When you block someone on WhatsApp, that person can no longer see your last seen, status updates, or send you messages. But what exactly does the blocked person see when they try to contact you? Here is a detailed look at the message a blocked person gets on WhatsApp.
The “Messages to this chat are now secured” message
If you block someone on WhatsApp, the first thing they will notice is that your profile photo, last seen, and status will disappear. When they try to send you a message, they will get a notification saying “Messages to this chat are now secured.”
This generic message does not specify that they have been blocked. It simply indicates that something has changed that prevents them from contacting you. The blocked person may guess they have been blocked based on your disappearing profile info, but the message itself does not confirm it.
No indication the message was delivered
Normally when you send a WhatsApp message, you can see when the other person has received and read it. But messages sent to a blocked contact will never show “delivered” or “read.” The sender gets no indication that their messages are going through.
So if the blocked person keeps trying to send messages, they will likely realize something is wrong when they never get delivered or read. At this point, they may conclude that you have blocked them, even though the “Messages secured” notice does not say so directly.
Calls go directly to voicemail
If a blocked contact tries calling you on WhatsApp, the call will not go through. They will hear ringing as usual, but then it will go directly to voicemail without you ever being notified of their call attempt.
This will likely make it very clear to the blocked person that they have been cut off from contacting you. Hearing the voicemail every time they try to call will confirm that you have blocked them.
No notification that the contact was blocked
At no point does WhatsApp explicitly notify a user that they have been blocked. The indirect signs like voicemails and undelivered messages are the only way for the blocked user to realize they can no longer contact you.
This allows you to block someone without them necessarily knowing they have been blocked. Unless they try hard to contact you, they may never realize their messages are not getting through.
Messages are not deleted
It is important to note that blocking someone does not delete any messages they previously sent you. And it does not delete that contact from your contacts list on WhatsApp.
All prior conversations remain in your chat history. You simply cannot receive any new messages from that person. So unblocking the contact would allow you to see all previous messages again.
You can still see the blocked person’s profile info
Even though the blocked contact cannot see your profile photo or status updates, you can still view their profile photo and last seen if they have those settings enabled.
Blocking is only one-way – it prevents them from contacting you, but does not block you from seeing their public info or old messages.
Blocking on WhatsApp vs other apps
Compared to other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp’s blocking feature is relatively subtle. On Messenger, a blocked user sees an explicit alert saying “You can’t reply to this conversation.” Other apps may note that the user has been blocked or restricted.
WhatsApp’s indirect blocking allows you to quietly cut off contact without notifying the user that they have been blocked. This can be useful if you want to avoid further confrontation or conversation about why you blocked them.
How to tell if you’re blocked on WhatsApp
If you are wondering whether someone has blocked you on WhatsApp, here are the signs to look for:
- Their profile photo and last seen/online status disappears
- Your messages never show “delivered” or “read”
- Your calls go straight to voicemail every time
- You get the “Messages to this chat are now secured” notice
If you see these indicators when trying to contact someone, it is very likely they have blocked you. There is no definitive notice, but the indirect signs will become clear over multiple attempts to get in touch.
Why you may be blocked
There are a few common reasons someone might block you on WhatsApp:
- You said something inappropriate or offensive
- You sent too many messages
- They want to avoid or end the relationship
- They are in a relationship and their partner asked them to block you
- Your conversation became stressful or negative
Being blocked does not necessarily mean you did something wrong. The other person may just be trying to manage their digital relationships or conversations for their own reasons. Try not to take it personally.
Can a blocked person unblock themselves?
No, a blocked contact cannot unblock themselves from your WhatsApp account. They need you to manually unblock them in order to resume messaging you.
On Android phones, you can unblock someone by going to Settings > Account > Privacy > Blocked contacts > Unblock next to their name. On iOS, go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Blocked > Unblock.
Unblocking will allow them to contact you again and see your last seen/online and profile photo.
Should you tell someone they are blocked?
It is up to you whether to explicitly tell someone they have been blocked. Some people choose to calmly inform the person they have been blocked and why, as a way to officially end the relationship or conversation.
However, this may prompt the blocked person to try circumventing the block, beg you to unblock them, or criticize your decision. Not telling them directly allows a cleaner break.
If the block was due to harassment or abuse, it may be safest not to engage at all. But in situations like ending a friendship, a courtesy notice can bring closure.
Can a block be bypassed?
There are a few tricky ways a blocked person could still try to contact you on WhatsApp:
- From a different phone number you haven’t blocked
- By using someone else’s phone
- By creating a new WhatsApp account
So even if you block someone, it is possible their messages could still get through via an alternate method. If you receive any harassing or concerning messages through these means, block the new number/account as well.
Blocking on WhatsApp vs deleting a contact
Blocking and deleting a contact work differently on WhatsApp:
- Blocking prevents new messages but retains chat history
- Deleting erases the chat history but does not block new messages
So blocking is generally preferable if you want to avoid future contact but keep the message history for your records. Deleting simply erases your local copy of the conversation.
Can you block someone without them knowing?
Yes, the WhatsApp blocking feature allows you to quietly block someone without any notification to them that they have been blocked.
As mentioned earlier, blocked users will not get any explicit alert that you blocked them. The only way to know is by trying to contact you and realizing the messages don’t go through.
This allows you to avoid further engagement or confrontation about being blocked. However, the blocked person could still figure it out based on the indirect signs of not being able to call or message you.
Conclusion
Being blocked on WhatsApp results in the “Messages to this chat are now secured” notice, calls going to voicemail, and no delivered/read receipts on messages.
There is no definitive alert shown to a blocked user – they have to deduce they were blocked based on indirect signs. This allows for a quiet blocking experience without confrontation.
With tactics like using a different number, blocked contacts can potentially still get through. But blocking remains an effective way to gain control over who can message and call you on WhatsApp.