WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, used by over 2 billion people worldwide. It allows users to easily communicate with friends, family, coworkers, and more through one-on-one and group messaging. A key feature of WhatsApp is the ability to block contacts – this prevents them from viewing your profile photo, seeing when you’re online, or sending you messages on WhatsApp. But what if you want to unblock someone you previously blocked? Where exactly is the unblock option located in WhatsApp?
Unblocking a contact on iPhone
If you’re using WhatsApp on an iPhone and want to unblock a blocked contact, it’s a quick and easy process. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go to your Calls tab located at the bottom.
- Tap on the Contacts icon at the top right.
- This will open your contacts list. Find and tap on the contact you want to unblock.
- On their profile page, tap More at the top right.
- A menu will open – tap Unblock.
That’s it! The contact will be immediately unblocked and you’ll be able to communicate with them on WhatsApp again.
Unblocking on Android
The process is very similar for unblocking contacts if you use WhatsApp on an Android phone:
- Open the WhatsApp app and tap the More options icon (the 3 vertical dots at top right).
- Go to Settings > Account > Privacy.
- Tap Blocked contacts.
- This will open your list of blocked contacts. Tap the X icon next to the contact you want to unblock.
Once the X is tapped, the contact will be removed from your blocked list and unblocked. You can start chatting with them again.
Unblocking on WhatsApp Web
Many WhatsApp users also utilize WhatsApp Web, which lets you access your WhatsApp account and messages through the web browser on your computer. If you need to unblock a contact on WhatsApp Web, here’s what to do:
- Go to web.whatsapp.com and open WhatsApp Web on your computer.
- Click on the Settings icon (the 3 dots at top right).
- Go to Settings > Privacy.
- Under Blocked, click Unblock next to the contact you want to unblock.
The contact will then be removed from your blocked contacts list and unblocked. You can chat with them normally through WhatsApp Web after unblocking.
Reasons to Unblock a Contact
There are a few main reasons you may want to unblock someone on WhatsApp:
- You blocked them by accident and still want to stay in touch.
- You temporarily blocked them but are now ready to communicate again.
- They are a family member, coworker, or friend you need to talk to for logistical reasons.
- Enough time has passed and you have forgiven them for whatever led you to block in the first place.
- You realize that blocking them was an overreaction.
Regardless of the reason, the unblocking process remains straightforward. Just a few taps in the Settings or on their contact profile, and their access to you on WhatsApp will be restored.
What Happens When You Unblock
Here are some key things to know about what happens when you unblock someone on WhatsApp:
- They will regain access to viewing your profile photo and online status.
- Any messages they sent you while blocked will now show up.
- They will be able to contact you directly again through calls or messages.
- If you are in any common WhatsApp groups, they will be able to see and interact with your messages in the groups.
- You will show up as a contact in their WhatsApp address book again.
In summary, unblocking undoes all the effects of blocking on WhatsApp. It essentially resets the relationship to how it was before the contact was blocked. The flow of communication opens up again in both directions.
Can a Blocked Contact Tell if You Unblock Them?
When you unblock someone on WhatsApp, they do not receive any specific notification informing them of the unblock. However, there are some subtle signs they may pick up on that indicate you’ve unblocked them:
- They will see your profile photo and online status updates again.
- Any messages sent to you while blocked will now show just one checkmark instead of zero.
- You suddenly start replying after a long period of silence.
- Your name and profile photo reappear in any mutual WhatsApp groups.
While not guaranteed, if the previously blocked contact is observant, they may figure out based on these clues that you have chosen to unblock them in WhatsApp.
Unblocking vs Deleting Contacts
Unblocking and deleting a contact are two different actions on WhatsApp, with different effects:
| Unblocking | Deleting Contact |
|---|---|
| Contact can message/call you again | Contact remains blocked |
| You stay in each other’s contacts list | Contact is removed from your contacts |
| Can see profile photo and online status | No profile photo or online status |
In summary, unblocking fully reopens communication, while deleting simply removes the contact’s info from your contacts list while keeping them blocked. You can still message and unblock deleted contacts if you change your mind later.
Unblocking Contacts You Deleted
If you deleted a contact’s number from your WhatsApp contacts list, whether they were blocked or not, you can still unblock them by re-adding their number to your contacts. Here’s how:
- Add the contact’s phone number back into your phone’s contacts list.
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the Calls tab.
- Tap the new contact’s name to open their WhatsApp profile.
- Tap Unblock to remove any previous blocking of this contact.
Now that the contact is back in your contacts list with unblocked status, you can message and call them as normal through WhatsApp.
Conclusion
Unblocking on WhatsApp is easy – just a few taps in the app’s Settings or on the contact’s profile page. Key reasons to unblock include accidental blocks, restoring important contacts, and forgiveness over time. While unblocked contacts don’t get a specific notification, they may realize it based on seeing your status updates and being able to message you again. Unblocking fully reopens communication channels, different than just deleting the contact. Remember you can always unblock previously deleted contacts by re-adding their number and tapping Unblock.