Where to find your blocked list on Facebook
Your blocked list lives in Facebook Settings under Privacy. On a computer, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, select Settings and Privacy, then Settings. In the left menu, choose Privacy, then scroll to "Blocking" and click "See who you've blocked." On a phone or tablet, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down to Settings and Privacy, tap Settings, then Privacy, then Blocking.
The blocked list shows every account you have blocked, along with options to unblock each one. Facebook displays the blocked person's name and profile picture if they still have an account. If someone has deleted their account since you blocked them, you will see their name but no profile picture.
You can also reach this page by going directly to facebook.com/settings/blockedusers on a computer. This shortcut skips the menu navigation if you know where you are going.
Key Takeaways
- Your blocked list is in Settings under Privacy, in a section labeled "Blocking" that shows every account you have blocked.
- A blocked person cannot see your profile, message you, find you in search, or see your posts and comments on mutual friends' pages.
- You can unblock someone from the blocked list at any time, and they will not be notified that you unblocked them.
- Blocking is different from unfriending or muting — unfriending lets them still see your public posts, and muting hides their posts from your feed without blocking them.
What blocking actually prevents
When you block someone on Facebook, they lose access to your profile and activity. They cannot see your posts, comments, photos, or videos. They cannot search for you by name and find your profile. They cannot message you, and any existing messages between you remain in your chat history but cannot be opened by them.
A blocked person also cannot see your activity on other people's pages. If you comment on a mutual friend's post, the blocked person will not see that comment. If you like a photo on a public page, they will not see that activity in their notifications or feed.
Blocking does not hide your past activity from before the block took effect. If you and the blocked person have mutual friends, those friends can still see your posts and comments. The block only affects what the blocked person themselves can see.
The difference between blocking, unfriending, and muting
Blocking is the strongest action you can take against an account. Unfriending removes someone from your friends list but leaves your public posts visible to them — they can still see anything you have marked as public. Muting hides someone's posts from your feed without removing them as a friend or blocking them; they remain your friend and can still see your posts.
Use unfriending when you want to end a friendship but do not need to hide your activity from that person. Use muting when you want to reduce how often you see someone's posts without taking action against them. Use blocking when you want complete separation and do not want them to see anything you post.
If you block someone and later unblock them, they will not be notified. Facebook does not tell people when they are blocked, unfriended, or muted. The blocked person may notice on their own if they try to visit your profile and cannot find it.
How to unblock someone
Open your blocked list by following the steps above. Find the person you want to unblock and click or tap the "Unblock" button next to their name. Confirm the action when Facebook asks you to verify. Once you unblock someone, they can see your profile and activity again immediately.
Unblocking someone does not automatically add them back to your friends list. After you unblock them, they will appear as a non-friend, and either of you can send a friend request if you want to reconnect. You can block them again at any time if needed.
Blocking someone from their profile or a conversation
You do not have to go to your blocked list to block someone. You can block a person directly from their profile by clicking the three dots next to their name and selecting "Block." You can also block someone from a message conversation by opening the chat, clicking the person's name at the top, scrolling down, and tapping "Block."
Blocking from a profile or conversation works the same way as blocking from your settings — the person loses access to your profile and cannot message you. The only difference is the starting point. Some people find it faster to block someone when you are already looking at their profile or talking to them.
What happens to messages after you block someone
Messages you sent to a blocked person remain in your chat history, but they cannot read them. Messages they sent to you stay in your inbox, and you can still read them. If you unblock the person later, both of you can see the full conversation again.
If you block someone before they read a message you sent, that message will not show as delivered to them. They will not receive a notification about the message. If you block them after they have already read it, they will have already seen it.
Blocking on Facebook versus other platforms
Facebook's blocking feature works across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger if you use the same account for all three. Blocking someone on Facebook also blocks them on Instagram and Messenger. However, if you have separate Instagram or Messenger accounts not linked to your Facebook account, blocking on one platform does not affect the others.
If you block someone on Facebook but they have a different Instagram account that is not connected to their Facebook profile, they can still follow you on Instagram. You would need to block them separately on Instagram. The same applies to Messenger if you use it as a standalone app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone tell if I have blocked them?
Facebook does not notify people when they are blocked. However, someone may figure it out on their own if they try to visit your profile and cannot find it, or if they notice they can no longer see your posts. There is no way for them to know for certain through Facebook itself.
What if I block someone by accident?
You can unblock them immediately from your blocked list. Go to Settings, Privacy, Blocking, and find their name. Click "Unblock" and confirm. They will not be notified that you unblocked them, and they can see your profile again right away.
Does blocking someone delete our conversation?
No. Messages you exchanged remain in your chat history and you can still read them. The blocked person cannot read messages you sent after the block took effect, but messages sent before the block remain visible to them until you block them.
Can I block someone without them being my friend?
Yes. You can block anyone on Facebook, whether they are your friend or not. You might block a stranger who is harassing you, someone you do not know, or a public figure. The blocking process is the same regardless of your relationship to them.
If I unblock someone, will they know?
No. Facebook does not notify people when you unblock them. They will only know if they try to visit your profile and suddenly can see it again, or if they notice your posts appearing in their feed once more.