Blocking stops someone from contacting you and viewing your story
When you block someone on Snapchat, they can no longer send you messages, see your stories, or view your location if you share it. They also cannot see your username in search results. If they try to message you, they will see an error saying the message could not be sent. Blocking is permanent until you manually unblock the person — Snapchat does not automatically unblock after a set time.
The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if they try to message you and see the error, or if they notice your story has disappeared from their feed.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone prevents them from messaging you, viewing your stories, and finding you in search — and they will not be notified that you blocked them.
- You can block someone from their profile, from a conversation, or from a group chat, and the process takes just a few taps.
- Blocking does not delete past messages or conversations — those remain in your chat history unless you delete them separately.
- You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, selecting Blocked, finding their name, and tapping Unblock.
How to block someone from their profile
Open Snapchat and tap the search icon at the top of the screen. Type the person's username and tap their profile when it appears. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of their profile card. Scroll down and tap Block, then confirm by tapping Block again when the confirmation message appears.
If you have already added them as a friend, you can also long-press their name in your friends list, tap the three dots, and select Block from the menu.
How to block someone from a conversation
Open the chat with the person you want to block. Tap and hold on the conversation name at the top of the screen. A menu will appear with several options. Tap Block, then confirm by tapping Block again.
Alternatively, you can swipe left on their name in your chat list (on iPhone) or swipe right and tap the trash icon, then select Block from the options that appear (on Android).
How to block someone from a group chat
Open the group chat. Tap and hold on the person's name or message within the chat. A menu will appear. Tap Block, then confirm. This removes them from the group chat and prevents them from contacting you directly as well.
Note that blocking someone from a group chat also blocks them from your entire account — they cannot message you privately or see your story after this action.
What happens to your past messages when you block someone
Blocking does not automatically delete your message history with that person. All previous conversations remain in your chat list and remain readable by you. If you want to remove the conversation entirely, you can swipe left on it (iPhone) or long-press it (Android) and select Delete.
The person you blocked will still have access to the messages you sent them before the block took effect. Blocking only stops future contact — it does not erase the past.
How to unblock someone
Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left corner. Tap the settings icon (gear icon) in the top right. Scroll down and tap Blocked. You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and tap Unblock next to their name.
Once you unblock someone, they can message you and see your stories again. You will also reappear in their search results. Unblocking does not automatically re-add them as a friend — you will need to add them again if you want them back in your friends list.
Blocking versus other privacy options
Snapchat offers several ways to control who can contact you. Blocking is the most restrictive — it stops all contact and hides your profile. Removing a friend stops them from seeing your stories and sending you snaps, but they can still message you and see your username in search. Muting a story hides that person's story from your feed without affecting your friendship.
If you want someone to stop seeing your stories but still allow messages, remove them as a friend instead of blocking. If you want to stop seeing their content but keep the friendship, mute their story. Use blocking only when you want to cut off all contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
Snapchat does not send a notification when you block someone. However, they may realize it if they try to message you and see an error, or if they notice your story has disappeared from their feed and they cannot find your username in search.
Can I block someone without removing them as a friend first?
Yes. Blocking someone automatically removes them from your friends list, so you do not need to remove them separately. The block happens in one action.
What if I block someone by accident?
Go to Settings, tap Blocked, find the person's name, and tap Unblock. They will be unblocked immediately and can contact you again. Unblocking does not re-add them as a friend — you will need to add them again if you want to.
Can I block someone on a group chat without blocking them on my whole account?
No. Blocking someone from a group chat blocks them from your entire Snapchat account. There is no option to block them only from that specific group. If you want to remove them from a group without blocking them completely, ask a group admin to remove them instead.
Do blocked people see old messages I sent them?
Yes. Blocking does not delete past messages. The person you blocked can still see all the messages you sent them before you blocked them. If you want to remove a conversation, you must delete it from your chat list separately.