WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world, with over 2 billion active users. It allows you to easily connect with friends, family, co-workers, and more through text messages, voice calls, video calls, and more. One useful feature that WhatsApp offers is the ability to block contacts.
Blocking someone on WhatsApp prevents them from contacting you further on the platform. Their messages will no longer go through to you, and they won’t be able to see when you were last online or when you’ve read their messages. You also won’t receive any calls or video calls from a blocked contact.
Blocking can be useful if someone is harassing you, spamming you, or making you uncomfortable. It helps you take control of who you interact with on WhatsApp.
But what happens when you block someone? Can you still see their profile photo, about info, and last seen status? Or does blocking remove all traces of them from your app? Let’s find out.
What blocking does
When you block a contact on WhatsApp, here are the effects:
- They can no longer send you messages, or call/video call you
- Any messages they send will not go through and will remain undelivered
- You stop sharing your online status with them
- You stop sharing read receipts for messages with them
- You stop receiving notifications for any messages/calls from them
- Any messages/calls from them go directly to your archive and do not show up in the main chat list
Essentially, blocking cuts off all regular communication channels between you and the contact. It’s like flipping a one-way switch – they can’t reach you, but it doesn’t remove them fully from your app.
What you can still see when someone is blocked
Even when you block someone on WhatsApp, there are still a few things that remain visible to you:
- Their profile photo
- Their about info/status
- Their last seen status
You can still open the chat window of a blocked contact and see their profile picture, about section, and when they were last online. This is by design – WhatsApp wants to give you some context about a blocked person, while cutting off all direct communication.
Seeing their photo and last seen status can remind you of who they are if you don’t have their number saved. It also allows you to keep tabs on a blocked person’s activity if needed.
What you can’t see when someone blocks you
From the blocked person’s end, when they block you, here are the key changes:
- Your profile photo, last seen, and about info will all be hidden
- Messages sent by you will never be delivered to them
- Your messages will always show just one check mark (sent), but never a second check mark (delivered)
- Calls you make to them will not go through
So in summary, a blocked contact loses all visibility into your WhatsApp activity. But for you, some basic details about them remain visible despite blocking.
Can you get around WhatsApp blocking?
Since blocking still allows you to see some info about the contact, some people look for ways to get around it and view more.
Here are some common questions:
Can I see their status updates if I’m blocked?
No, you cannot see the status updates of a blocked contact. Those disappear once you block someone.
Can I see if they’re online/typing if I’m blocked?
No, you won’t be able to see if a blocked contact is online or typing. Their last seen status freezes from the moment you block them.
Can I tell if I’m blocked by someone?
There are a few signs that indicate you may be blocked by someone on WhatsApp:
- Your messages never show “delivered” – only “sent”
- Your calls to the person never go through
- You stop seeing their last seen status and online indicator
However, there is no 100% foolproof way to confirm if someone has blocked you since WhatsApp does not explicitly notify you.
Can I use another phone to view a blocked contact?
No, blocking happens at the account level. If you log in using the same account on a different device, the blocked contact will remain blocked.
Can I use WhatsApp Web to view a blocked contact?
No, accessing WhatsApp Web on your computer will show the same blocking effects. A blocked contact will remain blocked across all platforms.
Conclusion
To wrap up, here are the key points on whether you can see a blocked contact on WhatsApp:
- Blocking cuts off all messaging capability between you and the contact
- You can still see a blocked contact’s profile photo, about info, and last seen status
- But you cannot see any status updates, online indicator, or typing activity
- There is no definitive way to know if someone has blocked you
- Blocking applies across devices – you cannot bypass it from another phone or WhatsApp Web
In summary, blocking gives you control over messaging without completely removing that person from your WhatsApp. There are limited profile details you can still view for context. But all direct communication channels get shut off after blocking someone.
Hope this gives you a better understanding of how blocking works on WhatsApp and what you can see (and can’t see) when blocking or being blocked by someone.
| What you can see when you block someone | What you can’t see when you block someone |
|---|---|
| Profile photo | Status updates |
| About info | Online indicator |
| Last seen | Typing activity |
Here is a recap of the key information in table form. This summarizes what remains visible and invisible when you block a contact on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp’s blocking feature helps you manage unwanted communication and contact. It cuts off direct messaging channels, while still giving you some visibility into a blocked user’s profile. This allows you to control who you interact with, without losing all context on who the blocked person is.
Use WhatsApp’s blocking capability wisely when you need to restrict contact from someone. And respect it if someone blocks you – take it as a sign they no longer wish to communicate and move on.