WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to block contacts – this prevents them from viewing your profile photo, status, or sending you messages. But can they tell if you’ve blocked them? Let’s find out.
What happens when you block someone on WhatsApp
When you block a contact on WhatsApp, it does the following from your end:
- Removes the contact from your contacts list
- Prevents the blocked contact from viewing your last seen, profile photo, status, etc.
- Stops any messages or calls from the blocked contact from coming through
- Removes and deletes the entire chat history with the blocked contact
So from your perspective, it’s like the contact no longer exists on your WhatsApp. But what exactly does the blocked contact see on their end when you block them?
What the blocked contact sees
When you block someone on WhatsApp, here is what the blocked contact experiences on their end:
- Your last seen, profile photo, status all disappear from their WhatsApp
- All messages sent to you show only one check mark and never get delivered
- Any calls made to you never go through and are canceled
- The blocked contact is not notified in any way that they have been blocked
So while the blocked contact may realize something is up from your profile info disappearing and messages not going through, they don’t actually receive any notification from WhatsApp saying they have been blocked.
Can a blocked contact tell if you’ve blocked them?
Given the changes a blocked contact sees on their end, they can make an educated guess that you may have blocked them if:
- Your profile photo and last seen suddenly disappears
- Their messages only ever show 1 check mark and never get delivered
- They can no longer view your status updates
- Any calls they make to you never go through
However, there is no definitive way for a blocked contact to know for sure that you’ve blocked them, as they do not receive any official notification from WhatsApp about being blocked. Some signs could also just mean you deleted your account.
Ways for a blocked contact to test if they’re blocked
If a contact suspects you may have blocked them on WhatsApp, there are some ways they could attempt to confirm it:
- Try calling you – the call won’t connect if blocked
- Send a message – it will remain on one check if blocked
- Check your profile photo – it will be blank if blocked
- Check last seen status – it won’t update if blocked
- Try adding you to a group – you won’t be added if blocked
By testing these items, a blocked contact could reasonably conclude you have likely blocked them if everything comes up blank or non-responsive. However, without an official notification, they can’t know 100% for certain.
Circumstances where a blocked contact is notified
There are a couple of specific circumstances where a blocked contact will receive affirmative confirmation that you have blocked them on WhatsApp:
- If you block them after they send you a message – they will see a note saying “You can no longer send messages to this user.”
- If you had them stored as an emergency contact and then later blocked them – they will get a notification about being removed as an emergency contact.
So in these cases, the blocked user will definitively know they have been blocked, due to the official notifications from WhatsApp.
Can you tell if someone has blocked you?
Just as others can’t directly tell if you’ve blocked them, you also can’t directly tell if someone else has blocked you on WhatsApp. Some signs you may be blocked include:
- The contact’s profile photo and last seen has disappeared
- Your messages only ever show 1 check mark and never get delivered
- You can no longer see the contact’s status updates
- Any calls you make never go through
However, just as others can’t be 100% sure about you blocking them, you also can’t be absolutely certain if someone else has blocked you. The only way to know for sure is if you receive a notification from WhatsApp when trying to contact a blocked user.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Blocked contacts do not receive notifications from WhatsApp that they have been blocked
- Blocked contacts can make an educated guess they are blocked based on messages failing, profile info disappearing etc.
- But they cannot know with 100% certainty they have been blocked
- The only definitive way to know is if WhatsApp sends a notification when attempting to contact the blocker
So ultimately, while blocked contacts can make reasonable assumptions based on circumstantial evidence, there is no definitive way for them to know for sure they have been blocked on WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp notify someone if you block them?
No, WhatsApp does not send any notification to a contact when you block them. The only way they can know for sure is if WhatsApp sends them a message when attempting to contact you after being blocked.
Can you tell if someone blocked you on WhatsApp?
There is no definitive way to tell if you’ve been blocked by someone else on WhatsApp. Some signs like messages failing to send or profile photo disappearing could indicate blocking, but you can’t know for certain.
What does someone see if you block them on WhatsApp?
If you block someone on WhatsApp, from their end they will no longer see your last seen, profile photo, or status updates. Any messages sent to you will remain on one check mark and their calls will not go through.
Can a blocked contact still see your profile picture?
No, when you block someone on WhatsApp they can no longer see your profile photo or any other profile information like last seen, status etc. Your profile will appear blank to a blocked contact.
