WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. Its end-to-end encryption provides privacy and security when communicating with friends and family.
However, you may sometimes want to block contacts on WhatsApp for various reasons. Blocking someone prevents them from viewing your last seen, profile photo, and status updates. It also stops them from calling and sending you messages.
But can a blocked contact still send you messages on WhatsApp, even if you can’t see them? Let’s find out.
What happens when you block someone on WhatsApp?
When you block a contact on WhatsApp, it does the following:
- Removes the contact from your contacts list
- Stops the blocked contact from calling or sending you messages
- Hides your last seen, profile photo, status, and any changes to your info from the blocked contact
- Deletes the contact’s messages and calls from your chat screen
- Automatically unblocks if you add the contact back to your address book
So when you block someone on WhatsApp, you essentially cut off all normal communication from that person. Your chat screen will show no trace of ever talking to that contact.
Can a blocked contact send you WhatsApp messages?
Yes, a blocked contact can still send you WhatsApp messages, but you won’t receive them.
When the blocked contact sends a message, it goes through to WhatsApp servers and your device. However, the message is not downloaded to your device and the chat screen remains empty from your end.
You will not get any notifications, previews or signs of the new messages sent by the blocked contact. It’s as if no message ever arrived.
To you, it will seem like the block has successfully stopped all communication. But in reality, the blocked person’s messages still reach your device briefly before being hidden away.
Where do the messages from a blocked contact go?
The messages sent by a blocked contact on WhatsApp do not get stored anywhere on your device. They are momentarily relayed by WhatsApp servers to your smartphone and immediately discarded before ever reaching your chat screen.
These messages also get deleted from WhatsApp servers after 30 days. They cannot be retrieved, read or recovered in any way by you, the blocked contact or even WhatsApp.
Essentially, the messages vanish permanently after being relayed to your device where you have no way to view them at any point.
Can I unblock a contact to view their messages?
No, unblocking a previously blocked contact will not allow you to view any messages they sent while blocked. Since the messages never get saved to your device or chat screen, there is no way to retroactively view them.
Unblocking a contact only allows normal communication to resume going forward. It does not reveal any messages from the blocking period.
Does the blocked contact know if I’ve read their messages?
No, the blocked contact has no indication if you’ve read their messages or not. Since the messages never reach your chat screen, WhatsApp does not send read receipts to the blocked person.
As far as the blocked contact is concerned, their messages have been successfully delivered with one check mark. But they have no way to know if the messages were read or blocked.
Can I get blocked messages back if I unblock the contact later?
Unfortunately, unblocking a contact does not retrieve old messages they sent while blocked. Those messages are permanently deleted by WhatsApp and cannot be recovered.
The only way a previously blocked contact can have their older messages appear in your chat is if you had backed up your WhatsApp data before blocking them. When you unblock and restore from that backup, you’ll see the messages again.
But without such a backup, there is no restoring blocked messages if you choose to unblock someone later.
What happens if the blocked contact deletes their WhatsApp account?
If a blocked contact deletes or deactivates their WhatsApp account, all their messages still get permanently deleted as usual.
When a WhatsApp account is closed, all its messages are erased from WhatsApp servers after 30 days. This includes any messages sent to you while blocked, which will be removed as well.
Can I tell if a blocked contact has messaged me?
There is no official way to detect if a blocked contact has messaged you on WhatsApp. Since you do not receive any notifications, the only indication would be if a chat marked as empty starts showing “You blocked this user” again.
This means the blocked person has likely sent a new message, causing WhatsApp to refresh the chat and remind you of the block. Otherwise, you have no way to confirm if a blocked chat has received any new but hidden messages.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Blocked contacts can still send you WhatsApp messages
- Their messages are temporarily relayed to your device before being discarded
- You cannot view messages sent during the blocking period
- Unblocking does not reveal previous blocked messages
- The blocked contact is unaware if you’ve read their messages
So while WhatsApp blocks do hide all new communications, they do not stop them entirely. The messages make it through, but you remain unaware of them. Unblocking later will not recover them either.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a blocked contact tell if I’ve blocked them?
No, WhatsApp does not directly notify a contact that you’ve blocked them. But they may figure it out from seeing one checkmark and getting no replies from you.
