How to Tell if Someone Blocked You on WhatsApp

One of the most widely used messaging applications worldwide is WhatsApp. So wherever you go, if a Wi-Fi connection is available, you can continue using WhatsApp to stay in touch and text everyone. It’s super handy for people who want the capabilities of an instant messenger without all the extra frills. It looks and acts as closely to standard SMS as possible but gives you the freedom of messaging over Wi-Fi.

Some people may find that they’ve tried messaging one of their contacts only to discover they aren’t responding. There are a few possibilities as to why someone on WhatsApp isn’t replying to you; they could be busy, have deleted the app, or deleted their WhatsApp account altogether. It’s also possible, however, that they may have blocked you.

Regardless, some indicators tell you if someone has blocked you through WhatsApp. In this article, you’ll see several ways to identify if you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp.

How WhatsApp Blocking Works

Before delving into methods that identify if you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp, it is essential to understand how the blocking process works. WhatsApp users who no longer wish to interact with other contacts can block those individuals using the application’s settings.

1. By opening the app and clicking on the menu (3 vertical dots) on the right-hand side of the app, tap on Settings.
2. From there, scroll down to Account and tap on Privacy.
3. Within the Privacy settings menu, you can click on Blocked Contact.
   
4. Looking at the top right-hand side of this, you’ll see a person icon with a plus sign next to it. You can add anyone from your contacts list when you’ve tapped on this.

We have a detailed tutorial on blocking someone on WhatsApp if you want to check it out!

How to Know if You’ve Been Blocked on WhatsApp

Although WhatsApp won’t notify you if you’ve been blocked, a few indicators indicate this is the case. Aside from understanding some discord during your last conversation, other app features will be slightly different when someone no longer communicates with you on the app.

#1. ‘Last Seen’ is Missing

If you look at the contact and it doesn’t show their “last seen” or “online status” information, they may have blocked you.

This can also be a factor if you or the person in question has updated their privacy settings. Clicking on your own “Last Seen” privacy settings may affect what you see.

If you’ve checked your privacy settings and they are viewable by others, and the last time you spoke to said contact, theirs were visible, the odds are pretty good that you’ve now become blocked.

#2. No Profile Updates

Another indicator that your WhatsApp contact has blocked you is their profile picture and information are no longer available. You will no longer see their online status or stories using the application.

These indicators mean you’ve been blocked, or the user has deleted their WhatsApp account. If you think it may be the latter, you can always have a friend search for them using their WhatsApp account. If the profile comes up, then you’ve been blocked.

It’s also important to mention that some users do not take the time to update their profile pictures, nor do they update their activities. If the profile is visible, you can send a message. The checkmark you see once sent will give you an idea of whether or not you can communicate with them.

#3. Only Seeing One Checkmark

Have you been messaging a person and only noticed one checkmark beside it? That means your message has been sent but not received and read by the recipient.

If you’re noticing only one gray checkmark next to messages you’ve sent, then there’s a good chance you are on the recipient’s block list. This means that your message is being sent to that person, but it’s not being delivered to their phone for some reason.

This can happen because of poor Wi-Fi or cellular data signal, so it’s best to give it some time and see if the checkmark changes.

Checkmarks and Their Meanings

• One grayed check mark means your message has gone through the sending process but hasn’t been delivered yet.
• Two gray checkmarks mean your message was sent and delivered to your contact.
• Two blue checkmarks mean the message has been sent, received, and viewed.

#4. Calls Don’t Go Through

Another feature offered by WhatsApp is the ability to make phone calls. It works like regular phone calls, except it uses Wi-Fi instead of cellular reception. Like the rest of the app, making phone calls on WhatsApp is completely free.

This means that if you call one of your contacts, it should ring and be answered like any phone call. If you are blocked, however, the phone will ring briefly before automatically disconnecting. This is similar to when you call someone whose phone is off and get sent directly to voicemail.

If you’ve tried calling a contact on WhatsApp multiple times at different points in the day or week, this is another good indicator that this person has blocked you. For extra assuredness, try calling another one of your WhatsApp contacts.

#5. Can’t Add the Person to a Group

WhatsApp will let you make groups with your contacts. If you create a group and attempt to add a specific person but get an error, it’s a good indicator that you have been blocked.

A message stating “Can’t Add Participant” or “Failed to Add” will appear and prevent you from chatting with this person. You can’t communicate with this contact if you see this message. Either they’ve blocked you, or they’ve deleted their account.

You’ve probably been blocked if you do not see the contact’s information or online status and can’t add them to a group message. The best way to be sure they haven’t deleted their account is to have another user search for their contact.

People Blocking You on WhatsApp

Given how many people use WhatsApp, it can be hard to tell if someone has blocked you. As you can see, many indicators tell you if blocking has occurred, but it is never a guarantee since other possibilities exist.