Unblocking a contact on iPhone takes less than a minute

To unblock a contact on your iPhone, open Settings, tap Phone, select Blocked Contacts, swipe left on the person's name, and tap Unblock. The contact can then call, text, and FaceTime you again. If you blocked them through Messages or FaceTime instead of Phone settings, you'll need to unblock them in that app separately — blocking in one app doesn't block them everywhere.

The process is the same whether you're unblocking someone you blocked years ago or someone you blocked by accident. Once unblocked, they have full access to reach you again, and any conversation history with them stays on your phone.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocked contacts are managed separately in Phone, Messages, and FaceTime, so you may need to unblock someone in multiple places.
  • The fastest route is Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts, where you swipe left and tap Unblock.
  • You can also unblock someone directly from the Phone, Messages, or FaceTime app without opening Settings.
  • Unblocking someone restores their ability to reach you by call, text, or video — there's no notification sent to them.

Unblocking through Phone settings

Open the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Phone. Then tap Blocked Contacts — you'll see a list of everyone you've blocked through the Phone app.

Find the person you want to unblock and swipe left across their name. A red Unblock button will appear on the right side. Tap it, and they're unblocked immediately. They can now call you, and you can call them. This method works on all iPhone models running iOS 7 and later.

Unblocking through the Phone app

If you don't want to dig through Settings, you can unblock someone directly from the Phone app. Open Phone, tap Recents at the bottom, and find the contact's name in your call history. Tap the info icon (a small circle with an "i") next to their name.

Scroll down to the bottom of their contact card and tap Unblock this Caller. That's it — they're unblocked. This method works the same way whether you're looking at a recent call, a missed call, or someone in your contacts list. It's often faster than navigating through Settings if you remember who you blocked.

Unblocking in Messages

If you blocked someone through the Messages app, unblocking them in Phone settings won't restore your text conversation. You need to unblock them in Messages separately. Open the Messages app and find the conversation with the blocked person, or start a new message to them.

Tap the contact name at the top of the conversation, then tap the info icon. Scroll down and tap Unblock this Contact. Once you do, you can text them again, and any messages they sent while blocked will appear in the conversation. This separation exists because some people block contacts for calls but want to keep texting them, or vice versa.

Unblocking in FaceTime

FaceTime has its own blocked list separate from Phone and Messages. Open FaceTime and tap the info icon in the top right corner. Scroll down to Blocked Contacts and swipe left on the person's name, then tap Unblock.

Alternatively, if you have a recent FaceTime call from them in your history, tap the info icon next to their name and select Unblock this Contact. After unblocking, they can call you on FaceTime again. You can also unblock them by going to Settings > FaceTime > Blocked Contacts if you prefer that route.

What happens when you unblock someone

When you unblock a contact, they regain the ability to call, text, and FaceTime you. They don't receive a notification that you've unblocked them — the change is silent on their end. If they tried to reach you while blocked, those messages and calls didn't go through and won't suddenly appear once you unblock them.

Any conversation history with that person remains on your phone. Unblocking simply removes the barrier; it doesn't delete old messages or call logs. If you want to remove the conversation entirely, you can delete it separately from the Messages or Phone app. The person's contact information also stays intact unless you delete it on purpose.

Checking your blocked contacts list

To see everyone you've blocked across all apps, check each list separately. In Settings, go to Phone > Blocked Contacts to see who you've blocked for calls. Then check Messages and FaceTime using the same process described above — each app maintains its own list.

There's no single master list of all blocked contacts on iPhone. If you've blocked someone in multiple apps, you'll need to unblock them in each one individually if you want them to reach you everywhere. This can be easy to forget, which is why some people find themselves still unable to receive texts from someone they thought they unblocked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I unblocked them?

No. Unblocking someone sends no notification to them. They'll only know if they try to contact you and the call or message goes through, or if you tell them directly.

Can I block and unblock someone repeatedly?

Yes, you can block and unblock the same person as many times as you want. There's no limit or penalty for doing so. Each time you block them, calls and texts are prevented; each time you unblock, they can reach you again.

What if I blocked someone but can't remember their name?

Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts and you'll see the full list. If you need to find someone specific, look through the list or check your recent calls and messages to identify them. Once you find them, you can unblock directly from that list.

Do I need to unblock someone in all three apps?

Only if you blocked them in all three. If you only blocked them in Messages, unblocking them in Phone won't help — they still can't text you. Check each app's blocked list to see where you blocked them, then unblock in those specific places.

Can I unblock someone if I deleted their contact?

Yes. Blocking and deleting a contact are separate actions. You can unblock someone even if you've deleted their contact information. After unblocking, you can add them back to your contacts if you want.