WhatsApp status is a fun way to share photos, videos and GIFs with your contacts. You can customize your status and choose who can view your updates. While the default setting allows all contacts to see your status, you can hide your status from specific people.
If you suspect someone has hidden their WhatsApp status from you, there are a few signs to look out for. Here are some tips to help figure out if someone has blocked you from viewing their status updates.
They are posting status updates but you can’t view them
The most obvious sign that someone may have hidden their status from you is if you notice that the person is actively posting status updates that you are unable to view. For example, if you see “John updated his status” in your chats tab but when you click on his profile, it says “John’s last seen today at 9:30 AM”. This likely means the person has intentionally hidden their status from you.
Things to check:
- Verify if you are able to view the status updates of other contacts without issues. If it’s only one person’s status that is hidden, they have likely blocked you.
- Check if you can view the person’s profile photo and “About” details. If you are blocked, you may not be able to see the profile photo either.
- Log out of your account and log back in or restart the app. This will eliminate any glitches.
Their profile photo and “last seen” details are hidden
Along with hiding status updates, someone who has blocked you may also hide their profile photo and last seen details from you. So if you notice that the profile picture is defaulted to the blank avatar and you can’t see when the person was last online, it’s a sign they may have restricted access to their status as well.
Things to check:
- See if the person has hidden their last seen and profile photo for everyone or just you. Ask a mutual friend if they can view the details.
- Check your settings to confirm you have not disabled viewing last seen for contacts.
- The person may have just changed their privacy settings, not deliberately blocked you. Don’t jump to conclusions.
Your messages to them remain undelivered
When you are blocked by someone on WhatsApp, any messages you send to them will remain undelivered and unread. If you notice your chats to a contact always show just one check mark and never get delivered, it likely means you are blocked.
However, this could also happen if the person has bad internet connection. So you’ll need to check this over a period of time to confirm the messages are truly not going through.
Things to check:
- Verify if your messages to other contacts are going through. If it’s only your messages to one person that remain undelivered, you are likely blocked.
- Try sending media like photos or voice messages. If even these remain undelivered, you are likely blocked.
- If you are chatting after a long gap, give it some time as the person may not be checking WhatsApp actively.
You are excluded from their WhatsApp groups
If someone has blocked you or does not want you viewing their status updates, they likely will not add you to any WhatsApp groups they create. If you notice that your other friends are in WhatsApp groups created by the person, but you are excluded, this may be because you are blocked.
Things to check:
- See if you are excluded from only that person’s groups or all groups. If it’s just one person, they may have blocked you.
- There may be a specific theme or criteria for the group that you do not match. Don’t take exclusion personally.
- You can ask the group admin or a mutual friend why you are not part of the group.
You don’t see their number in contacts’ statuses
Usually when someone views your status update, you can see which contacts have viewed it. However, if you have blocked a person, your number will not show up when they check their list of status viewers.
So if you’ve posted a status and notice that one particular person’s number is not showing up in the list of viewers, it means they likely have blocked you.
Things to check:
- See if that person’s number shows up when your other contacts view your status. If it’s only missing from your list, you are probably blocked.
- They may have simply not seen your update yet. Give it some time before concluding you are blocked.
- If you have many contacts, the list may not show all numbers. Their views may not reflect in your list for that reason.
You get restricted when trying to contact them
An explicit indicator that someone has blocked you on WhatsApp is if you get a message saying “You can’t message this contact due to the contact’s privacy settings.” This makes it clear that the person has restricted you specifically from contacting them on WhatsApp.
Things to check:
- Try contacting the person from another number to confirm they have blocked you specifically.
- If other contacts can message the person without issues, then you are definitely blocked.
- You will have to wait for the person to unblock you to be able to message them again.
Your contact info vanishes from their phone
When you block someone on WhatsApp, their contact is removed from your address book. So if you have blocked someone, their calls and messages will not reach you from outside WhatsApp either.
Hence, if you notice that your regular texts and calls are not going through to someone who was in your contacts list earlier, chances are they have blocked you on WhatsApp and deleted your number as well.
Things to check:
- Try messaging the person’s number from another phone to test if your number is blocked.
- It’s possible they may have just gotten a new phone and lost your contact by accident.
- Check with a mutual friend if that person’s number has changed or if your calls/texts are going through.
You don’t see their name in WhatsApp groups
If someone has blocked you on WhatsApp and is also a participant in a WhatsApp group you are in, their name will not be visible to you in the group members list. You may see just a phone number instead of the contact name.
This happens only if they have blocked you specifically, as others in the group will still be able to see their name in the participants list.
Things to check:
- Ask other group participants if they can see the person’s name in the list.
- Check if they have changed their display name or not set a name.
- See if it’s only one person’s name that is missing or multiple people. If it’s just them, you are likely blocked.
You can’t add them to groups
When someone blocks you on WhatsApp, you are automatically prohibited from adding them to any WhatsApp groups. When you try to select blocked contacts to add to a group, their names will not appear in your contacts list.
