Is it blocked or profile deleted on Facebook?

When you can no longer see someone’s Facebook profile, it can be confusing to figure out what happened. There are two main possibilities – either the person blocked you, or they deleted their Facebook profile entirely. Here’s how to get some clues to help you figure it out.

How to Tell if Someone Blocked You on Facebook

If someone has blocked you on Facebook, it means they have proactively chosen to prevent you from viewing their profile or contacting them. Here are some signs that may indicate you’ve been blocked:

You can no longer see their Facebook profile or any of their posts

Chat messages you send them on Facebook Messenger no longer go through
You can’t add them as a friend again – the “Add Friend” button is missing
You may see a message saying the content is unavailable or that the person cannot be found

You disappear from their friends list but mutual friends are still connected to both of you

So if you’re suddenly unable to view someone’s profile or connect with them and you didn’t get a specific notification about being blocked, they probably blocked you.

How to Tell if Someone Deleted Their Facebook Account

It’s also possible the person didn’t block you specifically, but rather deactivated or deleted their entire Facebook account. Here are some signs of that:

Their profile picture and cover photo are gone or reset to the Facebook defaults
Their profile information like work and education history is erased
All of their posts and photos are deleted

You can’t find them in Facebook search even if you type their name directly
Mutual friends have also lost access to their profile

If it looks like the person’s entire Facebook presence is wiped clean, they likely deleted their account completely. Sometimes you may even see a message directly saying the page is unavailable because the account was disabled or removed.

How to Tell the Difference

Telling the difference between being blocked and someone deleting their account can be tricky, but here are a few ways to help figure it out:

Signs of Being Blocked	Signs of Account Deletion
You disappear from their friends list but mutual friends stay connected	All friends lose access to the profile
Your messages to them stop going through	The profile is completely blank
You can’t add them as a friend again	You can’t search and find them on Facebook

In general, being blocked is more targeted at you specifically, while account deletion removes their presence from Facebook entirely. But over time, deleted accounts tend to look the same as blocked ones – a blank profile you can no longer contact.

Other Ways to Find Out If You’re Blocked

If you’re still unsure about your status after looking for the signs of blocking or deletion, here are a couple other tricks you can try:

Check from a different account – Log into a mutual friend’s account and look for the person’s profile. If it’s visible there, you were probably blocked.
Look for indirect signs – Do your comments on their posts always get deleted? Have they asked mutual connections about you? Their actions may reveal they blocked you.
Use the Facebook Blocked List tool – Third-party tools like this can tell you if you’re on another user’s blocked list, though results aren’t guaranteed.

Getting blocked or having someone delete their account without explanation can be frustrating. But looking for these clues can at least help solve the mystery of what happened to their profile.

What Should You Do If Blocked?

Getting blocked on Facebook can feel isolating, especially if it’s done by a friend, romantic partner, or family member without any warning. Here are some tips on what to do next if you find out someone has blocked you:

Reflect on why it may have happened – Did you have a disagreement recently? Is there something they may have misinterpreted in your interactions? Understanding the possible reasons can help give closure.

Respect their wishes for space – As frustrating as it is, try to respect their decision and keep your distance for a while. Pushing the issue is unlikely to get you unblocked.
Reach out through mutual connections – If you want to open up communication again, have a trusted mutual friend explain your side and that you just want to talk.
Write a letter or email – Clearly explain your thoughts and feelings in a letter, and ask the mutual connection to deliver it for you. This gives you a chance to fully communicate.

Make your social media accounts private – They may have blocked you to avoid seeing your posts and activity updates, so making your accounts more private can help.

With time, the person who blocked you may reconsider their decision if you both have space to move forward in a positive way. Don’t make assumptions about their motivations – communicate, reflect, and focus on personal growth.

Dealing with Family or Romantic Partner Blocking You

It can be especially painful if a family member or romantic partner blocks you on Facebook without explanation. Here are some additional tips for handling this:

Give it a few days to allow any anger or hurt feelings to cool down.
Write them a thoughtful, handwritten letter explaining how you feel and that you want to work things out.
Make an effort to spend quality time together off social media, having real life conversations.

Suggest relationship counseling to help you communicate openly and without judgment.
Focus on understanding why they felt blocking was necessary instead of criticizing their choice.
Offer to go to family counseling if a relative blocked you to resolve conflicts.

With close relationships, blocking signals something is very wrong. Making the effort to communicate in thoughtful ways and getting professional support can help mend fences over time in most cases.

What to Do if Someone Deleted Their Facebook Account

Unlike blocking which is about creating distance from a specific person, deleting a Facebook account is typically motivated by a desire for distance from the platform as a whole. Here are some productive ways to respond if you notice a friend has deleted their account:

Respect their need for less social media and don’t take it personally.

