Blocking someone on your iPhone prevents them from contacting you through various means, offering peace of mind and control over your communication. This guide covers different blocking methods and clarifies what happens when you block a contact.
What Happens When You Block Someone on iPhone?
Before diving into the how, let's understand the what. Blocking a contact on your iPhone means they won't be able to:
- Call you: Their calls will go straight to voicemail.
- Send you text messages (iMessages and SMS): Your blocked contact won't receive a notification that their messages aren't being delivered. Their messages won't appear in your Messages app.
- Send you FaceTime calls: Their FaceTime calls will fail to connect.
- Add you to their FaceTime groups: You won't be able to participate in group chats if the blocked contact initiates them.
- See your active status in iMessage: Your "typing…" or "online" status will not be visible to them.
- See your last seen status in Messages: They won't be able to see when you were last active on iMessage.
Important Note: Blocking someone doesn't delete their existing messages or call history. You can still see their previous communications.
How to Block Someone on iPhone: Different Methods
There are several ways to block someone on your iPhone, depending on where the unwanted contact is originating.
1. Blocking a Contact from Phone
This is the most common method, blocking someone directly from your Phone app:
- Open the Phone app: Locate and tap the Phone icon on your iPhone's home screen.
- Locate the contact: Find the number you want to block in your recent calls, contacts list, or search for it.
- Open the contact information: Tap on the number you wish to block.
- Tap "Info": This will open a screen displaying the contact details.
- Scroll down and tap "Block this Caller": You'll find this option near the bottom of the screen.
- Confirm the block: A pop-up will ask you to confirm your action. Tap "Block Contact".
2. Blocking a Contact from Messages
If the unwanted contact is primarily contacting you through Messages, you can block them directly from the Messages app:
- Open the Messages app: Locate and tap the Messages icon on your iPhone's home screen.
- Open the conversation: Select the conversation you want to block.
- Tap the contact's name or number at the top: This will open contact information.
- Scroll down and tap "Block this Caller": Follow the prompts to confirm the block.
3. Blocking a Contact from FaceTime
You can also block someone directly through the FaceTime app:
- Open the FaceTime app: Find and tap the FaceTime icon on your home screen.
- Go to "Recent": Select the recent FaceTime call from the person you wish to block.
- Tap the "i" icon: This is located next to the contact's name or number.
- Tap "Block this Caller": Follow the on-screen instructions to confirm.
4. Blocking a Contact from Settings
If you know the phone number or email address but don't have them in your contacts, you can block them directly in Settings:
- Open Settings: Locate the Settings app on your home screen.
- Tap "Phone": Select the Phone option in the Settings menu.
- Tap "Blocked Contacts": This will open a list of currently blocked contacts.
- Tap "Add New…": You will have the option to add a number from your contacts or manually enter a number or email address.
- Select the contact: Choose the contact you want to block.
How to Unblock Someone on iPhone
If you decide to unblock someone, here's how:
- Open Settings: Navigate to the Settings app.
- Tap "Phone": Select the Phone option.
- Tap "Blocked Contacts": Open the list of blocked contacts.
- Swipe left on the contact you want to unblock: A red "Delete" button will appear.
- Tap "Delete": This will remove the contact from your blocked list, allowing them to contact you again.
By following these steps, you can effectively manage your communications and maintain control over who can reach you on your iPhone. Remember to carefully consider your decision before blocking someone, as it's a permanent block until you unblock them.
