Quick Answer
Yes, if you block someone on WhatsApp, you will still see their messages in any groups that you share with them. Blocking someone only prevents them from messaging you directly or seeing things like your profile photo and “last seen” status. It does not remove them from shared group chats.
Explanation
When you block a contact in WhatsApp, it prevents that person from:
- Sending you individual chats or calls
- Seeing your profile photo
- Seeing your “last seen” or online status
- Adding you to groups
However, blocking does not remove that contact from any groups you already share. They can continue participating in those group chats normally.
Here is what happens when you block someone in a shared WhatsApp group:
- You will still see their messages in the group chat
- They will still see and be able to respond to your messages in the group
- Their name will appear normally in the group participant list
- They will not realize you have blocked them
Essentially, blocking is limited to one-on-one interactions. It does not affect group chats that you are both still a part of. The only way to remove someone from a WhatsApp group completely is to remove them from the participant list.
Why You Still See Their Messages
There are a few reasons why WhatsApp designed blocking this way:
- Groups involve many participants – blocking should only affect your individual experience
- It would disrupt groups if members start disappearing every time someone blocks them
- The blocker likely still wants to participate in groups normally
- Removing them from groups would reveal to them they are blocked
Overall, while you have blocked direct communication, WhatsApp assumes you still want normal group chat functionality with that person. Complete removal is reserved only for group administrators.
What the Blocked Person Experiences
From the blocked person’s side, they have no indications that you have blocked them.
When messaging you directly, their messages will display as sent but remain undelivered. They will see one check mark instead of two.
In a group chat, they can still see and respond to your messages. Their experience in the group is unchanged.
Unless someone informs them, they have no way of knowing they have been blocked. Even if they are removed from the group later, they will simply think you left on your own.
Should You Inform Someone They’re Blocked?
While it can be tempting to let them know, it’s recommended not to inform someone that you have blocked them. Here’s why:
- It can provoke further unwanted communication/harassment outside of WhatsApp
- It reveals more information than simply blocking quietly
- They may create a new account to circumvent the block
- It can escalate tensions if the block wasn’t well received
In most cases, a simple block without further interaction is recommended. This avoids giving them any details about your online activity.
If the person was blocked for more serious reasons like harassment, informing them of the block could potentially be dangerous. Quietly taking preventative steps is generally safest.
How to Avoid Future Contact
While still participating in groups with a blocked person, there are some steps you can take to further minimize contact:
- Mute group notifications to limit notifications from their messages
- Mute their messages only within the group chat
- Limit your own responses to their messages
- Leave the group if you feel uncomfortable with continued contact
You can also ask a mutual friend to remove them from the group, citing incompatibility rather than a block directly.
For your own privacy and safety, be cautious about revealing any blocking behavior. Maintain the block discreetly as needed.
Can a Blocked Person Still View Your WhatsApp Status?
When you share a photo or video as your WhatsApp “Status”, who can view it depends on your privacy settings:
Public Status
If your status is public, a blocked contact can still view your status updates. This is because public statuses are visible to everyone by default.
To prevent a blocked person from seeing a public status, you would need to use the “My Contacts Except…” option to exclude them specifically.
Contacts Only Status
If your status is limited to contacts only, a blocked contact will NOT be able to view your status. Blocking removes them from your contacts list, preventing status access.
Settings to Prevent Status Views
To summarize the options:
- Make your status visible to “My Contacts Only”
- Use “My Contacts Except…” to exclude specific blocked people
- Change to “Contacts Except…” to share with some non-contacts except blocks
With the right settings, you can prevent a blocked contact from viewing your WhatsApp Status updates as well.
Can You Get Blocked on WhatsApp Without Noticing?
Since a block is not directly notified or confirmed, is it possible to be blocked on WhatsApp without realizing it?
In most cases, yes – you likely will not notice if you’ve been blocked by someone.
