When you block someone on WhatsApp, their profile picture is replaced with a generic image to indicate that the contact is blocked. This is done for privacy reasons, to prevent the blocked contact’s photo from being visible in your chat lists and notifications.
What does the blocked contact profile picture look like?
The generic blocked contact image on WhatsApp is a gray silhouette of a person’s head and shoulders. Some key features of the blocked contact picture:
- It’s a gray, shadowy figure with no distinct facial features
- The silhouette depicts a person’s head, neck and shoulders
- No colors, just different shades of gray
- The background is also grayed out
- The image is the same for all blocked contacts
This standardized blocked contact profile photo allows you to easily identify blocked contacts in your chats and contacts list, without revealing any identifying details about their actual photo or profile.
Why does WhatsApp use this blocked contact image?
There are a few key reasons why WhatsApp uses a generic silhouette image for blocked contacts:
- Privacy – It prevents the profile photo of blocked contacts from being visible to you in any way. Their identity and image are hidden.
- Identification – The standardized image allows you to instantly recognize blocked contacts across WhatsApp.
- Reduced distraction – Seeing past contacts or their photos could distract you or tempt you to unblock them. The generic image helps avoid this.
- Uniformity – WhatsApp likely wanted a single unified image for all blocked users, rather than just hiding their original photo.
So in summary, the main purpose is to protect the privacy of the blocked user while also clearly indicating to you that the contact is blocked.
What does it look like on different versions of WhatsApp?
The blocked contact silhouette image is consistent across different platforms and versions of WhatsApp:
- iPhone – Same gray silhouette of head and shoulders on iOS
- Android – Identical blocked user image on Android devices
- WhatsApp Web – The web version also shows the generic blocked profile photo
- WhatsApp Desktop – Blocked contacts have the same image on WhatsApp Desktop as well
So regardless of how you use WhatsApp, the blocked user profile picture will appear as the same generic gray shadow image of a person’s head and shoulders.
What does this icon look like on business accounts?
For WhatsApp Business accounts, the blocked contact image appears a bit different:
- It’s a gray silhouette of an office building instead of a person
- The building has a few stories, windows, and a door
- It uses the same plain gray color scheme as the regular blocked contact image
- Looks very generic just like the normal blocked user icon
This blocked business account image has the same intent as the regular blocked user icon – privacy, identification of blocked status, uniformity. But the different icon design suits business accounts better.
What does the blocked contact see on their end?
When you block someone on WhatsApp, here is what the blocked contact sees on their end:
- Your last seen, online status, and profile picture are hidden from them
- They can no longer call or message you on WhatsApp
- Their messages will not go through and remain stuck on “sent”
- They will not see any updates to your WhatsApp profile or info
- You essentially become invisible to the blocked contact on WhatsApp
So while you see a generic silhouette as their profile picture when blocking them, the blocked contact sees your profile disappear altogether on their end.
Can a blocked contact tell if you’ve blocked them?
Blocked contacts can likely tell or suspect they are blocked based on the following signs:
- Your last seen/online status vanished from their end
- Their messages remain stuck on “sent” and never deliver
- They cannot call you or view your profile updates
- If they try to message you from a new number, that too will not go through
While there is no definitive way for a blocked contact to know for sure, these signs will strongly indicate to them that you have likely blocked them on WhatsApp.
Can you tell who blocked you on WhatsApp?
There is no definite way to tell if someone has blocked you on WhatsApp, but you may be able to guess based on some signs:
- Their last seen/online status no longer updates
- Your messages remain stuck on “sent” and never get delivered
- Your WhatsApp calls to them never go through
- You see no updates to their profile picture or status
While not guaranteed, if you notice one or more of these factors, it likely means you’ve been blocked by that contact. There is no message or notification from WhatsApp indicating you’re blocked.
What happens when you get blocked on WhatsApp?
Here’s what happens when someone blocks you on WhatsApp:
- You can no longer message or call the person who blocked you
- Any messages you send will remain stuck on “sent” but not deliver
- You’re unable to see their:
- Last seen status
- Online indicator
- Profile picture
- Status updates
- If they change their number, you’ll be unable to message them again
Essentially, you become invisible to each other on WhatsApp once blocked. While you won’t get any explicit notice, signs like stuck messages and disappearing online status indicate you’ve likely been blocked.
Can you get blocked on WhatsApp without chatting?
Yes, it’s possible to get blocked by a contact on WhatsApp without ever chatting with them. Here are some scenarios where this could happen:
- They got a new phone number and don’t recognize your number in their contacts.
- They imported their contacts and don’t remember who you are.
- They blocked you by mistake while trying to block someone else.
- They preemptively blocked you even though you’ve never chatted.
- You were previously chatting but they erased the chat history and forgot about you.
In essence, if someone no longer recognizes you or wants to hear from you, they can block you on WhatsApp without any prior conversation. The signs of being blocked like stuck messages will indicate if this has happened.
Can a blocked contact still see your WhatsApp status updates?
No, a blocked contact cannot see any of your WhatsApp status updates. When you block someone, it completely removes them from your contacts list and makes you invisible to them. This includes:
- Text status updates
- Photo and video status posts
- Status privacy settings
- Location status sharing
So once blocked, the contact loses access to your profile and all status updates. They also won’t be notified about any changes you make to your status privacy settings. Blocking someone essentially makes you vanish from their WhatsApp world.
Can I get blocked for sending too many messages on WhatsApp?
Yes, constantly messaging someone on WhatsApp could potentially get you blocked. Some reasons you may get blocked for sending too many messages:
- The person feels you are spamming them and gets annoyed.
- They told you to stop messaging but you continue anyway.
- Your frequent texts are overwhelming or distracting for them.
- You send a lot of messages without getting a reply.
- Your conversations are one-sided and only you initiate contact.
Being over-eager or incessant with your WhatsApp communication can come across as harassment. If the recipient warns you but you still persist, they may resort to blocking you to stop the messages.
Can I find out if I’m blocked on WhatsApp without messaging?
Unfortunately there is no definitive way to confirm if you’re blocked on WhatsApp without attempting to send a message. However, here are some signals that may indicate you’ve been blocked even without messaging:
- You notice the contact’s online/last seen status has disappeared.
- You no longer see updates to their profile picture or status.
- They never reply to or initiate conversations with you.
- Your calls to them fail or go unanswered.
- You get a “User not found” error when searching for them.
While not guaranteed, these signs suggest you may have already been blocked. The only way to know for 100% certain is to attempt sending a message which remains stuck on “sent”.
Should I block someone on WhatsApp without telling them?
Here are some things to consider when deciding whether to block someone on WhatsApp without notifying them:
- If they harass, spam or make you uncomfortable, blocking without warning is understandable.
- If it’s a close relationship, abruptly blocking could seem passive-aggressive.
- Mention your intent to block if you feel they may escalate contact through other means.
- Notify them first if you want to give them a chance to change problematic behaviors.
- No need to justify blocking toxic exes, strangers or contacts you barely know.
In summary, the decision depends on your specific circumstances. Blocking without notice is justifiable if someone is dangerous or abusive. But for valued contacts, a heads up before blocking may be the polite choice.
Conclusion
The blocked contact profile picture on WhatsApp is a generic gray silhouette that provides privacy while clearly indicating the blocked status. This image prevents the identity of blocked contacts from being revealed in your chats or contacts list. While there is no definitive way to confirm being blocked, signs like stuck messages and disappearing online status suggest you may have been blocked. Ultimately, blocking on WhatsApp results in losing all contact and visibility with each other.