WhatsApp allows you to stop a contact from sending you messages, seeing when you were last online, viewing your profile photo, and more by blocking them. You can block a contact on WhatsApp on your Android, iPhone, or using WhatsApp Web with just a few adjustments to your privacy settings.
You might have been using WhatsApp for a long time now and if you think that a contact or an unknown number is bothering you and you are looking for an answer to ‘how to block someone on WhatsApp’, here is a step-by-step guide for Android as well as iOS users.
WhatsApp is one of the most widely used instant messaging app where you can find almost all your contacts and has successfully replaced standard messaging. However, the popularity of WhatsApp also means that the Facebook-owned messaging app is being used by majority of people which may or may not be in good terms with you.
At times, there are situations where you don’t want to get WhatsApp messages from people whom you don’t know or never met. This can be a tricky situation but WhatsApp thankfully has some checks to keep you safe.
One of the best tools available to you on WhatsApp is to block someone whom you don’t want to talk to on the messaging platform.
WhatsApp reportedly has around 2 billion users worldwide and the Facebook-owned app has indeed become one of the most popular instant messaging apps. That being said, while the main aim of WhatsApp was to help you connect with your friends and family, the app has now become a platform to share media as well as documents, as well.
On the other hand, while WhatsApp is a great service, anyone having your contact number can message you through the Facebook-owned app. So, if you ever think that one of your contacts or an unknown number is bothering you a lot and you just don’t want to receive any WhatsApp message or call from that number, WhatsApp offers you complete freedom to block or unblock any contacts or an unknown number both on Android and iOS devices.
How to block someone on WhatsApp: Android
Step 1: Open the WhatsApp app on your smartphone
Step 2: Go to Settings > Account > Privacy > select Blocked Contacts
Step 3: Tap the add contact icon having a plus sign on the left
Step 4: A list will appear. Choose any contact you wish to block from WhatsApp
How to block someone on WhatsApp: iOS
Step 1: Open the WhatsApp app on your smartphone
Step 2: If you have a chat open in WhatsApp then navigate back to the main Chats screen
Step 3: Select the Settings icon present at the bottom right corner of the screen, go to Account > Privacy > Blocked
Step 4: Add New and choose any contact you wish to block from WhatsApp
How to block an unknown number on WhatsApp: If you want to block an unknown number on WhatsApp, then open the chat with that particular unknown contact and then tap on Block.
When you block someone on WhatsApp, messages and status updates from the blocked contact will never be delivered to you., while your last seen and online information on WhatsApp will no longer be visible to the contacts you have blocked. On the other hand, blocking someone will not remove his/her contact number from your contact list and in order to delete a contact, you will need to delete it from your smartphone’s address book.
Tips
- There is currently no option to block unknown users before they message you.
- You cannot unblock your number from another person’s contact list.
- When you block a contact, you will not be able to message them, and they will not be able to message you.
- Blocked contacts will not be able to see any edits to your profile picture, name, or status updates from the time you block them.
- Your “last seen” timestamp and “online” information will no longer be available to a blocked contact.
- Blocking a contact neither removes you from their contact list, nor removes their entry from yours. You must physically delete this person from your Contacts in order to remove them.
- If you decide to unblock a contact later, you will not receive any messages that were sent while they were blocked.
- From certain indicators, users may be able to tell if you have blocked them.
- You can still receive messages from blocked contacts while in a group chat, just not direct, personal messages.