Find other methods to maintain your friendship besides Facebook – texting, calling, writing letters, etc.
Express support for their decision if you talk to them and emphasize you are still there for them.
Suggest less drastic options like temporarily deactivating their account if they seem overwhelmed.

Ask if there are parts of Facebook culture or politics they are wanting to avoid.
Make plans to hang out in real life to show the friendship extends beyond social media.

Reaching out with compassion and finding new ways to connect can help preserve important friendships even if one person exits Facebook. The tools change, but the bonds don’t have to.

Coping When a Passed Away Loved One’s Account is Memorialized or Deleted

It can be an emotional loss when a deceased loved one’s Facebook account is memorialized or deleted entirely from the platform. Here are some ways to process this major change:

Save any special photos or conversations you want to keep for yourself as records.
Ask mutual friends to also save important memories they have shared on the page.

Write a farewell letter to the person expressing what their friendship meant to you.
Offer support and comfort to others grieving the account deletion at this time.
Share favorite stories and memories about the person with friends and family.

Light a candle or visit a meaningful spot to symbolize saying goodbye.
Make a book or digital scrapbook memorializing your loved one for future generations.

Losing that online space can reopen grief, so be extra gentle with yourself and others. Find meaningful ways to honor that person’s legacy in your heart and community.

How to Reconnect If You Get Unblocked

If the person who blocked you has a change of heart and decides to unblock you, here are some tips for reconciliation:

Thank them sincerely for opening up communication again.
Offer an apology for whatever may have contributed to the blocking.

Ask if they are comfortable discussing what caused the issue.
Make it clear you want to resolve problems respectfully moving forward.
Suggest gradually catching up in person before jumping back into constant contact.

Avoid dredging up every issue from the past – focus on the present.
Work on building trust again through openness, honesty and empathy.

Reconnecting after blocking requires mutual good faith effort from both people. Go slowly, keep it positive, listen well and rebuilding a healthy connection is very possible.

Maintaining Your Mental Health

Being blocked or losing touch with someone’s account can take an emotional toll. Make sure to prioritize your mental well-being when working through the situation.

Give yourself time and space to process complex feelings about the changes.
Lean on trusted friends and family for extra support.

Focus your energy on personal interests, hobbies and self-care.
Be gentle with yourself and recognize that the situation is outside of your control.
Let go of assumptions about the other person’s motivations for blocking or deleting.

Consider talking to a counselor if you are struggling with grief or self-esteem issues.
Recognize that your value is not defined by external factors like social media.

Navigating blocking or losing digital touch with someone close to you brings up challenging emotions. Be kind to yourself through it all – you have intrinsic worth no matter what. With time and reflection, you can find peace.

Legal Action if You’re Blocked

In most cases, being blocked on social media does not provide legal grounds for action. However, there are a couple potential exceptions:

Defamation – If the person blocking you is spreading provably false statements about you to others, you may have a defamation case.
Unlawful access denial – If blocking prevents you from accessing important accounts or data you have a legal right to, you may be able to petition for access.

Violation of restraining order – If you have a restraining order against someone, them blocking you could be considered unlawful contact.

Outside of situations like that, there is unfortunately not much legal recourse for social media blocking. Focus instead on utilizing personal strategies to reconnect or move on emotionally.

When Blocking May Be Considered Illegal Stalking or Harassment

There are also some instances where the act of blocking itself could be against the law:

Repeatedly blocking and unblocking someone to torment them
Blocking as part of a larger pattern of stalking behaviors
Blocking someone due to their race, gender, religion or other protected class

Companies blocking consumers trying to post negative reviews illegally

So while being blocked is not usually grounds for legal action, the blocking itself could be illegal if done maliciously as part of harassment or discrimination.

Preventing Blocking and Account Deletion

To avoid losing touch on Facebook in the future, here are some tips:

Reflect on past conflicts and how you may have contributed to them.
Be more considerate about what you post and comment online.
Listen well and seek to understand others’ perspectives.

Offer sincere apologies and work to rebuild trust if you hurt someone.
Give people space if they need it rather than escalating issues.
Suggest resolving conflicts calmly through respectful discussion.

Check in if you notice someone seems overwhelmed on social media.

With empathy, active listening, and taking responsibility, you can have more positive relationships online and offline.

Conclusion

Not being able to see someone’s Facebook profile any longer always merits closer examination. The steps to make peace differ greatly depending on whether they blocked you specifically or deleted their account entirely. Avoid knee-jerk reactions, and use strategic communication and emotional regulation to guide your response. If you can be understanding and reflect on how to improve dynamics from here, reconciliation or graceful closure is often possible.