What Happens When You Block Someone on iPhone

Quick Tips

• When you block a number or a contact on an iPhone, they can’t call, message, or Facetime you.
• However, there can be a few exceptions depending on the details stored in the contact info.
• The blocked contact will not be notified that you’ve blocked them.

What Happens When You Block a Number on an iPhone

As a general rule when you block a number or a contact, the iPhone blocks all communication channels incorporated into the contact info. However, there can be a few exceptions. So, when you block someone on an iPhone what do they see?

Well, the person you’ve blocked won’t be explicitly notified of the block. On their part, all will be as usual. They can call, FaceTime, message, and mail you, but you may not receive them as usual.

1. Phone Calls

The most obvious action that follows blocking someone on your iPhone is that the blocked number/contact can’t reach you via phone.

What Happens When You Block a Number on Your iPhone and They Call You?

Well, the aftereffects of blocking a contact are dependent on your network provider. While some providers will inform the blocked caller that your number is unreachable, others will divert the blocked contact‘s call straight to your voicemail.

Can You Receive a Voicemail From a Blocked Number?

Yes, people you have blocked can still leave you a voicemail. However, you won’t get a notification about this.

Moreover, voicemails from blocked contacts are not grouped with your regular messages. Instead, they are positioned at the bottom of the voicemail section in the Phone app.

Can You Call a Blocked Number?

Yes, unless they’ve blocked you in return, you can call or FaceTime a blocked number without a problem.

2. FaceTime

From the explanations above, you probably know what happens to block contacts on FaceTime, too. They can’t make voice or video FaceTime calls to you.

When a number you’ve blocked on your iPhone calls you on FaceTime, the call will ring endlessly on the caller’s end. On the other hand, your iPhone will not ring, and you won’t be notified of the call.

The FaceTime Exception

So, a user can enable and use FaceTime from their phone number or email address (Apple ID). Now, if the user is using a different ID for FaceTime, say an email ID that isn’t saved in the contact information under their name, they can FaceTime you.

Reversely, when you block someone using the FaceTime app, the FaceTime ID they’re using is blocked. So, if they use the same number as stored in contacts, they’ll be blocked from all sources. But if they are using an email ID that is not stored, just the email ID will be blocked.

3. Messages

As mentioned in the prompt accompanying the blocking process, you will not receive phone calls, messages, or FaceTime from blocked contacts.

The iMessage Exception

Just like FaceTime it depends on the number or email address someone uses for iMessage. If the Contact card has complete information, every source is blocked. But if the ID differs from what’s under the contact info, it will only block messages and not iMessages and vice versa.

If You Block a Number Can They Still Text You?

Yes, they can text you and won’t be notified that they are blocked. However, you will not receive the message or its notification.

What Happens When You Block Someone on an iPhone and They Text You?

They will be charged for the text message(s) by their network carriers, and the text will be sent. However, because you’ve blocked the person, their texts will not be delivered to your iPhone.

The same applies to iMessage. Messages from blocked numbers will not be delivered to your inbox. And on the sender’s end, the messages will not be marked as ‘Delivered’.

What Happens When You Text a Blocked Number?

You can’t iMessage or text a blocked number. Basically, all messages that are sent or received won’t be delivered.

If You Block Someone, Does It Delete Messages on iPhone?

No, your message history remains as is. You can even view Shared with You files, like images, links, etc.

4. Mail

While the blocked person can still send you emails, they will go into the Bin folder. Moreover, Email blocking works across all your Apple devices, so be mindful of that.

Notably, you can configure your iPhone’s Mail app to decide what happens to the emails from a blocked person. To do so, go to Settings → Mail → Blocked Sender Options. Here, choose between, Leave in Inbox or Move to Bin.

The Mail Exception

When you block a contact, the mail ID mentioned in the contact information is blocked. However, if someone uses a different email address, they can send you emails.

Moreover, the mail block doesn’t work in reverse. If you block an email ID, it will not block their contact number. Simply put, you won’t get their emails, but they can call and message you.

Note: Blocked contacts can still send emails to your iCloud email address using third-party email clients (Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, etc.). If you use Gmail on your iPhone, you should check out what happens when you block someone on Gmail.

5. Calls or Messages From Other Apps

When you block someone on the iPhone, Apple can only block them across its platforms and services. They can still connect with you via apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Facebook, etc. To block them completely, you must individually block them from those platforms.

It works similarly in reverse as well. When you block them on a platform like WhatsApp, they can still call, message, and email you through iPhone’s native apps and services.

Easy Ways to Block Someone on iPhone

Apple allows you to block phone numbers, contacts, and email addresses on your device. Moreover, you can filter or report iMessages from unknown or fishy numbers.

1. Block an Unsaved or Saved Incoming or Outgoing Call

Step 1: Open the Phone app and go to the Recents tab. Here, look for the number you want to block and tap i next to it.

Step 2: In the Contact Card page, scroll down and tap Block this Caller. Select Block Contact again to confirm the action.

Tip: Blocking spam callers one by one can be tedious. Instead, you can silence unknown callers to avoid spam calls.

2. Use the Contacts App to Block a Saved Number

Go to the Contacts app → select the contact you want to block → scroll down, and select Block this Caller → Block Contact.

3. Block an Incoming or Outgoing FaceTime Call

Open the FaceTime app → look for the number → tap i next to it → Block this Caller → Block Contact.

4. Block a Contact From the Messages App

Launch the Messages app → select the conversation you want to block → tap the contact info from the top. Here, tap the info button.

Next, scroll down and select Block this Caller → Block Contact again to confirm the action.

5. Block an Email ID From the Mail App

Open the Mail app → select any mail from the sender you want to block → tap the contact info from the top → tap Block this Contact and then Block this Contact again to confirm the action.

6. Block Someone Directly From the Blocked Contact Lists

Go to Settings → open Phone or Mail → scroll down and select Blocked Contacts or Blocked.

Next, you’ll see a list of all your blocked contacts → scroll down and tap Add New → add the contact or email ID you want to block.

Why so many ways to block someone on the iPhone you say? While they allow you the ease of access, they also bite into the complexity we talked about earlier.

How to Know If Someone Blocked Your Number on iPhone

Although you won’t be notified when someone blocks your number (or email address) on their iPhones, the combination of the following cues is a clear indication that you’ve surely been blocked:

• Your iMessage texts to the number don’t get marked as Delivered for a long time.
• Calling the person’s phone number always redirects you to their voicemail.
• The contact doesn’t pick up your FaceTime calls.
• You can reach the person via phone call using another number.

If you suspect that you’ve been blocked by someone using an iPhone, check the clues listed above. If all of them check out, especially the last one, you have most likely been blocked.