Will a blocked contact know if you deleted them?
No, a blocked contact has no way to definitively know if you deleted them vs blocking them. From their end, the effect looks similar either way – disappearing profile info and failed messages.
Can you get blocked on WhatsApp without knowing?
Yes, it is possible to be blocked by a contact on WhatsApp without being notified or officially knowing. You would only find out definitively if you receive a message when trying to contact them.
Does it show when you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp?
Being blocked on WhatsApp does not show or notify you definitively that you’ve been blocked. You may assume you’ve been blocked based on one tick marks and other signs, but there is no official notification.
If you block someone can they still message you?
No, if you block someone on WhatsApp they can no longer send you any messages. Their messages will remain stuck on one check mark and never get delivered to you if you have them blocked.
Summary in a Table
| Action | Effect on Blocker | Effect on Blocked Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Blocking a contact | Cannot see contact’s messages or calls | Their messages and calls won’t go through |
| Unblocking a contact | Can interact with contact normally | They can message and call you again |
| Blocking after sending message | No effect | Get notification from WhatsApp that they are blocked |
| Deleting chat history | History is deleted | No effect on blocked contact |
| Blocking existing emergency contact | No effect | Notified they’ve been removed as emergency contact |
How to know for sure if you’re blocked
While strong signs like undelivered messages may indicate blocking, here are some guaranteed ways to know if you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp:
- You get a message from WhatsApp when trying to contact the blocker saying “You can no longer send messages to this user.”
- You previously set the blocker as an emergency contact and get notified when removed.
- You are unable to add the blocker to any WhatsApp groups.
- The blocker confirms to you from their account that they have blocked you.
Outside of these explicit confirmations, there is no 100% foolproof way to know if you’ve been blocked by someone else on WhatsApp.
Should WhatsApp notify when you’re blocked?
There are arguments on both sides of whether WhatsApp should explicitly notify users if they have been blocked:
Arguments for notification:
- It provides clarity so you know definitively your messages won’t go through.
- It prevents you wasting time trying to interact with a blocker.
- You can move on and not keep messaging someone who has blocked you.
- It helps ensure user privacy preferences are clear.
Arguments against notification:
- It could enable harassment from some users who know they’ve been blocked.
- It discourages blocking since people may avoid it to prevent backlash.
- Ambiguous blocking gives the blocker more privacy and control.
- Less notification makes the app simpler and less cluttered.
Overall, there are good points on both sides. WhatsApp must balance the benefits of transparency with user privacy and discretion.
Blocking someone definitively on WhatsApp
If your goal is to definitively block someone on WhatsApp so they know they’ve been blocked, here are some steps you can take:
- Block them only after they’ve sent you a recent message – this will trigger a notification from WhatsApp when they try to message you again.
- Set them as an emergency contact, wait for confirmation, then block them – they will then be notified of removal as emergency contact.
- Tell them directly from your account that you have blocked them and they will no longer be able to contact you.
- Have a mutual contact confirm to them that they can no longer interact with you on WhatsApp.
While WhatsApp itself won’t notify them, these steps provide blocked users with definitive confirmation so there is no ambiguity that they have been blocked.
Dealing with someone who blocked you
Getting blocked on WhatsApp can be frustrating and confusing, especially without definite confirmation. Here are some tips for dealing with uncertain blocking:
- Don’t bombard them with messages trying to test if you’re blocked – this can be perceived as harassment.
- Ask any mutual contacts if they know whether you’ve been blocked for certain.
- Use another communication channel to request clarification on your status.
- If unsure, operate under the assumption messages aren’t going through and move on.
- Don’t try contacting them from another number – this is evading boundaries.
- Reflect on what could have prompted them to potentially block you.
With no notifications from WhatsApp, dealing with a potential block requires patience and restraint. Focus on what you can control in your responses and interactions with others.
In conclusion
Being blocked on WhatsApp provides few unambiguous signs due to the lack of notifications from the app itself. While strong indications like undelivered messages may suggest blocking, definitive confirmation is difficult to obtain.
If your priority is privacy as the blocker, the ambiguity suits your needs. But if clear notifications are important, additional steps can provide blocked users certainty about their status.
Overall, the confusion around blocking stems from WhatsApp’s priorities around user privacy and discretion. While the ambiguity has pros and cons, managing uncertain blocking requires restraint and reflection regardless of which side you’re on.