You can block someone on Facebook, and they won't see a notification about it
When you block someone on Facebook, they cannot find your profile, see your posts, message you, or add you as a friend. Facebook does not send them a notification that you blocked them. However, they may figure it out on their own if they try to visit your profile, search for you, or look at a conversation thread where you were both tagged — they'll see that your profile is no longer visible to them.
The block is when ready and takes effect right away. If you change your mind later, you can unblock them just as easily. The person you unblock will not be notified about that either.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on Facebook hides your profile from them completely, but does not send them an automatic notification.
- The person may still realize they are blocked if they try to visit your profile or search for you and cannot find you.
- You can block someone from their profile page, from a conversation, or from a comment thread in just a few taps.
- Blocking is different from unfriending — when you unfriend someone, they can still see your public posts and find your profile.
- You can unblock someone at any time, and they will not be notified that you have done so.
How to block someone from their Facebook profile
Open Facebook and search for the person's name or find them through a mutual friend's profile. Once you are on their profile page, look for the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of their profile header (on mobile, it may appear as three horizontal lines). Tap or click that menu.
A dropdown list will appear. Select Block from the options. Facebook will ask you to confirm — tap or click Block again. That is all. The block is now active, and their profile is hidden from you. They will not receive a message about this.
How to block someone from a Facebook message or chat
Open your Messages or Chats section. Find the conversation with the person you want to block. On mobile, swipe left on the conversation (iPhone) or long-press it (Android), then select Block. On a computer, hover over the conversation name and click the three-dot menu, then select Block.
Facebook will ask you to confirm. Select Block again. The conversation will remain in your message history, but they cannot send you new messages, and you will not see any they try to send.
How to block someone from a comment or post
If someone has commented on a post you made, or you see them in a thread, you can block them directly from there. On mobile, tap the three dots next to their comment or name. On a computer, hover over their name or comment and click the three-dot menu. Select Block from the list.
Confirm the block when Facebook asks. This method is faster than searching for their profile if you already know who you want to block.
What happens when you block someone
Once blocked, the person cannot see your profile, posts, stories, or friend list. They cannot message you, tag you in posts, or add you as a friend. Any existing messages between you will still appear in your inbox, but they cannot reply to them. If you were in a group together, they can still see the group and your posts within it — blocking does not remove you from shared groups.
On their end, when they try to visit your profile, they will see a message saying the profile cannot be found or that the content is not available. If they search for you by name, your profile will not appear in their results. They may realize they are blocked, or they may assume you deleted your account or changed your name.
The difference between blocking, unfriending, and muting
Blocking is the strongest privacy action. Unfriending is gentler — when you unfriend someone, they can still see your public posts and find your profile by searching, but they are no longer on your friend list. Muting is the lightest option: the person stays your friend, but you do not see their posts in your feed.
Choose blocking if you want complete separation. Choose unfriending if you want to end the friendship but do not mind them seeing your public content. Choose muting if you want to stay friends but do not want to see their activity right now.
How to unblock someone on Facebook
Open Facebook settings by clicking the downward arrow in the top right corner (on mobile, tap the three horizontal lines, then Settings & Privacy, then Settings). Scroll down to Blocking. You will see a list of people you have blocked.
Find the person you want to unblock and click or tap Unblock next to their name. Confirm when Facebook asks. The unblock takes effect when ready. The person will not be notified that you have unblocked them, and they will not automatically see your old posts — they will only see what you post going forward.
What to do if someone is harassing you
If blocking is not enough because someone is creating fake accounts to contact you, or if they are threatening you, report them to Facebook. On any post, comment, or message, tap the three-dot menu and select Report. Choose the reason — harassment, threats, or impersonation — and provide details. Facebook reviews reports and may remove the account or restrict what that person can do.
If you feel unsafe, take screenshots of the harassment and report it to local police. Facebook can provide account information to law enforcement if there is a valid legal request. Blocking alone will not stop someone determined to harass you through multiple accounts, so reporting is an important additional step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
Facebook does not send a notification, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile or search for you and cannot find you. They might also notice if you were in a conversation together and suddenly disappear from it.
Can I block someone without them seeing that I viewed their profile?
Facebook does not show profile views to most users. If the person has a public profile, they cannot see who looked at it. If you want to be extra cautious, search for them in a private or incognito browser window before blocking, though this is not necessary.
If I block someone, will they see my old comments on their posts?
No. Once you block someone, any comments you made on their posts will be hidden from their view. They will see a blank space where your comment was. Your comments will reappear if you unblock them.
Can I block someone and still be in the same Facebook group?
Yes. Blocking does not remove either of you from shared groups. You will both still see group posts and comments, but they cannot message you or see your profile. If this is a problem, you may need to leave the group or ask an admin to remove one of you.
What if I block someone by mistake?
Go to Settings, find Blocking, locate the person's name, and tap Unblock. It takes 30 seconds. They will not know you blocked them or that you unblocked them.