Blocking someone on Facebook prevents them from seeing things you post, starting conversations with you, adding you as a friend, etc. However, it does not automatically make things you’ve already shared with that person disappear. So if you’re wondering whether blocking someone removes past messages and conversations from their view, the answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no.
In this article, we’ll explain how blocking works on Facebook, what exactly it does and doesn’t do, and how you can remove old messages and posts if you don’t want a blocked person seeing them anymore.
What Happens When You Block Someone on Facebook
When you block someone on Facebook, here are the key effects:
They can no longer see things you post
Any new posts, photos, videos, or other updates you share after blocking will be invisible to the blocked person. Your name will also no longer show up in their friend suggestions or “People You May Know” recommendations.
They can’t start conversations or interact with you
A blocked person can’t send you a friend request or message you on Messenger. They also won’t be able to comment on your public posts or tag you in any posts, photos, or events. Any tags from them will be hidden on your profile.
Your friends list and profile are hidden
When someone is blocked, they can’t access your friends list or see any updates on your profile page. All personal information and posts are automatically hidden from view (with the exception of public posts you’re both tagged in by a mutual friend).
You won’t get notifications about them
Facebook won’t send you notifications if a blocked person tags you, invites you to events, starts following you on Messenger, or does anything else that would normally generate a notification. It’s like blocking their account altogether from your perspective.
What Blocking Does NOT Do on Facebook
While blocking prevents a lot of access and interaction, there are some key things it does NOT do:
Doesn’t remove past messages or delete conversations
Blocking alone does not delete or remove any previous messages, chat conversations, posts where you’re tagged together, or other existing connections on Facebook. All of that remains visible unless additional steps are taken (more below).
Doesn’t stop them seeing public posts or info
If you have any public posts on your profile that aren’t restricted to friends-only viewing, a blocked person can still see and interact with those posts. They also may be able to find public info you’ve shared, like your workplace, location, and bio details.
Doesn’t stop mutual friends sharing your content
In some cases, a blocked person might still be able to see your posts or details if mutual friends tag you or share posts that are visible to “friends of friends.” Blocking restricts direct access but can’t limit what others choose to share.
Doesn’t prevent replying to public comments
If you’ve commented publicly on a post that a blocked person also commented on, they can still reply to your comment or others in the overall thread. The reply won’t be visible to you, but will be public.
Does Blocking Delete Past Messages or Posts?
Now that we’ve clarified what blocking does and doesn’t do, let’s get to the key question:
Do previous messages and posts disappear when you block someone?
The short answer: No, blocking alone does not remove any previous content or conversations.
Blocking prevents a person from seeing new stuff going forward. But all existing messages you’ve sent, posts where you’re tagged together, group chats you shared, etc. will still be visible to them unless you take additional steps.
Some key examples:
- Private messages remain in their inbox and yours.
- Shared images and videos stay visible to both parties.
- Chat histories remain available for either person to look back on.
- Tags on posts and photos are not deleted.
- Comments you exchanged will still appear under posts.
The only retroactive impact blocking has is removing tags. Any tags or mentions from the blocked person will be hidden from your profile and News Feed going forward. But the actual posts remain.
So if you want to remove past traces entirely, blocking alone won’t suffice. Read on to see your options…
How to Delete Previous Messages and Posts
If the idea of a blocked person accessing old messages, photos, tags, comments, or other history makes you uncomfortable, here are proactive steps you can take to delete that content:
Delete Messages and Chat Histories
For private messages sent via Facebook Messenger:
- Open the Messenger app on mobile or web.
- Go to your messages from the conversation you want to delete.
- Tap on the name/info in the top corner.
- Choose Delete Chat.
This will permanently erase the entire chat history with that person. You can also delete specific messages without wiping all messages.
Untag Yourself from Posts
For any posts where the blocked person tagged you:
- Go to the post and click Options (the three dots icon).
- Choose Edit Post from the menu.
- Hover over your tagged name and select Remove Tag.
- Click Save at the bottom.
This will unlink you from the post without deleting it entirely. The blocked person can still see the post, just not your tag.
Delete Your Comments
To remove any comments you left on the blocked person’s posts:
- Go to the post where you commented.
- Hover over your comment and click the “X” to delete it.
You can also delete replies the person left on your posts. Just go to the post, find their comment, and choose Delete.
Review Tagged Photos
If the blocked person tagged you in any photos:
- Go to your profile and click Photos.
- In the Albums list, choose Photos of You.
- Browse for any photos you’re tagged in that you want removed.
- Click the photo, then click Remove Tag.
This will unlink the photo from your profile without deleting it. The blocked person would still have access from their own profile or photo albums.
Delete Old Posts You Shared
If you want to remove any old posts the blocked person could see:
- Go to your profile page and click through your past posts.
- When you find one you want gone, click the three dots icon.
- Select Delete from the menu.
This permanently deletes the post. Be cautious about removing old posts as it may disappointing followers who enjoyed past content.
What About Events or Groups?
If you participated in any groups or events with the blocked person, they may still be able to see related content:
- In groups, they’ll have access to existing posts, photos, and documents you contributed before blocking.
- On past or upcoming events, they’ll be able to see posts, photos, or comments from when you were both attending.
To limit their access here:
- Leave any groups you shared connections through.
- Delete individual photos, posts, or comments in groups/events.
- Disable your presence on event guest lists.
However, removing yourself from groups or events altogether may be disruptive, so proceed with caution.
Can You See a Blocked Person’s Profile or Messages?
Blocking is not reciprocal on Facebook. So when you block someone:
- You can still view their profile and posts (unless they blocked you).
- You can still access existing message history.
- You have limited ability to comment on public posts.
But they will have no idea you viewed their content or took any of these actions. Facebook does not notify users when they’ve been blocked. Access is simply removed behind the scenes.
Conclusion
While blocking someone on Facebook limits their ability to interact with you moving forward, it does not retroactively remove past connections, tags, messages, or conversations. Additional steps need to be taken if you want to delete previous posts where you appeared together, comments exchanged, or full message histories. In summary:
- Blocking prevents new content from being visible but doesn’t delete existing content.
- You need to manually remove tags, untag photos, delete messages, etc. to fully erase history.
- Review groups and events for other traces the person could still access.
- Blocking is one-sided, so you can still view their profile until they block you back.
With the right approach, you can block someone on Facebook while also deleting any sensitive messages or removing yourself from past posts you don’t want them accessing. Just be aware that blocking alone is not enough to erase your digital footprint entirely.