If you’re curious about how to tell if someone blocked you on Facebook but you’re coming across a few blocks yourself, that’s par for the course. The thing is, the ability to block someone on Facebook – as is the case with virtually any online platform, especially socially oriented ones – is typically in place as a protective feature. Naturally, disclosing that info to the person who has been blocked would be antithetical to that.
But, while there’s no official way to know if you’re blocked on FB, you can get a pretty good idea of the situation with a little digging and a lot of context clues. So, let’s start poking around.
The Basics of Blocking
Blocking someone on Facebook works pretty much the same way it does on any other mainstream social media platform. When someone blocks you on FB, you won’t be able to view their profile or do things like tag them in posts or send them private messages. It’s pretty much like a virtual restraining order from them to you.
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Facebook’s Official Policy
Straight from Facebook itself, the ability to block other users (and the ability for Facebook to block users from certain features) is in place to “help keep Facebook open and welcoming.” As FB puts it, blocks “prevent people from intentionally misusing Facebook.” Facebook staff can block users from accessing features such as direct messaging and posting in specific groups if said user violates the site’s Community Standards.
Similarly, users can directly block other users from interacting with them on the platform at will, and for any reason at all. A personal block is totally up to user discretion, and it’s that discretion that makes Facebook so cagey about disclosing the block to the FB user on the receiving end of it.
On the blocker’s end, they’ll still be able to see the message history you two share in your inboxes, if there is any. They’ll also be able to see some mutual friend content, such as photos of you that friends you share have tagged. If someone has blocked you, they won’t be able to add you to any Facebook Groups, or invite you to Events. You’ll still be fully visible to them on Facebook-based games and apps when you’re playing, though, as those types of FB add-ons are run by third-party developers and not Meta themselves.
If You Block Someone on Facebook, Will They Know?
Per Facebook, “profiles won’t be notified when you block them,” so if you’ve been blocked, you will not get a heads-up. Likewise, you won’t be able to access any sort of list or setting that tells you who has blocked you on the platform. Blocking someone on Facebook automatically unfriends that person. In the case that you’re unblocked, you won’t automatically become Facebook friends again, either. If the blocker wishes to friend you again, they’ll have to send a new friend request. Keep in mind, though, that if you have multiple Facebook profiles, blocks only apply to a single profile; to block multiple profiles, each profile would have to be blocked individually.
How to Tell If Someone Blocked You on Facebook
We can’t really tell you how to see who blocked you on Facebook, because that option – purposefully – doesn’t exist. But there are certainly a handful of signs that someone may have hit that “Block” button on your account. Keep an eye out for these potential giveaways:
- You start to see less of them. This is definitely the loosest indicator, as it’s very possible the person you suspect blocked you is just posting on Facebook less, “taken a break” from you on FB, unfriended you, or even just limited your ability to view certain things. Or it could be that the algorithm is simply feeding you both different content. Seeing less content, getting fewer likes, or reading fewer comments from someone might be the first sign that they’ve blocked you, but it’s best to move on to more concrete clues to get a clearer picture.
- They disappear from your Friends List. Again, blocking automatically means unfriending. You may have simply been unfriended, which is more likely if the person in question still shows up in search results, and Facebook offers you the option to add them as a friend. A person who has blocked you, though? That brings us to our next bullet…
- They don’t appear in search results. People who have blocked you won’t appear in a Facebook search. If you can’t find their profile on the site, it’s likely you’ve either been blocked or the person you’re looking for has deleted their FB profile entirely.
- Their “likes” and comments disappear. You’ll have to rely on memory here, but if you know for certain that the person who may have blocked you previously “liked” or commented on a post of yours and now that “like” or comment is not visible to you at all when logged into your Facebook account, they’ve likely either deactivated their Facebook or blocked you.
- You can’t DM them. If you can’t send the suspect a message via Facebook Messenger, that means one of three things: 1) they’ve deleted their profile, 2) they’ve unfriended you, or 3) they’ve blocked you.
- You’ve lost your ability to tag them. When you make a Facebook post or throw a pic on the timeline, you’ll always see an option called “Tag People,” where you can type a name in the associated search bar and choose from a list of mutuals to tag. If you type in a former mutual’s full name as it appears on Facebook and see the message “No people found,” that’s a red flag.
- You can’t invite them to events. Similarly to tagging, a block prevents you from sending the blocker Facebook Event invites. Try creating an Event as a test and typing the person’s full Facebook profile name into the invite field. If FB says there are “no results,” you may have been blocked or unfriended.
