Blocking someone on WhatsApp means you will no longer receive messages and calls from them.
Someone you’ve blocked can’t see your “last seen” timestamp or status and profile picture updates.
There’s no direct way for someone to know you’ve blocked them – WhatsApp doesn’t notify them.
WhatsApp is a popular alternative to common messaging apps like iMessage and Facebook Messenger. Many people use WhatsApp on their phones as their primary means of contact with others. It’s a good option for texting and group chats if your friends don’t all have the same kind of phone or they live overseas.
However, it sometimes becomes necessary to block someone on WhatsApp. Whether you’re getting calls or texts from unknown numbers, or you’re being harassed by a contact, blocking them is an easy way to cease contact without having an uncomfortable confrontation.
Note: WhatsApp won’t notify the person that you have blocked them – so don’t be concerned that they will immediately find out.
What happens when you block someone on WhatsApp?
When you block someone on WhatsApp, you will stop receiving messages and calls from them. Even if they continue to send messages, they’ll never show up on your phone.
Likewise, your information — status updates, profile picture changes, and “last seen” timestamps — will no longer be visible to the person you blocked.
When someone has blocked you, the timestamp indicating when they were last active won’t appear.
Melanie Weir/Insider
Blocking someone on WhatsApp may cease direct contact from that user, but it doesn’t remove them from your contacts. To do that, you will have to remove their contact from your phone manually. You can also unblock someone you’ve blocked at any time — so if you need a break from someone for a little bit, you’ll still be able to talk to them again when you’re feeling up to it.
WhatsApp does their best to make it ambiguous whether or not you’ve been blocked, to protect their users’ privacy.
Quick tip: Consider exiting any WhatsApp groups you and the person you have blocked both belong to, as you will still be able to see their messages within that group chat.