What to Know
- There's no definitive way to know ifyou've been blocked, but these telltale signs can help.
- If you receive an automated response or your texts show a delivery notification, you can rest easy! Your number has not been blocked.
- However, you might have been blocked if your calls go straight to voicemail and your texts don't show a "Delivered" or "Read" status.
How do you know if someone blocked your number? While you can't know for certain without asking the person, there are some telltale signsthat will certainly help. We'll cover a few ways to tell if someone blocked your number, plus somespecific tips for how to know if someone blocked you on iMessage. Let's dive in!
Quick Ways to Tell If Someone Blocked Your Number on iPhone
- Got an automated response to your text? You're NOT blocked on iPhone!
- If you see a delivery notification, you're NOT blocked. They might just have Do Not Disturb enabled.
- If your iMessage doesn't show a "Delivered" or "Read" status, you MAY be blocked.
- An iMessage Not Delivered error doesn't mean you're blocked, it means your messages are just not sending.
- If your call goes straight to voicemail, you MAY be blocked.
- If you disable Caller ID and your call no longer goes straight to voicemail, you have likely been blocked.
Below, we'll cover each of these signs in more detail and walk through how to enable or disable certain settings to help you know if someone blocked your number.
How to Know If Someone Blocked You on iMessage
You can combine the methods below to help you determine whether you’re blocked or the person is simply unavailable, out of service range, or has Do Not Disturb mode enabled.While these methods can give you great hints, there's not a foolproof method forhow to know if someone blocked you on iPhone. Below, we'll cover four ways to know if someone blocked you by looking at text messages, plus red flags to look for if you call.
1.An Automated Response Means You’re Not Blocked on iPhone
This first tip is pretty straightforward. Another person might have an automated text responseset to send if they're in Do Not Disturb mode or have the Driving Focus mode enabled.If you receive an automated text response to a message you send, good news! You're definitely not blocked, because those auto-generated text responses don't go through to numbers that have been blocked on iPhones.
If you don't get an obvious automated response (or any response, for that matter), keep reading to learn about how to tell if someone blocked you on iMessage.
2.Am I Blocked on iPhone, or Is It Do Not Disturb?
For this method, let's cover how to tell if someone blocked your number, or if they just haveDo Not Disturb enabled.In order to test the difference, I had my friend set her iPhone to Do Not Disturb for one text, and then block me for a second text.
When I texted her while she was on Do Not Disturb, I got a delivery notification right away, despite the fact that she didn't receive the text until after she turned off Do Not Disturb. For the blocked iMessage, my text looked like it sent, but I didn't get any kind of confirmation; it just sat there.
So, if someone just has Do Not Disturb or other Focus mode enabled, you'll still see delivery notifications. However, if you do not see delivery notifications, this is a great way to know if you're blocked on iMessage (more on this in the next section).
3.How to Know If You’re Blocked on iMessage by Checking Delivery Status
How do you know if someone blocked you on iMessage?If you're blocked, you won't see "Delivered"or "Read" below the recent text bubbles. However, it is important to note that this method only works if the otherperson owns an iPhone. If the person has an Android phone, your iPhone will not display delivery notifications.
Here's a great tip for how to tell if you'reblocked on iMessage:Look underneath the last text you sent before you suspect you were blocked. If the previous iMessagesays "Delivered" under the message bubblebut the most recentone doesn't, it can mean that you've been blocked.
If you see an iMessage Not Delivered error instead, you may want to try the trick in the next section.
4. AniMessage Not Delivered Error Doesn’t Mean Someone Blocked You on iPhone
Here's another great method forhow to tell if someone blocked your number from texting them: if you're seeing the iMessage Not Delivered error, tryenabling SMS texts on your iPhone.This way, if an iPhone message is not delivered via iMessage, your devicewill automatically reattempt thetext using yourcellular plan, or you can manually reattempt with SMS instead of iMessage.If your SMS messagealso fails toreceive a reply, it's another sign that you may have been blocked on an iPhone.
