Setting up blocking on Facebook can help you control who can see your profile and posts. Here are some quick answers to common questions about setting up blocking on Facebook:
How do I block someone on Facebook?
To block someone on Facebook:
- Go to the profile of the person you want to block
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of their cover photo
- Select “Block” from the dropdown menu
- Confirm that you want to block the person
Once blocked, they will no longer be able to see things you post on your profile, tag you, invite you to events or groups, start conversations with you, or add you as a friend.
What happens when you block someone on Facebook?
Here’s what happens when you block someone on Facebook:
- They won’t be able to see your Facebook profile or search for you on Facebook
- They won’t be able to contact you or see things you post on your timeline
- Your messages and chat history with them will be deleted
- You won’t get notifications about their activity and posts
- They won’t be suggested as a friend to you
Basically, blocking prevents the blocked person from viewing your profile or interacting with you on Facebook in any way.
Can a blocked person see my posts on Facebook?
No, when you block someone on Facebook they are not able to see any of your posts, even public ones. Your entire profile and all activities are hidden from their view. They also won’t get notifications about your posts and won’t be able to interact with any of your content.
What does a blocked person see when they view my profile?
When a blocked person tries to view your Facebook profile, they will see a message saying that the content is not available or that the link may be broken. They will not see any of your actual profile information or posts. Essentially your profile appears blank to a blocked user.
Can a blocked person tell I’ve blocked them?
In most cases, no. Facebook does not directly notify users when they have been blocked. The blocked user will simply not be able to view your profile or posts.
However, they may be able to figure it out indirectly if they are no longer able to see your profile or interact with you on Facebook. But there is no message explicitly stating “This user has blocked you.”
Can I undo blocking someone on Facebook?
Yes, you can undo blocking someone on Facebook. To unblock someone:
- Go to your Facebook Settings
- Click on “Blocking” in the left sidebar
- Click on “See All” to view your full blocked list
- Locate the person you want to unblock and click “Unblock”
This will remove the blocking and allow them to view your profile and posts again.
Does blocking someone also block their messages?
Yes, when you block someone on Facebook it blocks both their profile and any messages from them. They will no longer be able to send you messages on Facebook Messenger or see any previous message history.
Can I prevent specific people from seeing my posts?
Yes, you can prevent certain people from seeing your posts on Facebook while still remaining connected to them. Here are two ways to do this:
Custom Privacy Settings:
- Go to the audience selector when creating a post
- Click on “Custom” and type in the names of people you want to hide the post from
Restricted List:
- Go to your Settings and click on “Blocking”
- Select “Restricted List” to add people you want to restrict
- When posting, choose “Friends Except Restricted List”
These options allow you to limit the audience for a post without fully blocking someone.
How do I find out if I’m blocked by someone on Facebook?
There are a few signs that may indicate you have been blocked by someone on Facebook:
- You can no longer see their Facebook profile or timeline posts
- Messages you send them on Messenger are not delivered
- Friend requests to them fail or disappear
- You are suddenly unable to tag them or invite them to events
- You disappear from their friends list or can’t comment on their posts
Keep in mind there could be other reasons for these issues, like a privacy setting change. But if multiple signs point to you being blocked, that is likely the case.
Should I block someone on Facebook or unfriend them?
It depends on your specific situation, but here are some key differences between blocking and unfriending on Facebook:
Blocking:
- Completely removes their access to your profile and posts
- Prevents them from contacting you or viewing your activity
- Is more severe and absolute
Unfriending:
- Removes them from your friends list
- Limits but doesn’t fully prevent them seeing your public posts
- Allows you both to refriend later if desired
In general, blocking is more appropriate for harassment or abusive behavior, while unfriending is better for distant relationships or taking a break from someone’s frequent posts. Evaluate your specific reasons to determine which option makes the most sense.
Can I block someone on Facebook without them knowing?
In most cases, yes you can block someone on Facebook without them being explicitly notified. When you block someone:
- They do not receive any message or indication that you’ve blocked them
- Your profile and posts simply disappear from their view
- Facebook does not directly reveal to them that you blocked them
However, they may figure it out from indirect clues like not seeing your profile anymore or posts not showing up. So while it’s possible to block discreetly, they may be able to deduce they’ve been blocked based on circumstantial evidence.
Can I block someone who has blocked me on Facebook?
If someone has already blocked you on Facebook, you can still technically block them as well, but it will not have any additional effect. When you block someone, you are preventing them from seeing your profile and posts. If they have already blocked you, they have no access to your profile. Blocking them simply reciprocates the blocking but does not further limit their access, since that access is already removed by their initial block.
What’s the difference between blocking and unfollowing on Facebook?
| Blocking | Unfollowing |
|---|---|
| Removes all access to your profile | Simply stops their posts from your News Feed |
| Prevents any ability to contact you | Still allows messaging and interacting |
| More extreme measure | More casual way to reduce annoying posts |
| Reciprocal – blocks you from their profile too | One-way – doesn’t affect their ability to follow you |
In summary, blocking is a more dramatic step that removes all access, while unfollowing is lighter and just reshapes your News Feed’s content.
If I block someone, do we both lose access to past messages?
Yes, when you block someone on Facebook it removes conversational history from both sides. Any messages, either direct or within group threads, will no longer be visible to you or the blocked person. This helps provide a clean break from messaging ability and history.
Can I restrict someone on Facebook without fully blocking?
Yes, Facebook provides options to restrict someone without fully blocking them, including:
- Unfollowing – Stops seeing their posts while remaining friends
- Restricted List – Limits who can see your posts
- Acquaintances List – Sets a separate tier of friendship
- Custom Privacy – Controls who sees each individual post
Using tools like these allows you to limit interactions without completely cutting off contact through blocking. Evaluate your specific circumstances to determine if blocking or just restricting is best.
What happens if I block someone I’m friends with on Facebook?
If you block someone you are currently friends with on Facebook:
- Your friendship will be severed and you will no longer appear on each other’s friends lists
- All messaging history between you will be erased
- You both will not be able to see each other’s profiles, posts, or interact
- That person will essentially disappear from your Facebook world
So blocking a Facebook friend results in unfriending them and removing all trace of connection or communication on both ends.
Can I temporarily block someone on Facebook as a “time out”?
While Facebook does not have an official temporary block feature, you can effectively pause interactions with someone by blocking and then unblocking them later.
To do a temporary block:
- Block the person for the desired amount of time
- To restore contact, go to your blocked list under Settings
- Find their name and select “Unblock”
This will prevent any contact for the duration of time you block them, functioning as a temporary timeout. Just remember to unblock them when ready to reconnect.
If I block someone on Messenger will it also block them on Facebook?
Blocking someone directly on Messenger will only block them from contacting you within Messenger. They will still be able to see your Facebook profile and posts. To fully block them from all Facebook access you need to block them on Facebook as well. The steps are:
Block on Messenger:
- Open your messages from the person
- Tap their name at the top
- Scroll down and tap “Block”
Block on Facebook:
- Go to their Facebook profile
- Click the three dots at the top
- Select “Block” from the menu
Doing both will prevent all communication via Messenger and viewing of your Facebook profile and posts.
Conclusion
Blocking can be a useful self-protection tool on Facebook if used appropriately. Evaluate your specific circumstances and goals to decide if blocking, restricting, unfollowing or just unfriending makes the most sense. Use Facebook’s blocking features selectively and with discretion to maintain positive connections overall on the platform.