Here are some signs that may indicate you have been blocked:
- One checkmark for messages you send that person
- Calls to them not going through
- Not able to view their profile picture
- Their “last seen” status no longer updates
However, these signs are not definite confirmations. There are other possible reasons:
- They may have Internet/connectivity issues
- They may have turned off read receipts and online status
- You may be blocked by their phone carrier, not them
Without them directly telling you, it’s impossible to know with total certainty whether you’ve been blocked. The ambiguity helps maintain privacy for the blocker.
If you have a reason to block someone, don’t assume they’ll notice on their own. Proactively block them for your own purposes.
If I Delete a Contact, Are They Also Blocked?
Deleting a contact and blocking are separate actions in WhatsApp:
- Deleting removes them from your contacts list in WhatsApp
- Blocking prevents them from contacting you directly or seeing your info
So if you simply delete a contact:
- You will remove them from your contacts in WhatsApp
- You will leave any shared group chats with them
- They will still be able to message and call you
- They will still see your profile, status, etc.
Deleting alone does not block them. To block the person after deleting, tap and hold on their chat in your Chats tab. Then choose Block Contact.
Can a Group Admin Block Me From the Group?
Unlike normal contacts, a WhatsApp group admin has the ability to block you from a specific group:
- You will be removed from the participant list for that group
- You will no longer receive messages from the group
- You will not see the group in your list of chats
This is more extensive than a normal block, since it removes you fully from the group.
However, the admin is only able to block you from groups they manage. Your overall WhatsApp experience is unchanged.
To summarize:
- Group admins can block you from their groups
- Other normal contacts can only block you from individual chats
If I’m Blocked, Can I Rejoin a Group With a Different Number?
If you have been blocked or removed from a WhatsApp group by an admin, rejoining with a different number will not work.
This is because WhatsApp groups prevent previously removed members from being added again:
- Once removed, your number is banned from that group
- Trying to add your other number will show an error that you are banned
- The only way around this is by creating a brand new group
So unfortunately, there is no simple workaround. The group admin would need to clear your ban and re-add you manually.
If you have been generally blocked by a normal contact, they could add your other number to groups normally, not realizing who you are. But rejoining a specific group you’re banned from is not possible without admin intervention.
Can Someone You Blocked Still Tag You in Group Chats?
Even if you block someone in WhatsApp, they can still tag or mention you in any shared groups you are both in.
For example, if @John blocks @Sarah:
- In 1-on-1 chat, Sarah could not tag John
- But in a group, Sarah could tag @John to get his attention
This mention would directly notify you and be visible to all group participants.
To avoid this, you would need to mute Sarah’s messages in particular within that group chat. Her tag would then not directly notify you.
So in summary:
- Blocking does not prevent group tagging
- Mute the person in group to avoid tags from them
Can I Get Someone’s Messages in a Group If I Missed Them After Blocking?
If you’ve blocked someone in WhatsApp but still want to see messages you missed from a mutual group, there are a couple of options:
Ask Another Member to Share
Another group member who did not block the person can scroll up and copy/paste messages you missed. This allows you to catch up without unblocking.
Temporarily Unblock
You can temporarily unblock the person, skim through the missed group messages, then re-block them after. Their individual chat will reappear during the unblock period.
View Messages on Desktop
WhatsApp desktop apps allow viewing group history. If you blocked only on mobile, you can check the desktop app for messages you missed.
Export the Chat
You can export the entire chat history to a text file to view missed messages from a blocked person. However, this also exports all messages, not just theirs.
So in summary, workarounds exist to check group messages from someone you’ve blocked on WhatsApp. But it requires help from others, temporary unblocking, or viewing on another platform.
Conclusion
To summarize the key points:
- You will still see messages from blocked contacts in shared WhatsApp groups
- The block only applies to one-on-one chats and info
- Don’t inform contacts that you’ve blocked them
- Blocking alone does not remove someone from groups
- An admin can block you fully from their managed groups
While blocking prevents direct messaging, it does not completely eliminate contact in group chats. For full removal from a chat, administrators must actively delete or ban you.
Overall, blocking provides some separation without disrupting group dynamics or revealing blocking behavior. Handled discreetly, it can be an effective way to privately manage unwanted communication.