Here's how to manually resend a text via SMS after an iMessage NotDelivered error:
- View thetext you attempted to send and tap on the redinfo icon.
- TapSend as Text Message. This option will send your text as an SMS message instead of an iMessage.
- Your device will attempt to resend the text. If you do not see the "Not Delivered" error, your message has been successfully sent.
Resending the textrules out the other person not responding due to a technical glitch on your side. However, if you still don't receive a reply, this indicates that your number might have been blocked.
Related:How to Check Voicemails from Blocked Numbers on iPhone
5. How to Know If Someone Blocked You by Calling
Calling someone can be a great way to tell if someone blocked you on the iPhone. If you call someone and the call goes straight to voicemail (with barely even one ring), this is a sign that you may have been blocked.However, because there can be other reasons a call you make from your phonerings once and goes straight to voicemail, it's best to combine this step with the iMessage test to be more certainyou've been blocked.
Note:Unless there'san emergency, our recommendation is to wait to call your friend or family member for a few hours after the iMessage Not Delivered test, just in case they're out of their cellular service area or otherwise unable to reply temporarily.If your text still isn't answered after a few hours and you decide to call, here's how to know if you've been blocked on an iPhone.
For this experiment, I asked my sister to block my number, and here's what Idiscovered. The phone rang, but very briefly, not even a full ring before connecting to voicemail. I was able to leave a message aswith any unblocked call, but it appeared in a separate section of the voicemail on her iPhone, calledBlocked Messages.While I was blocked, there was no way at all for her to know I'd called, and no notification to either her or me about the blocked voicemail.
For me, I know I'm almost certainly blocked when I've tried the iMessage steps and then called, but their phonerings once and goes straight to voicemail.
6. Hide Caller ID to Call Someone Who Blocked You (Emergencies Only!)
While there can be many reasons a number gets blocked, sometimes emergencies happen and users need to contact someone who has previously blocked their number. This is a tough area, and we do not recommend using this tipunless it's atrue emergency. There can be legal ramifications to contacting someone who has made it clear they do not want you to do so! We strongly recommend respecting people's privacy, and we do not accept responsibility for users who act otherwise.
However, if you truly need tocontact the person who has blocked your number, you can try hiding your caller ID by using *67. This will hide your phone number and allow the call to go through; itwill show up as No Caller ID or a similar message. This means that many users will still decline the call, but it at least hides your caller ID. Note that this still doesn't always work depending on carrier settings, but it's an option in an emergency.
How to Know If an Android Blocked You on iPhone
Calling is the best way to tell if an Android blocked you on iPhone. If you call someone and gostraight to voicemail (with barely even one ring), you've likely been blocked. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if you've been blocked by looking at text messages, since texts from iPhones to Androids will send as SMS (green text bubbles) without a 'Delivered' or 'Read' status.
FAQ
- Can you call someone who blocked you on iPhone?
Yes, you can call someone who blocked you by disabling caller ID or by using *67 to hide your caller ID. However,we do not recommend using this tipunless it's atrue emergency. We strongly recommend respecting people's privacy, and we do not accept responsibility for users who act otherwise. - Can you leave a voicemail if your number is blocked?
Yes, but your voicemail will appear in a separate section under Blocked Messages. The other person will not receive any notification that you have called, making ithighly unlikely they will see your voicemail. - Does iMessage turn green when you're blocked?
No. Green text bubbles do not mean that your number has been blocked on iMessage. This is a common myth and simply means your text has been sent via SMS. When you're blocked, your text will continue to appear as usual, except blue iMessage bubbles won't show a 'Delivered' or 'Read' status. - Will iMessage say 'Delivered' if you're blocked?
No. If your number has been blocked, you will not see a delivery notification beneath the blue iMessage text bubbles. - What does it mean when iMessage doesn't say 'Delivered'?
While this can be a sign your number has been blocked, it can also just mean themessages have not yet been successfully delivered to the recipient’s device. This can happen when the person's device is turned off, while Do Not Disturb or another Focus mode is enabled, orif they don't have service.
