You can block someone on WhatsApp in under a minute from your phone

Blocking a contact on WhatsApp prevents that person from sending you messages, calling you, or seeing when you're online. The blocked person can still see your profile photo and status if they viewed them before you blocked them, but they cannot reach you going forward. You block someone directly from the chat or from their contact card — there's no separate settings menu for it.

The steps are the same whether you use WhatsApp on iPhone or Android, though the exact button names differ slightly between the two.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the chat with the person you want to block, tap their name at the top, scroll down, and select "Block Contact" — the whole process takes about 30 seconds.
  • A blocked person cannot message you, call you, or see your online status, but they can still see your profile photo and status updates posted before the block.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings, Account, Privacy, and selecting the blocked contact from the list.
  • Blocking someone does not delete your chat history with them — the conversation stays in your chat list but you won't receive new messages from them.
  • The blocked person will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may notice they can no longer reach you or see your status.

How to block someone from an open chat

Open WhatsApp and find the conversation with the person you want to block. Tap their name or phone number at the very top of the chat screen — this opens their contact card.

On iPhone, scroll down until you see a red "Block Contact" button and tap it. A popup will ask you to confirm; tap "Block Contact" again. On Android, tap the three dots in the top right corner of the contact card, then select "Block" from the menu.

Once you confirm, the block is active immediately. You can close the contact card and return to your chat list.

How to block someone from your contacts list

If you don't have an active chat with the person, you can block them from your phone's contacts. Open WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab. Tap the three dots in the top right corner and select "Settings" (iPhone) or "New Chat" (Android) — the exact wording varies, but you're looking for a way to access your contacts.

Find the contact you want to block, tap their name to open their card, and follow the same steps as above: tap their name at the top of the screen, then select "Block Contact" (iPhone) or tap the three dots and select "Block" (Android).

What happens when you block someone

A blocked person cannot send you messages or make calls through WhatsApp. If they try to message you, the message will appear to send on their end, but it will never reach your phone. They also cannot see when you're online, when you were last active, or whether you've read their messages.

However, they can still see your profile photo (if they saw it before the block), your "About" section, and any status updates you posted before you blocked them. They cannot see new status updates or changes to your profile photo after the block takes effect.

Your chat history with the blocked person remains in your chat list. The conversation doesn't disappear — you just won't receive new messages from them. If you want to remove the chat from your list entirely, you can delete it separately.

How to unblock someone

You can unblock a contact at any time. Go to WhatsApp Settings, then Account, then Privacy. On iPhone, tap "Blocked Contacts" to see your full list. On Android, scroll down to find "Blocked Contacts."

Find the person you want to unblock and tap their name. Select "Unblock Contact" (iPhone) or tap the three dots and select "Unblock" (Android). Once you unblock them, they can message and call you again, and they will be able to see your online status going forward.

The difference between blocking and muting a chat

Blocking and muting are two different actions. When you block someone, they cannot reach you at all. When you mute a chat, you still receive their messages, but WhatsApp won't send you notifications for them — the chat stays silent unless you open it manually.

Muting is useful if you want to stay in contact with someone but don't want constant notifications. To mute a chat, open it, tap the person's name at the top, scroll down, and select "Mute Notifications" (iPhone) or tap the three dots and select "Mute" (Android). You can choose to mute for 8 hours, 1 week, or indefinitely.

What the blocked person sees

The blocked person will not receive a notification saying you blocked them. However, they may notice that messages aren't going through, that your last-seen time is no longer visible, or that your status hasn't updated in a while. Some people figure out they've been blocked by trying to call and hearing an unusual ring pattern or getting a failed call notification.

If they try to view your profile, they'll see your name and profile photo, but the photo won't update and they won't see your "About" section or status updates. On some versions of WhatsApp, a blocked person may see a message saying "This contact is not available" when they try to message you, though WhatsApp doesn't always show this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block someone without them knowing?

Yes. WhatsApp does not send a notification to the blocked person. However, they may eventually realize they've been blocked if messages stop going through or if they notice your status hasn't changed in weeks. There's no way to block someone completely invisibly — they will figure it out eventually if they try to contact you.

Will the blocked person see my old messages?

No. Once you block someone, they cannot see any of your messages, including old ones. If they had already read a message before you blocked them, they can still see it in their own chat history, but they cannot access your chat thread or see new messages you send.

What if I block someone but we're in a group chat together?

Blocking someone does not remove them from group chats or prevent them from seeing your messages in the group. They can still see everything you post in shared groups and can still message the group. If you want to avoid someone completely, you may need to leave the group or ask the group admin to remove them.

Can I block someone temporarily and then unblock them?

Yes. You can block and unblock someone as many times as you want. When you unblock them, they'll be able to message and call you again, and they'll see your online status going forward. Your chat history with them will still be there.

Does blocking delete my chat history with that person?

No. Blocking keeps your chat history intact. You can still scroll back and read old messages from the blocked person. If you want to delete the conversation entirely, you need to delete the chat separately — blocking alone does not remove it.