You can block iMessage from someone by opening their contact, tapping Edit, scrolling to Block This Caller, and confirming — or by using your phone's built-in blocking settings to stop messages from specific numbers or email addresses.

iMessage is Apple's messaging service that sends texts, photos, and videos over data or Wi-Fi instead of your cellular plan. When you block someone from iMessage, they can still send you regular SMS text messages, but iMessage messages from them won't reach you, and they won't see read receipts when you open their messages. The block works across all your Apple devices if you use the same Apple ID.

The blocking happens on your device, not on Apple's servers. This means the person you block won't receive a notification that they're blocked — their message will simply appear to send normally on their end, but you won't receive it. If they try to call you through FaceTime, the call won't go through either.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking someone from iMessage prevents their iMessage texts and FaceTime calls from reaching you, but they can still send regular SMS text messages.
  • You can block a contact directly from their contact card or through Settings > Messages on iPhone and iPad.
  • On Mac, you block iMessage contacts through the Messages app by right-clicking the conversation and selecting Block Contact.
  • The person you block won't know they're blocked — their messages will appear to send on their end, but you won't receive them.
  • Blocking is device-specific unless you use the same Apple ID across all your devices, in which case the block syncs automatically.

Block iMessage on iPhone or iPad

The fastest way is through the contact's card. Open the Contacts app, find the person, tap Edit in the top right, scroll down to the bottom, and tap Block This Caller. Confirm by tapping Block Contact. This blocks them from iMessage, FaceTime, and regular calls and texts.

If you want to block only iMessage and not regular texts or calls, use Settings instead. Go to Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts, tap Add New, and select the contact or type their phone number or email address. This method blocks only iMessage and FaceTime, leaving SMS text messages unblocked.

You can also block someone directly from a conversation. Open Messages, find the conversation, swipe left on it (or long-press it), tap More, then tap Block. A menu will appear asking whether you want to block the contact — tap Block Contact to confirm.

Block iMessage on Mac

Open the Messages app and find the conversation with the person you want to block. Right-click the conversation and select Block Contact from the menu. A confirmation window will appear — click Block to confirm.

Alternatively, open the conversation, click the contact's name or number at the top of the window, and look for a Block option in the contact details panel on the right side of the screen. The exact location depends on your macOS version, but it's always in the contact information area.

What happens after you block someone

Once you block someone, their iMessage messages won't appear in your Messages app. If they send you an iMessage, it will show as delivered on their device, but you won't see it. They won't receive a notification that they're blocked.

If they try to call you on FaceTime, the call won't ring through — it will appear to them as if the call didn't connect. Regular SMS text messages from them will still reach you normally unless you've also blocked their number through your carrier or phone settings.

If you block someone and then later want to unblock them, go back to Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts (on iPhone or iPad) or right-click their conversation on Mac and select Unblock Contact. The conversation history will still be there.

Block iMessage from unknown numbers or email addresses

You don't have to save someone as a contact to block them. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts, tap Add New, and type the phone number or email address directly. This is useful if you're getting iMessages from a number you don't recognize.

On Mac, you can block an email address by opening a message from that sender, right-clicking their name at the top of the conversation, and selecting Block Contact. You can also manually add email addresses to your blocked list through System Preferences > Notifications, though this method is less direct.

Blocking across multiple devices

If you use the same Apple ID on multiple devices, your blocks sync automatically. Block someone on your iPhone, and they'll be blocked on your iPad and Mac as well. This happens within a few minutes of the block being set.

If you use different Apple IDs on different devices, blocks don't sync. You'll need to block the person separately on each device where you want to prevent their messages from reaching you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the person I blocked tell that I blocked them?

No. Their messages will appear to send normally on their end, so they won't receive a notification or error message. The only way they'd know is if they tried to call you on FaceTime and the call didn't go through, or if they noticed you stopped responding to their messages.

Will blocking someone stop regular text messages?

It depends on how you block them. If you use Block This Caller from the contact card, it blocks iMessage, FaceTime, and regular SMS texts. If you block them only through Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts, regular SMS texts will still reach you — only iMessage is blocked.

What's the difference between blocking and muting a conversation?

Muting a conversation silences notifications but you still receive messages and can read them. Blocking prevents messages from reaching you at all. Muting is useful if you want to stay in a group chat but don't want constant notifications; blocking is for when you don't want contact from someone.

Can I block someone on iMessage but still see their regular texts?

Yes. Use Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts instead of Block This Caller. This blocks only iMessage and FaceTime while allowing SMS text messages through. The person can still reach you by text, just not through iMessage.

Do I need to block someone on my carrier's network too?

No. Blocking through iMessage or your phone's settings is separate from carrier-level blocking. If you want to block regular calls and texts at the carrier level, you'd need to contact your phone company, but that's not necessary just to block iMessage.