What happens when you block someone on Messenger
When you block someone on Messenger, they can no longer send you messages, see when you're online, or access your profile from Facebook. Any conversation thread between you disappears from their Messenger inbox — they won't see your past messages together, and they can't start a new chat with you. If they try to message you anyway, they'll see an error saying the message couldn't be sent.
The block is one-way. You won't see their messages or profile, but they can still see your public Facebook profile if they're logged out or using a different account. They also won't receive a notification that you blocked them, though they may figure it out when their messages fail to send or your profile becomes unreachable to them.
Blocking is different from muting or unfriending. Muting silences notifications from someone without hiding the conversation. Unfriending removes them from your friends list but doesn't prevent them from messaging you — blocking does both and more.
Key Takeaways
- Blocking someone on Messenger removes all your message history from their view and prevents them from sending you new messages.
- The person you block won't be notified, but they'll discover it when their messages fail to send or they can't find your profile.
- You can block someone directly from a Messenger conversation or from their Facebook profile.
- Unblocking someone restores your message history and lets them message you again, but they won't know you unblocked them unless you contact them first.
How to block someone from a Messenger conversation
Open Messenger and find the conversation with the person you want to block. On mobile, press and hold their name at the top of the chat, or tap the person icon. On desktop, click the information icon (circle with an i) in the top right of the conversation window.
Look for the option labeled "Block" — on mobile it appears in a menu, on desktop it's usually near the bottom of the info panel. Tap or click it, and Messenger will ask you to confirm. Select "Block" again to finish. The conversation will when ready disappear from your inbox.
How to block someone from their Facebook profile
Go to the person's Facebook profile. On mobile, tap the three dots (more options) below their cover photo. On desktop, click the three dots next to the "Message" button. Scroll down in the menu until you see "Block" and tap or click it.
Facebook will confirm what blocking does — it removes them from your friends, hides their profile from you, and prevents them from messaging you. Confirm by tapping or clicking "Block" again. This action blocks them on both Facebook and Messenger at the same time.
How to unblock someone
To unblock someone, go to your Facebook settings. On mobile, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) and scroll to "Settings & Privacy," then "Settings." On desktop, click the downward arrow in the top right and select "Settings & Privacy," then "Settings." Look for "Blocking" in the left menu.
You'll see a list of people you've blocked. Find the person you want to unblock and tap or click "Unblock" next to their name. Confirm the action. Once unblocked, your message history with them will reappear in both inboxes, and they can message you again.
What the blocked person experiences
If someone tries to message you after you've blocked them, they'll see an error message saying "This person isn't available right now" or "Couldn't send message." They won't see a notification saying you blocked them. When they search for your name, your profile won't appear in results, and if they try to visit your profile directly, they'll see a message that the profile isn't available.
Any group chats you're both in will remain visible to them, but they won't be able to see your messages in those chats or interact with your posts. If you were friends before blocking, the friendship is removed from their perspective as well.
Blocking on Messenger versus other privacy options
Messenger offers several ways to control who can contact you, and blocking is the strongest option. Muting a conversation silences notifications but leaves the chat visible and lets them keep messaging — useful if you want to ignore someone temporarily without a permanent barrier. Restricting someone (available on Facebook, not directly in Messenger) limits what they see on your profile but doesn't prevent messages.
If you want to stop seeing someone's messages without blocking, you can also delete a conversation — this removes it from your inbox but doesn't prevent them from messaging you again. The next message they send will start a new conversation thread. Blocking is the only option that prevents all contact and hides your profile entirely.
Blocking someone you're in a group chat with
Blocking works differently in group conversations. You can still see messages from the blocked person in a group chat, but you won't be able to message them privately, and they won't see your individual messages in that group. They also won't be able to add you to new group chats or see your profile.
If you want to leave a group chat entirely, you can exit the conversation separately from blocking. Blocking only affects one-on-one contact and profile visibility — it doesn't remove you from groups or hide you from group members who aren't blocked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I blocked them?
They won't receive a notification, but they'll likely figure it out when their messages fail to send or they can't find your profile. There's no way for them to know for certain unless they ask a mutual friend or try to access your profile and see it's unavailable.
Can I block someone and still see their messages?
No. Once you block someone, all past messages from them disappear from your inbox, and you won't receive any new messages from them. If you want to read old messages without blocking, you can mute the conversation instead.
What happens to messages I sent before blocking someone?
Messages you sent before blocking remain visible to them until they delete the conversation. Blocking only removes your message history from your own inbox — it doesn't erase what you said from their side.
Can I block someone temporarily and then unblock them?
Yes. You can unblock someone at any time through your blocking settings. When you unblock them, your message history reappears and they can message you again, but they won't be notified that you unblocked them.
If I block someone on Facebook, does it block them on Messenger too?
Yes. Blocking on Facebook automatically blocks them on Messenger as well, since Messenger is part of your Facebook account. You don't need to block them separately in each app.