Blocking someone on Facebook prevents them from seeing your profile, starting conversations with you, or adding you as a friend. When you block someone, you essentially remove yourself from their view on Facebook. This can be useful if you want to cut off contact with someone or prevent harassment. But a common question is whether the person you’ve blocked gets notified or can tell that you’ve blocked them. The short answer is no, someone cannot directly tell if you’ve blocked them on Facebook. However, there are some signs they may be able to infer that you’ve blocked them. Let’s take a closer look at how blocking works and when someone might realize you’ve blocked them.
When You Block Someone
When you block someone on Facebook, here is what happens:
- They can no longer see things you post on your profile, like photos or updates.
- They are removed as a friend if you had been friends.
- They can no longer start a conversation with you or add you as a friend.
- They do not get notified that you have blocked them.
So from your end, the person you’ve blocked can no longer interact with you on Facebook. But what does it look like from their end?
What the Blocked Person Experiences
For the person who gets blocked, here is what they will see:
- Your profile and posts will seem to disappear. They will not be able to visit your profile or see any of your posts.
- If they try to search for you, they will not find your Facebook profile.
- Any conversations you were having will abruptly end from their perspective.
- They will not get any notification that they have been blocked.
So while blocking hides you entirely from their view, they don’t get told outright that they’ve been blocked. Facebook does not send any kind of alert or message to the blocked user to indicate they’ve been blocked. Instead, your profile and posts simply seem to vanish.
How Someone Might Realize They’ve Been Blocked
While the blocked person does not directly get notified, there are some clues that may lead them to figure out they’ve been blocked:
- Your profile vanishes – If you had been friends or interacted on Facebook, they will notice your profile and posts suddenly disappear.
- Messages go through as undelivered – If they try to message you, the messages will remain undelivered rather than showing as “seen.”
- They can’t add you as a friend – If they try to send you a friend request, they will be unable to add or follow your profile.
- Search doesn’t find your profile – When they search for your name, your profile won’t show up in results.
So while they don’t get an explicit notice, your disappearance from their Facebook view provides circumstantial evidence that they may have been blocked.
When Blocking Is More Obvious
In some cases, someone might have a clearer sense they’ve been blocked:
- You previously interacted a lot – If you used to be close Facebook friends who commented frequently, your sudden disappearance will be more conspicuous.
- You block them right after interacting – If you block them right after messaging, commenting, or posting on each other’s profiles, your abrupt disappearance will be more suspect.
- You block on multiple sites – If they notice you also blocked them on Instagram or other social media, it may be more apparent you intentionally blocked them.
So the context of your relationship and interactions provides hints about whether you may have blocked them.
When Blocking Is More Discrete
In other cases, someone may have less indication they were blocked:
- You were casual acquaintances – If you did not interact much on Facebook to begin with, your absence isn’t as conspicuous.
- You hadn’t messaged in a while – If it had already been months since you interacted, they are less likely to notice.
- They don’t check Facebook often – People who rarely log in to Facebook will not pick up on your disappearance.
So for more distant connections, blocking can often happen without notice.
Asking a Friend to Check
One way someone might check if they have been blocked is by asking a mutual friend. Some of the signs a mutual friend could check:
- Does your profile come up if they search for it?
- Can they view your profile or posts?
- Are old comments between you still visible?
By asking a friend to check these things from their account, they may be able to confirm if you’ve blocked the other person.
Using Another Account to Check
Another option is for the person to check from an alternate account they have. By searching for your profile or trying to add you as a friend from the other account, they may be able to confirm your profile is hidden. However, this would require them having a second account not blocked by you.
When You Unblock Someone
If you eventually decide to unblock someone on Facebook, here is what happens:
- Your profile becomes visible to them again.
- Any posts or conversations reappear.
- They receive no notification that you unblocked them.
Just like with blocking, Facebook does not notify the user if they get unblocked. Your profile will simply become visible to them again if you remove the block.
Conclusion
While Facebook provides the ability to block other users, it does not directly notify someone if they are blocked. Instead, your profile and posts will simply seem to disappear from their view. However, based on circumstantial evidence like your profile vanishing after interacting, they may conclude that you likely blocked them. But without outright confirmation, it remains an inference unless they find a way to check from a mutual friend’s account or alternate account they control. Ultimately, the lack of notification gives you more discretion when blocking someone on Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a blocked person tell who blocked them on Facebook?
No, a blocked person cannot directly tell who has blocked them on Facebook. Facebook does not send any notification when you block someone. Instead, your profile and posts will simply disappear from their view. They can only infer they may have been blocked based on your sudden disappearance from their account.
Does it notify someone if you block them on Facebook?
No, Facebook will not send any notification to someone if you block them. They will not get any type of alert or message indicating they have been blocked. The only indication is that your profile and posts will seem to vanish when viewed from their account.
Can someone tell if you blocked them on Messenger?
If you block someone on Messenger, their messages will no longer deliver to you and they will be unable to see your profile or start new chats. However, they will not get notified by Messenger that you blocked them. They would only be able to infer they may have been blocked based ondelivery failures and your disappearance from their contacts.
What happens when you block someone on Instagram?
Blocking someone on Instagram prevents them from viewing your profile, posts, or stories. Your profile will disappear from their account and they will be unable to find you in searches or interact with your content. However, Instagram does not send any notification when you block an account. They would have to infer they were blocked based on your profile disappearing.
Can you tell if someone blocked you on Gmail?
If someone blocks you on Gmail, any emails you send them will bounce back with a delivery failure notification. However, Gmail does not explicitly indicate if the failure is due to someone blocking your address. Failed deliveries or disappearing replies could be signs they blocked you, but there is no definite way to confirm based on the received errors.
What happens when you block someone on WhatsApp?
On WhatsApp, blocking someone prevents them from viewing your last seen, profile photo, or status updates. They are also unable to send you any messages. While they cannot tell directly if blocked, some signs could include disappearing profile details, one check mark messages, or the inability to add you to groups. But without a notification, they can only infer they may have been blocked.
Can you tell if someone blocked your number?
If someone blocks your number on their smartphone, any calls or texts will go straight to voicemail or remain undelivered. These failed deliveries could indicate you have been blocked, but mobile carriers do not notify you that your number has been blocked. Without an explicit notice, you would have to infer you may have been blocked based on undelivered attempts to contact them.
What happens when you block an email address in Gmail?
When you block an email address in Gmail, all of their emails will automatically be sent to spam. Any emails already in your inbox from that sender will also be sent to spam. The blocked sender will not get any failed delivery notice or indication you blocked them. Your lack of replies or communication could indicate to them that you may have blocked their address.
Can someone tell if you blocked them on Zoom?
If you block someone on Zoom, they will be unable to join any meetings you are hosting. However, Zoom does not send any notification when you block a user. They would have to infer they were blocked based on sudden failed attempts to join your meetings or video calls compared to joining previously. Without a notice, they can only suspect they may have been blocked.
Is there a way to know for sure if you got blocked on social media?
The only way to definitively confirm if you have been blocked on social media is to ask a mutual friend to check from their account. By searching for the person’s profile or checking if they can see posts you were both tagged in, a friend may be able to confirm if you have been blocked or not. Without an explicit notification, you have to rely on circumstantial evidence and independent confirmation to know for certain.