Being blocked on messaging apps can be frustrating. You may want to get in touch with someone who has blocked you, but aren’t sure if you can still send them messages. The short answer is: it depends on the app.
Messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DM, and others have different rules around contacting blocked users. In most cases, you can still send messages to a blocked contact, but they won’t receive them. The messages may show as sent on your end, but will not be delivered to the blocked person.
What happens when you message a blocked contact on WhatsApp?
On WhatsApp, you can still send messages to a contact who has blocked you, but your messages will not go through. From your perspective, it will look like the messages are being sent normally, but the blocked contact will not see or receive them.
When you are blocked on WhatsApp, any messages you send to that contact are automatically deleted and do not generate notifications. You may see one check mark indicating the message was sent, but will never see the second grey check mark indicating it was delivered.
So in summary, on WhatsApp:
- You can still compose and “send” messages to a blocked contact
- Your messages will show as sent from your side, but will not actually be delivered
- The blocked user will not see or receive any of your messages
This applies to both individual and group messages. If you are blocked by someone in a WhatsApp group, any messages you send in the group will not be visible to the person who blocked you, even though other group members will be able to see them.
What if I message a blocked contact on Facebook Messenger?
Facebook Messenger works similarly to WhatsApp when it comes to messaging blocked users. If someone has blocked you on Messenger, you can still compose and attempt to send messages to them, but the blocked person will not receive them.
From your perspective, it will appear the messages are being sent as normal. However, the blocked contact will not get any notification or indication that you messaged them. The messages are automatically deleted and do not reach the inbox of the blocked user.
Key points for Facebook Messenger:
- You can send messages to a blocked contact, but they will not be delivered
- Your messages will show as sent, but the blocked person will not see or get them
- No notification or indication the blocked user receives anything from you
This applies for both individual and group messages. If blocked in a Messenger group, your messages to the group will be invisible to the person who blocked you.
What happens when you message blocked Instagram accounts?
Instagram Direct Messaging works similarly to other messaging platforms when it comes to contacting blocked accounts. If someone has blocked you on Instagram, you can still compose messages and appear to send them to a blocked user, but they will not receive any of them.
From your side, it will seem like the messages are going through normally. However, any messages you send to a blocked Instagram account will be automatically deleted. The blocked user will not see or get any indication that you messaged them.
In summary for Instagram:
- You can continue to message blocked accounts, but messages will not be delivered
- Your messages will show as sent, but will not reach the blocked user’s inbox
- The blocked account gets no notification or sign you messaged them
This applies for both individual message and group message. If blocked by someone in an Instagram group chat, your messages to the group will not show up for the person who blocked you.
Can I message a blocked contact on Telegram?
On Telegram, messaging someone who has blocked you works much the same as other platforms. You can continue composing and “sending” messages to a blocked contact, but they will not receive them.
From your perspective, it will appear the messages are going through as normal. However, any messages you send to a blocked Telegram user are automatically deleted and will not deliver.
In short:
- You can still message blocked contacts, but messages will not be received
- Messages will show as sent on your end, but will not reach the blocked person
- The blocked user will not get any notification you messaged them
This holds true for both private chats and group messages. If blocked in a Telegram group, your messages to the group will not be visible to the person who blocked you.
Can I email someone who blocked me?
With email, the situation is different than messaging apps. Blocking someone on an email service typically prevents them from contacting you, but does not stop you from emailing them.
For example, if someone blocks you in Gmail, you can still send emails to their Gmail address. However, your emails will automatically be routed to their spam folder or deleted, depending on their filter settings.
So when emailing a blocked contact:
- You can compose and send emails normally from your account
- Your emails may end up in the blocked user’s spam folder
- The blocked person can still open or delete the emails if they want
The key difference with email is the sender is not completely prevented from contacting the blocked recipient. But the recipient has tools to filter and manage unwanted messages.
What happens when you call a blocked number?
Calling someone who blocked your number is similar to emailing a blocked contact. You can still attempt to call or text a number that blocked you, but your calls and messages may be blocked from going through.
For example, on an iPhone, if someone blocks your number, your calls to them go straight to voicemail or fail to connect. You may hear a recording that the call could not be completed. Texts do not deliver to the blocked contact, but appear as sent normally on your phone.