If you find yourself unable to add a specific person while building a WhatsApp group, it likely indicates they have blocked you on WhatsApp.
Things to check:
- Try creating a group with just you and the blocked person to confirm you can’t add them.
- Ask a friend to create a group and check if they can add the person you can’t.
- If others can add them easily, it’s certain you are blocked.
How to confirm if you are blocked?
While the signs above give a good indication, there is no definitive way to check if you are blocked by someone on WhatsApp.
This is because WhatsApp does not notify users if they have been blocked. The only way to get a confirmation is to ask the person directly from another number if they’ve blocked you.
Some ways to get a clear answer include:
- Ask a close mutual friend if the person has mentioned blocking you
- Message the person from a number they don’t have asking if they blocked you
- Call them from another number to check if your number is blocked
- If they’ve blocked you on social media, chances are they blocked you on WhatsApp too
If you are unable to get in touch with them altogether, it likely indicates they have blocked and deleted your contact across channels. While being blocked can feel disheartening, don’t take it personally. Give them space, and they may reconsider talking to you again later.
What happens when you are blocked by someone on WhatsApp?
Here are the key impacts of being blocked by a WhatsApp contact:
- You will no longer be able to see their profile photo, last seen status and any status updates they post.
- Any messages you send them will show as undelivered and they will not receive them.
- All calls you make to them over WhatsApp will not go through.
- You will not be able to add them to any WhatsApp groups.
- Your messages and calls to them outside of WhatsApp may also be blocked.
- You will not be able to see if they have read your messages in a group chat.
- You will not see their name/number in the list of viewers who saw your status.
Essentially, blocking cuts off all communication via WhatsApp unless they choose to unblock you. Your account itself remains unaffected and you can continue using WhatsApp normally with other contacts.
Why might someone block me on WhatsApp?
Here are some common reasons why someone may have chosen to block you on WhatsApp:
- You were sending too many messages or calling frequently.
- You said something offensive or rude in a 1-on-1 or group chat.
- They wanted to avoid further communication with you.
- They are in a new relationship and want to avoid exes.
- They needed a break from your friendship.
- Their partner asked them to block exes/certain people.
- They wanted to minimize social media distractions.
- You had an argument recently which led them to cut off contact.
- They blocked you by mistake and didn’t realize it.
Rather than feeling hurt, try to be understanding of why they may have wanted to block you. Give them some time before attempting to communicate again.
Can I get unblocked by someone on WhatsApp?
If someone has blocked you on WhatsApp, there are a few options to get unblocked:
- Wait patiently and give them space. With time, they may forgive and unblock you.
- Ask nicely if a mutual friend can request them to unblock you.
- Send an apology message from a different number requesting to be unblocked.
- If you’re blocked by mistake, messaging from another number can clear up the confusion.
- Change your profile name/photo to indicate you want to reconcile.
- Talk calmly in person and ask to be unblocked.
- Check back after a few weeks to see if you have been unblocked.
However, accept that the person may not be ready to unblock you yet. Pushing too hard could upset them further. Give them the time and space they need.
Can I tell if someone has only silenced my WhatsApp status?
Along with fully blocking you, WhatsApp also gives the option to users to “mute” a contact’s status updates. When you mute someone:
- You will still be able to message them normally.
- You can call them and participate in groups together.
- Your name will show in their viewer list when you view their stories.
- But their status updates will not automatically show on your home tab.
So if you have a suspicion someone may have silenced your status but not fully blocked you, look out for these signs:
- Check if your chat messages are still delivered to them.
- See if you can still add them to groups.
- Call them through WhatsApp to test if the call goes through.
- See if they still view or react to messages you post in common groups.
If all these interactions are normal, chances are they have just muted your status instead of blocking your completely. Speak to them directly to find out.
Should I block someone back if they’ve blocked me?
Getting blocked can feel upsetting but reacting back by blocking them may not help the situation. Here are some pros and cons of blocking them back:
Reasons to block them back:
- Prevents them from unblocking you and messaging later.
- Stops any chances of them monitoring you via mutual connections.
- Lets them face the same restrictions as you until they unblock.
- Cuts contact completely so you can move on.
Reasons not to block them back:
- Blocking back could escalate the conflict further.
- You’ll never know if they wanted to reconcile later.
- Mutual friends can get caught in the middle of the mess.
- The situation may seem immature if you react the same way.
- They may hold a bigger grudge if you also block them.
Evaluate the pros and cons and see if blocking them back will make you feel better or worse. In most cases, not reacting and taking the high road works best.
Conclusion
Being blocked on WhatsApp can certainly feel confusing and hurtful. Use the tips in this article to identify if someone has restricted you and the reasons why they may have done so.
While it may seem unfair, avoid reacting back in anger or blocking them yourself. Give them space and focus on your other relationships. In time, the blocked person may cool down and reconnect.
With patience and understanding, even blocked connections can potentially be repaired. Stay positive and don’t take a block personally. Keep living your life fully while being open to communicating again if the situation improves in the future.