- You can’t invite them to Groups. The same goes for Groups. If you have invite privileges for any Facebook Groups you’ve created or are a part of, try putting the suspected blocker’s name in the invite field. If they don’t come up, you’ve got another indication of a possible block.
- You can’t view their profile page at all. Here’s a pretty big smoke signal. If you can get a hold of the exact URL for the potential blocker’s Facebook profile – “facebook.com/janedoe,” for example – but entering that URL into your browser results in an error or “content unavailable” message, you may have been blocked. If you’ve got an existing mutual friend, you can try getting the precise URL from them.
None of these clues by themselves are a surefire indicator that someone has blocked you, but the more telltale signs of a block you start racking up, the more likely it is that you’ve actually been blocked by a former FB mutual.
A Little Help from a Friend
Like all good detective work, you can strengthen those aforementioned clues by giving them a good old-fashioned test. That’s where having a mutual, preferably IRL, Facebook friend between you and the blocker comes in handy.
For instance, if the person doesn’t appear in your Facebook search, but they do in your friend’s search? That’s a much more airtight sign that you’ve been blocked. Same deal if your friend can still tag and message that person. And remember those disappearing “likes” and comments? If you have a hunch that the potential blocker “liked” or commented on your post long ago, but that “like” or comment is no longer visible to your account, have your friend check their account. If they still see it as you remember, you may have been blocked.
On the Flip Side
While seeing who blocked you on Facebook is a bit tricky, keeping tabs on who you’ve blocked is a whole different story – and a pretty straightforward one. To do this, all you’ve got to do is access the “Settings & Privacy” menu, available by clicking your profile pic in FB’s top right corner. From there:
- Hit “Privacy,” then “Blocking.”
- Find the “Block users” section, then select “Edit.”
- This reveals a full list of all the profiles you’ve blocked. From here, you can also choose to unblock profiles by clicking “Unblock” next to the respective profile name, or block another profile by entering their username and selecting “Block [name].”
Not a Block? Could Be This…
If you’ve noticed a change in the way you’re interacting (or, more likely, not interacting) with someone on Facebook, a hard block might not always be the culprit. Facebook users have a few other, less severe and restrictive, options for limiting other users’ access to them, and you might just be on the receiving end of those options.
- Unfriending. Just like when you’re blocked, you won’t get a notification if a Facebook mutual unfriends you. However, unlike when you’re blocked, the person who unfriended you will still appear in Facebook search results, and you’ll still have the option to send them a direct message.
- Taking a break. Facebook’s “Take a Break” option simply cuts back on the amount of content you see from the profile you’ve chosen to take a break from. It works both ways, so they’ll see less of your content, too. This can be hard to spot, and you won’t get a notification if someone is “taking a break” from you, either. But if you’re seeing less from them, this may be the reason.
- Limiting visibility. Facebook also has some per-item privacy options, which users can apply to both current and past posts. Basically, any user can bar specific people from seeing posted content like photos, videos, and even status updates on a per-item basis. Still have access to someone’s profile, but you’re certain you’re not seeing specific content from them? This could be the cause.
Spokeo – Another Way to Find a Connection
Look, as a general rule, we don’t recommend getting too obsessive about someone who may have blocked you on Facebook. As FB’s policy reflects, the option is there for a reason, and that boundary is oftentimes as important as it is voluntary.
But we also recognize that sometimes, the big picture is a lot more nuanced. If a Facebook block is preventing you from getting closer to a family member who may be in danger, an old friend who you desperately want to mend relations with, or anything else that’s gumming up your good intentions, try finding your mystery person with Spokeo’s People Search.
With more than 12 billion public records for email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, and social media profiles, there’s a good chance you’ll find more here than you will on FB. After all, Facebook’s 2.9 billion monthly users seems like a pretty small pool in comparison.
As a freelance writer, small business owner, and consultant with more than a decade of experience, Dan has been fortunate enough to collaborate with leading brands including Microsoft, Fortune, Verizon, Discover, Office Depot, The Motley Fool, and more. He currently resides in Dallas, TX.
Sources
Facebook – Block People
Facebook – Content You Can See from a Blocked Profile
Facebook – Why You May Be Blocked from Using Features on Facebook
Facebook – See the People You’ve Blocked
Facebook – Unfriending or Blocking Someone
Business Insider – 7 Ways to Tell If Someone Blocked You on Facebook
AirDroid – How to Know If Someone Blocked You on Facebook
LinkedIn – How to Know If Someone Blocked You on Facebook: Common Indications
Statista – Leading Countries Based on Facebook Audience Size as of January 2024