How to Block Someone on FaceTime, Messenger, and WhatsApp

Nowadays, social media platforms are a great way to stay in touch and communicate with people. However, just like with anything on the internet, you need to take safety measures. There should be a way to stop receiving unwanted messages and calls. That is where the “block” feature comes in handy.

Whether it’s a random, unknown person or someone you know, you can easily block them. In fact, platforms like Facetime, Messenger, and WhatsApp, make it pretty easy to block someone. With just a few clicks, you can stop receiving unwanted video calls, voice calls, and messages. 

The “block” feature gives you complete control over who you want to communicate with. Here is how to use it on various platforms:

Blocking someone on FaceTime

This built-in service from Apple provides convenient ways to block someone. When you block someone on FaceTime, they will not get notified. However, when they try to call you on Facetime, they will get a ringing with no answer. On your side, nothing will happen. You will not even know they have tried to call you. Over time, they might get bored and stop trying to reach you on FaceTime.

This is how to stop someone from Facetiming you:

On iPhone or iPad

1. Check the Call History section of FaceTime. It’s the first page you will get when you open the app. There, you will find the list of all the people who have recently contacted you on FaceTime. Scroll down till you find the person you want to block. 
2. Tap on the green circle with an ‘i’ inside. You will find it on the right side of the person’s name. This will open the contact page of the contact you want to block.
3. Scroll down till you find “Block this Caller”. It’s at the bottom of the page, written in red.
4. Select “Block Contact” to confirm your choice. 

What if the person you want to block is not on the call history?

1. First, you need to add this person to your phone’s contact list. 
2. Now, open the “Settings” of your iPhone or iPad from the home screen.
3. Scroll down the settings menu till you find “FaceTime”.
4. At the bottom of the FaceTime page, you will see a “Blocked Contacts” tab. Open it.
5. You can now see a list of contacts you have blocked on FaceTime. Choose “Add New” to add the person you want to block. 
6. This will open your list of contacts. Choose the person you want to block and click on their name. 

Unblocking a person on FaceTime is just as easy. Repeat the same steps but choose the Unblock option every time. Be aware! Blocking someone on FaceTime means you will no longer receive their regular phone calls or messages as well. Additionally, You won’t get notified that they have tried to contact you. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to block someone on FaceTime only and keep them unblocked from your phone.

Blocking a contact on FB Messenger

Blocking someone on Facebook means they can no longer contact you on Messenger as well. However, this does not go the other way around. In other words, when you block a person on Messenger, they will not be able to send you messages or call you. However, they will remain your friends on Facebook. They can still see your posts, like and comment on them, and so on. This will depend on your Facebook privacy settings. 

If you do not want to block the person on Messenger, you can ignore their messages or turn off the notifications on their chat. However, if you wish to block them, here is how:

Mobile App:

1. First, open the Messenger app.
2. To find the person you want to block, you can use the search bar. If you have a previous chat with this user, you can scroll down till you find their name.
3. Click on their username to open the chat. 
4. At the top of the conversation, you will find their name. Click on it.
5. This will open the chat settings with this user. Scroll down till you see the “Block” option. 
6. By clicking on “Block”, you will get several choices. You can either choose to only “Block messages and calls” from this person. Another option would be to entirely “Block on Facebook”. Click on the option you want.

Here’s another way to block someone you know on Messenger mobile app:

1. After opening the app, click on your profile picture. You will find it in the top left corner.
2. A menu will open. Scroll down and choose “Privacy”. 
3. Click on “Blocked accounts”. There, you will see all the users you have already blocked, either on Facebook or Messenger. 
4. At the upper right corner, you will find the “Add” option. Choose it.
5. A list of Facebook accounts will open. 
6. Find the person you want to block and click on their name.
7. Choose to either “Block messages and calls” only or “Block on Facebook”.

