Blocking someone on FaceTime stops them from calling or messaging you through the app

When you block a contact on FaceTime, they cannot call you, send you messages, or see that you are online. On their end, the call or message will not go through — it will appear to fail silently, without telling them they have been blocked. You can block someone on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, and the block syncs across all your Apple devices automatically.

Blocking is different from straightforward declining a call or muting notifications. A blocked person cannot reach you at all through FaceTime. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them just as easily. The process takes less than a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block someone directly from an incoming call, from your contacts list, or from a past conversation thread.
  • A blocked person will not receive a notification that they have been blocked — their calls and messages will straightforward fail to go through.
  • The block applies to both FaceTime calls and FaceTime messages across all your Apple devices.
  • You can unblock someone at any time through Settings on iPhone or iPad, or through System Settings on Mac.

Block someone from an incoming FaceTime call

The fastest way to block someone is while they are calling you. When the call comes in, look at the screen and tap the information icon — it looks like a small circle with an "i" inside. This opens a menu with options for that caller.

Scroll down and tap "Block this Caller." FaceTime will ask you to confirm. Tap "Block Contact" in the popup that appears. The call will end, and that person will not be able to reach you through FaceTime again.

If you do not want to answer the call first, you can also swipe up from the bottom of the call screen to reveal more options, then tap "Block." Either way, the result is the same — the person is blocked when ready.

Block someone from your contacts or message thread

You can also block someone without waiting for them to call. Open the FaceTime app and find the person in your recent calls list or in a message conversation. Swipe left on their name (on iPhone or iPad) or right-click their name (on Mac).

A menu will appear with options. Tap or click "Block this Caller." Confirm when prompted. If you are blocking someone from a message thread, the same swipe or right-click action works — look for the block option in the menu that appears.

On Mac, you can also open FaceTime, go to the menu bar at the top, click "FaceTime," then select "Preferences." Go to the "Blocking" tab and click the plus sign to add a contact to your blocked list manually.

Block someone through your iPhone or iPad settings

If you want to block someone but do not have an active FaceTime conversation with them, you can do it through Settings. Open Settings and scroll down to find "FaceTime." Tap it.

Scroll down to the "Blocked Contacts" section and tap "Add Contact." A list of your contacts will appear. Find the person you want to block and tap their name. They will be added to your blocked list when ready.

This method is useful if someone has been bothering you but you have not received a call from them yet, or if you want to block someone before they try to reach you.

Block someone on Mac

On a Mac, open the FaceTime app. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click "FaceTime," then click "Preferences." A window will open with several tabs at the top.

Click the "Blocking" tab. You will see a list of any contacts you have already blocked, and a plus sign button at the bottom. Click the plus sign to add a new contact. A window will open showing your contacts — find the person you want to block and click their name, then click "Block."

You can also block someone directly from a FaceTime call or message on Mac by right-clicking their name and selecting "Block this Caller" from the menu that appears.

Unblock someone if you change your mind

If you decide you want to unblock someone, the process is straightforward. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, go to FaceTime, and scroll to "Blocked Contacts." Find the person you want to unblock and swipe left on their name. Tap "Unblock."

On Mac, open FaceTime, click "FaceTime" in the menu bar, then "Preferences." Click the "Blocking" tab, find the person in the list, and click the minus sign next to their name. Confirm when prompted.

Once you unblock someone, they can call and message you again when ready. They will not be notified that you have unblocked them — it will straightforward work as if the block never happened.

What happens when you block someone

When you block someone on FaceTime, they will not see a message saying they have been blocked. Instead, their call will ring on their end but will not connect to you. If they try to send you a message, it will appear to send from their perspective, but you will never receive it.

The blocked person cannot see your online status, your profile picture, or whether you are using FaceTime. From their point of view, it will straightforward seem like their calls and messages are not going through — they may assume you have turned off FaceTime, changed your number, or are unavailable.

Blocking is permanent until you unblock the person. It does not expire, and it applies across all your Apple devices. If you block someone on your iPhone, they are also blocked on your iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I have blocked them on FaceTime?

No. A blocked person will not receive a notification or message saying they have been blocked. Their calls will not connect, and their messages will not go through, but they will not know for certain that you blocked them — they may think you turned off FaceTime or are unavailable.

If I block someone, will they see my past messages?

No. When you block someone, they lose access to all past FaceTime messages with you. Those messages will disappear from their FaceTime app. If you unblock them later, the messages will reappear.

Does blocking on FaceTime also block them on iMessage?

No. Blocking on FaceTime only blocks calls and messages within the FaceTime app. If you want to block someone on iMessage as well, you need to do that separately through the Messages app. The two apps have separate block lists.

Can I block someone on FaceTime without them knowing?

Yes. Blocking is silent — the person will not receive any notification or alert. They will only notice when their calls and messages stop going through.

What if I block someone by accident?

You can unblock them when ready through Settings or Preferences. Go to your blocked contacts list, find their name, and tap or click the unblock option. They will be able to reach you again right away.