requires you to unblock people one at a time. Go to your Blocking list and click or tap Unblock next to each person individually.