On the computer

Unlike using a smartphone, a laptop offers more features and bigger screen size for managing Facebook settings. Furthermore, users of Facebook Messenger can learn more about the app without spending lots of time scrolling through different pages on their iPhone or Android phone. Now, here’s how to stop people from messaging you on Facebook Messenger using the desktop version of the site.

1. Open Facebook.com and log in to your account.
2. From the top right corner, you will find your profile picture. Click on it.
3. A drop-down menu will open. Choose “Settings & privacy”. 
4. Click on “Settings.” 
5. On the left, choose the “Blocking” option.
6. Go to “Block messages” and click on “Edit”. 
7. Open “Add to blocked list”. 
8. Type the name of the user you want to block.
9. Click on the “Block” button next to their name.

The chat history between you and the person you have blocked will not get deleted. If you want to get rid of these messages, you will need to delete them manually.

Blocking someone on Messenger will not stop them from seeing your Facebook profile. If both of you were in the same group chat, they will see your messages. However, before entering the group conversation, you will get notified that the person you have blocked is a part of this chat. 

How to block a number on WhatsApp

Just like the other platforms, blocking someone on WhatsApp is not a difficult task. On the contrary, it’s an easy way to stop receiving annoying messages and calls from someone. That is how the block feature contributes to enjoying a safer, more enjoyable space on WhatsApp.

The person you block will not be able to send you messages or call you on WhatsApp. They will not also see when you were last seen online. Any changes you make to your WhatsApp profile photo, stories, or status will not be visible to them. However, blocking someone on WhatsApp will not remove them from the contact list of the app or your phone. If you want, you must delete them manually.

Here is how to block someone on WhatsApp for both iPhone and Android devices.

iOS

1. Open WhatsApp and go to “Settings”.
2. Tap on “Account” and then choose “Privacy”.
3. Clicking on “Blocked” will open a list of all the contacts you have already blocked on WhatsApp. 
4. To block another user, tap on “Add New”. This will open your contact list.
5. Choose the person you want to block and click on their name.

Here are other alternative ways to block someone on WhatsApp even without them knowing. You’re doing the blocking settings from your phone, and the other end will never see that.

1. Open the WhatsApp chat with the person you want to block.
2. Tap on their name at the top.
3. Scroll down till you reach “Block Contact” and click on it. 
4. Confirm by tapping on “Block”. 

In case the number is not in your WhatsApp contacts, the iPhone app will show you three options, “block“, “Report” and “Add to Contacts”. So, you can block the number with the first one.

Once you add your partner or a friend to the WhatsApp block list, that person will think that you’ve deleted the app or you’re out of coverage for cellular data. In all cases, this is like the situation when you’re losing your phone or changing the number. Thus, the other person you’ve blocked will never tell, for sure, if you blocked them or that you had a problem with your phone or SIM card.

Android

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Tap on the three vertical dots in the top right-hand corner. This will open the “More options” menu. 
3. Select “Settings” and tap on “Account”.
4. Choose “Privacy”. Then tap on “Blocked contacts”.
5. To block another user, click on the “Add” icon on the top right-hand corner.
6. Find the person you want to block and click on their name. 

When you block someone on WhatsApp, they will not get notified by the app. However, they might notice. Any message sent by the blocked user will show only one check mark. This means the message was sent but never delivered. All their calls to you on WhatsApp will not go through. On the other hand, you will never get notified that the person you have blocked is trying to reach you.

Conclusion

No one can deny that social media platforms and messaging apps have made connecting with people easier than ever. You can now reach out to family members and friends living on the other side of the globe. It will not also cost you much. All you need for that is a stable internet connection. 

Like any tool, these apps also have a dark side. Sometimes you might receive unwanted messages or calls. That is why these platforms have introduced various options, like mute or disable notifications, to help you avoid annoying contacts. There is also the block feature that can quickly end all sorts of communication with any user you choose. Try to use it wisely and in moderation.

Make your online experience safer and more enjoyable. Use the block option to your advantage!