What blocking does on TikTok

When you block someone on TikTok, that person can no longer see your profile, videos, or comments. They cannot send you direct messages, and they cannot find your account through search. If they try to visit your profile directly, they will see a message saying the account is not available.

Blocking is different from muting or unfollowing. If you unfollow someone, they can still see your public videos and profile. If you mute someone, their videos stop showing up in your feed, but they can still message you and see your content. A block is the strongest privacy tool TikTok offers for controlling who can interact with you.

The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile or search for you and cannot find you.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block someone from their profile, from a comment they left on your video, or from your followers list.
  • A blocked person cannot see your videos, visit your profile, or send you messages, but they can still create a new account to contact you.
  • TikTok does not notify the blocked person, but they may discover the block if they try to search for your account.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by finding them in your blocked list and tapping the unblock option.

How to block someone from their profile

Open TikTok and navigate to the profile of the person you want to block. This works whether you found them through search, a video they posted, or a link someone sent you. Tap the three dots in the top right corner of their profile page.

A menu will appear with several options. Select "Block" from this menu. TikTok will ask you to confirm that you want to block this person. Tap "Block" again to confirm. The block takes effect immediately.

How to block someone from a comment

If someone has left a comment on one of your videos that you want to block them for, you can block them directly from that comment. Long-press or tap and hold on the comment itself. A menu will appear with options including "Block user."

Select "Block user" and confirm when TikTok asks you to verify. This blocks the person and removes all their comments from your videos at the same time.

How to block someone from your followers list

Go to your own profile and tap "Followers" to see everyone following you. Find the person you want to block in this list. Tap the three dots next to their name.

Select "Block" from the menu that appears. This removes them as a follower and prevents them from following you again in the future.

How to unblock someone

If you change your mind about blocking someone, you can unblock them. Go to your own profile and tap the three dots in the top right corner. Select "Settings and privacy," then tap "Privacy," then "Blocked accounts."

You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and tap the three dots next to their name. Select "Unblock" and confirm. They will then be able to see your profile and videos again, though they will not automatically follow you or see your past content in their feed.

What a blocked person can and cannot do

A blocked person cannot view your profile, watch your videos, or see your comments on other people's videos. They cannot send you direct messages through TikTok. If they search for your username, your account will not appear in the results.

However, a blocked person can still create a new TikTok account and contact you from that account, or follow you again if you unblock them. Blocking prevents them from using their current account to reach you, but it is not a permanent barrier if they are determined to contact you.

If someone is harassing you across multiple accounts, you may want to report them to TikTok instead of or in addition to blocking. You can report a profile by tapping the three dots on their profile and selecting "Report."

When to block versus report

Blocking is the right choice when you simply do not want to see someone's content or have them interact with you. It is fast and private. Reporting is the right choice when someone is breaking TikTok's rules — for example, posting threats, sharing your personal information without consent, or sending repeated unwanted messages.

You can do both at the same time. Blocking stops them from reaching you immediately, while reporting alerts TikTok's team to review the account for violations. If TikTok finds that the person violated the community guidelines, the platform may suspend or remove their account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I blocked them?

TikTok does not send a notification when you block someone. However, if they try to visit your profile or search for your account and cannot find it, they may realize they have been blocked. There is no way to block someone completely invisibly.

Can a blocked person see my old videos?

No. Once you block someone, they cannot see any of your videos, including ones they may have already watched. If they try to find a video you posted that they saw before, it will not appear in search results or on your profile.

What happens if I block someone who follows me?

Blocking someone automatically removes them from your followers list. They will no longer follow you, and they cannot follow you again unless you unblock them first.

Can I block someone without them seeing that I viewed their profile?

TikTok does not show profile view history to users, so no one can see that you visited their profile. You can visit someone's profile, decide to block them, and they will have no record that you were ever there.

If I block someone and then unblock them, will they know?

No. Unblocking someone does not send them a notification. They will only know if they try to visit your profile after you unblock them and find that they can now see it again.