On Android, if blocked, your calls may go to voicemail or be rejected entirely. Texts fail to send and you receive a message the texts could not be delivered.
In summary:
- You can still attempt to call and text a number that blocked you
- Your calls may go to voicemail, be rejected, or fail to connect
- Texts may not deliver and you may get undelivered messages
So with phone calls and texts, you can try to contact a blocked number, but your messages may not get through depending on their phone settings and carrier policies.
Can I message a blocked contact on Microsoft Teams?
On Microsoft Teams, messaging a blocked contact works similarly to other messaging platforms. If someone blocks you on Teams, you can still attempt to message them, but your messages will not be delivered.
From your perspective, it will appear your messages are going through normally to the blocked person. However, they will not receive any of your messages or get any indication you messaged them.
Key points for Microsoft Teams:
- You can send messages to blocked users, but they will not receive them
- Your messages will show as sent, but will not reach the blocked contact
- No notification or sign of your messages for the blocked user
This applies for both 1-on-1 chats and group messages. If blocked in a Teams chat, your messages to that group will not appear to the person who blocked you.
Can I message a blocked contact on Slack?
Slack also prevents delivery of messages to blocked users. If someone has blocked you on Slack, you can still compose and attempt to send messages to them, but they will not receive any of them.
To you, it will look like your messages are going through normally. But in reality, any messages you send to the blocked user are automatically deleted and do not reach their account.
In summary:
- You can continue to message the blocked contact, but messages will not deliver
- Your messages will appear to send as normal, but will not reach the recipient
- No sign or notification of your message for the blocked user
The same applies in Slack groups – any messages you send to a group will not appear to a person who has blocked you in that group.
Can I get around messaging blocks?
Trying to get around messaging blocks and contact someone who has explicitly blocked you is unethical. You should respect their decision and not try to contact them on new numbers, profiles, or other methods.
That said, some ways people attempt to circumvent blocks include:
- Creating a new messaging profile or number
- Using a friend’s device or account
- Messaging from a business profile they haven’t blocked
- Using alternate channels like email or phone calls
While technologically possible, these tactics violate the blocked person’s consent and wishes. You should not pursue contact with someone who has made clear they do not want to hear from you.
Conclusion
In summary, when someone blocks you on a messaging platform like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, etc., you can still compose and attempt to send messages to them, but your messages will not actually be delivered. You will be able to message them as normal from your side, but the blocked user will not receive any indication of your messages.
With email and phone calls, you may still be able to contact a blocked recipient, but they have tools to filter and manage your messages. The healthiest approach is respecting their block and not pursuing unwanted communication.
| Platform | Can you message a blocked contact? | Will the blocked user receive the messages? |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |
| Facebook Messenger | Yes | No |
| Yes | No | |
| Telegram | Yes | No |
| Yes | Maybe (goes to spam folder) | |
| Phone Calls/Texts | Yes | Maybe (can be blocked by carrier) |
| Microsoft Teams | Yes | No |
| Slack | Yes | No |
Attempting to circumvent someone’s block and force contact against their will is unethical. Respect their boundaries and avoid pursuing unwanted communication through new accounts, numbers, or platforms.
In most cases, messaging someone who has blocked you only leads to one-sided conversations that do not get delivered. It is better to move on and find productive connections with people who actually want to engage with you.
With patience and respect for others’ choices, you can build trust and open the door to healthy communication, even if you’ve been blocked by certain contacts in the past. The more you demonstrate change through your actions, the more opportunities you may have to restart dialogue in the future.
Blocking exists to protect people online and give them control over their digital spaces. While you may not always agree with being blocked, you should comply with someone’s request for no contact. If you believe the block was made in error or want to reconcile, wait for the person to reach out to you when and if they are ready.
Forcing your messages on someone often achieves the opposite effect. With care for others’ boundaries, you can foster goodwill that leaves the door open to reconnection down the road.
In conclusion, while you may be able to technically message blocked contacts, the respectful approach is honoring their decision and not pursuing one-way communication. Focus instead on the relationships that bring mutual understanding – these are the ones that create value and will sustain.