The most direct way to check if you blocked someone
Open Facebook and go to your Settings & Privacy menu by clicking the downward arrow in the top right corner. Select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On the left sidebar, find and click Blocking. This page shows everyone you have blocked — if the person's name appears here, you have blocked them.
The blocked list shows only names and profile pictures. You cannot message, see posts from, or find the profile of anyone on this list. If you want to unblock someone, click the Unblock button next to their name.
Key Takeaways
- Your blocking list is in Settings & Privacy > Settings > Blocking on the left sidebar, and it shows everyone you have blocked.
- If someone does not appear on your blocking list, you have not blocked them — though they may have blocked you instead.
- Blocked people cannot see your profile, send you messages, or find your posts, but they can still see your public information if they log out.
- You can unblock someone at any time by visiting the same Blocking page and clicking Unblock next to their name.
How to tell if someone blocked you instead
If you suspect someone has blocked you, the signs are indirect. You will not be able to find their profile by searching their name, and any messages you sent before the block will disappear from your conversation thread. If you visit a link to their profile that you saved earlier, you will see a message saying the page is not available.
However, these signs can also mean the person deactivated their account, changed their privacy settings, or deleted you as a friend. The only way to know for certain is to ask them directly or have a mutual friend check whether they can still see the person's profile.
What happens when you block someone on Facebook
When you block someone, Facebook removes them from your friends list automatically. They cannot see your profile, posts, or story. They cannot send you messages or friend requests. Any messages in your conversation history with them will disappear from your inbox, though they will still see the old messages on their end.
The blocked person can still see your public information — your name, profile picture, and anything you have set to public — if they log out of Facebook and search for you. They can also still see you in mutual friends' photos and posts if those are set to public. Blocking is not the same as making your account private.
Temporary block versus permanent block
Facebook does not have an official "temporary block" feature. When you block someone, they stay blocked until you unblock them. However, you can achieve a similar effect by unfriending someone and then adjusting your privacy settings so they cannot see your posts or send you messages.
If you want to block someone for a limited time and then unblock them later, you can do that — just return to your Blocking page and click Unblock. There is no time limit on how long you can keep someone blocked.
Blocking on mobile versus desktop
The process is the same on both Facebook's mobile app and desktop website. On the app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right, scroll to Settings & Privacy, tap Settings, then find Blocking in the list. On desktop, use the arrow menu in the top right corner and follow the same path.
Your blocking list syncs across all devices, so if you block someone on your phone, they will also be blocked when you use Facebook on a computer. The Blocking page looks slightly different on mobile — the layout is narrower — but it shows the same information.
What to do if you want to block someone but stay friends
If you want to limit what someone sees without blocking them entirely, use Facebook's Restrict feature instead. Go to their profile, click the three dots menu, and select Restrict. A restricted person can still see your public posts and send you messages, but they cannot see when you are online, whether you have read their messages, or your full friends list.
You can also use privacy settings to hide specific posts from certain people. When you create a post, click the audience selector (usually showing "Friends" or "Public") and choose Custom. From there, you can exclude specific people from seeing that post without blocking them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I blocked them?
Facebook does not notify people when you block them, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile or search for you and cannot find you. There is no way for them to see a list of who has blocked them, the way you can see your own blocking list.
If I unblock someone, do they know?
No, Facebook does not send a notification when you unblock someone. They will only know if they try to find you again and suddenly can. You can block and unblock someone as many times as you want without them receiving an alert.
Does blocking someone delete our message history?
The conversation disappears from your inbox when you block someone, but it is not permanently deleted. If you unblock them later, the old messages will reappear in your chat history. They will still have the messages on their end the entire time.
Can a blocked person see me in group chats?
If you are both in a Facebook group or Messenger group chat, blocking does not remove either of you from the group. However, the blocked person cannot click on your name to visit your profile, and they cannot send you direct messages. They can still see your messages in the group.
What if I block someone and then they send me a friend request?
If you have blocked someone, they cannot send you a friend request. The block prevents them from interacting with you in any way. If you unblock them, they will be able to send a request, but they will not receive a notification that you unblocked them.