Can I block someone without them knowing?
There is no way to block contacts on WhatsApp without them realizing. They will soon notice one checkmark for their messages and inability to see your last seen or profile picture.
What happens if I delete a contact – can they still message me?
Deleting a contact removes them from your address book but does not fully block them. They can still call and message you normally.
Can I prevent specific contacts from seeing my WhatsApp status?
Yes, you can individually select contacts to exclude from viewing your status updates without fully blocking them.
Do blocked messages take up my device storage space?
No, messages from blocked contacts do not consume any storage space as they are immediately discarded and not saved.
Can I backup and save blocked messages somewhere?
No, there is no way to keep or backup messages received from blocked contacts on WhatsApp.
Do blocked messages count towards my monthly WhatsApp limit?
No, messages sent by blocked contacts do not count towards your monthly 100,000 WhatsApp message limit.
What if I block someone by mistake?
If you accidentally block a contact, unblocking them resumes normal communication. But any messages they already sent while blocked will remain permanently deleted.
To avoid blocking someone by mistake, be careful when selecting names in your contacts list and confirm before tapping Block.
Should I block or delete annoying contacts?
| Action | Block Contact | Delete Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Stops messages | Yes | No |
| Stops calls | Yes | No |
| Hides online status | Yes | No |
| Deletes chat history | Yes | No |
Blocking is better for completely cutting off communication while deleting just removes them from your contacts.
What’s the best way to deal with unwanted messages?
If you’re getting excessive messages from someone, consider these options:
- Ask them politely to reduce messaging
- On Android, mute notifications just for their chat
- Temporarily archive or pin their chat
- Block them if messages continue after asking to stop
- Report severe harassment to WhatsApp
Blocking should be a last resort when dealing with bothersome contacts or spam.
How can I reduce spam on WhatsApp?
To avoid spam messages on WhatsApp:
- Be cautious sharing your number publicly
- Enable two-step verification for added security
- Don’t open links from unknown senders
- Report spam or abuse to WhatsApp
- Block obvious spammers
Is blocking permanent on WhatsApp?
No, blocking contacts on WhatsApp can be reversed. You can always unblock them anytime to restore normal messaging and calls.
However, any messages received during the blocking period remain permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
Can I block someone who has deleted me on WhatsApp?
If someone has already deleted you as a contact on WhatsApp, you cannot subsequently block them. Your chat will show as deleted and not give the block option.
But if you block them first, they won’t be able to delete you until unblocking. The block takes precedence over deleting in this case.
What happens if I block someone on my phone but not WhatsApp?
Blocking a number on your phone but not in WhatsApp only blocks calls and SMS. They can still message you on WhatsApp until blocked there as well.
Can I get in trouble for blocking someone?
Generally no, you cannot get into legal trouble just for blocking someone on WhatsApp or social media. Exceptions may apply for restraining orders, harassment, etc.
Blocking itself is usually not unlawful. But other actions like threats or defamation alongside it may have consequences.
Is blocking on WhatsApp the same as blocking on other apps?
Blocking works similarly on most messaging apps. The blocked person can still attempt to message you but you won’t see these messages or get notifications.
However, the specifics like whether messages are saved, deletion periods, and unblocking availability vary between different apps.
Can I get blocked messages back by changing my phone?
No, changing your phone does not restore messages that were sent while a contact was blocked. Those messages are permanently deleted by WhatsApp no matter what device you use.
Should I warn someone before blocking them?
It’s generally better to communicate your issues first and warn that you may block them if behavior continues. But you aren’t required to do so.
If you feel someone is harassing, dangerous or abusive, you can block them right away without warning.
Can someone tell if I blocked them on WhatsApp Business?
It works the same way – they can’t directly know they were blocked but may deduce it from one checkmark and inability to see your status online.
Conclusion
While blocking on WhatsApp prevents you from receiving messages, the sender is still able to send them unknowingly. There is no way to retrieve any messages received during the period a contact was blocked.
Blocking is not reversible in terms of accessing those hidden communications. But normal messaging can resume if you unblock the contact again.
Overall, remember blocked messages still arrive to your phone briefly before being deleted. Blocking just prevents you from seeing them to maintain no contact.