Now that you have a few helpful clues to check for in your texts and calls, you'll be able to tell with reasonable assurance whether your number has been blocked or not. If this has happened to you, hopefully, there's been a misunderstanding! However, if they did intend to block you and no longer want to be in contact, please respect their wishes and privacy.
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FAQs
What does iMessage look like when your number is blocked? ›
Send them an iMessage
A red flag that you've been blocked is when you don't see the delivery status or the read receipt at all. The message you just sent will still be in a blue bubble, but it will have no delivery status below it – not even a "Not Delivered."
The blocked person also does not receive any notification that they're blocked. However, many iPhone users may be able to deduce that you've blocked them. This is because of the iMessage text “status” feature on iPhones.
How can you tell if your texts are being blocked? ›Try sending a text message
The former means that your text message went through, but the recipient hasn't read it yet. The latter is self-explanatory. However, if a person has blocked you, you won't see either notification. Instead, there will just be a blank space beneath your text.
With regular calls, your phone is supposed to ring multiple times to give the receiver a chance to answer their phone. One way to test this situation is to leave a voicemail and wait. If you've been blocked, the recipient will not receive a notification and won't be able to respond.
What color are Imessages when blocked? ›Check the bubble color
What might be news is that green bubbles can also be an indicator that someone has blocked you on iMessage. If you're blocked on iMessage, Apple's messaging service prevents instant messages from being delivered to the recipient over the iMessage protocol.
Android phones move all blocked messages into a folder on the phone called “Spam and Blocked.” That means that the phone is still collecting messages from the blocked people; they just aren't notifying you.
What does message say when number is blocked? ›If you make a call and receive an automated message along the lines of “the customer is unavailable,” that person's wireless carrier may have blocked you. The messages can vary, but the result is the same. Your call won't go through.
What do blocked callers hear? ›When calling from the blocked number, the caller hears either one ring, or no rings at all, but the other phone remains silent. The caller is then informed that the recipient isn't available, and is diverted to voicemail (if that service is set up by the person you're calling).
What happens when you text someone who blocked you on iPhone? ›What happens if you text someone who blocked you on iPhone? If you have an iPhone and try to send an iMessage to someone who has blocked you, it will remain blue (which means it's still an iMessage). However, the person you've been blocked by will never receive that message.
Will messages say delivered if you're blocked? ›If you're blocked, you won't see "Delivered" or "Read" below the recent text bubbles. However, it is important to note that this method only works if the other person owns an iPhone. If the person has an Android phone, your iPhone will not display delivery notifications.
What happens when you call someone who blocked you? ›
When you call a number that has blocked yours, you may hear one or half a ring or no rings at all and then the call will go to voicemail. If it goes straight to voicemail, their phone may also be off or out of range, or they may have temporarily turned on Do Not Disturb mode to work, drive, or sleep.
Will someone still get my texts if they blocked me iPhone? ›Messages that are sent or received won't be delivered. Also, the contact won't get a notification that the call or message was blocked.
Am I blocked on iPhone? ›Having your calls go straight to voicemail, not getting a delivery notification for your text messages, and not getting any responses can indicate that a person has blocked you.
Can you trace a number if its blocked? ›Private numbers, blocked, and restricted calls can usually be traced. However, unknown, unavailable or out of area calls are not traceable because they don't contain the data needed for a successful trace.
Do blocked iMessages show up? ›So if you send a message to someone who has blocked you, then everything will look normal with you. You will also see Delivered Status if you send messages via iMessages - but the message does not reach the recipient. The recipient will also not be able to see that you have tried to send a message to them.
Do iMessages go green if blocked? ›Check iMessage bubble color on iPhone
Even if you're blocked on iMessage, the message will appear to be sent as usual; this is why it's so difficult to figure out if you're blocked or not. Apple uses a blue text bubble to signify iMessage and a green bubble for SMS.
If you see a green message bubble instead of a blue one, then that message was sent using MMS/SMS instead of iMessage. There are several reasons for this: The person that you sent the message to doesn't have an Apple device. iMessage is turned off on your device or on your recipient's device.
What happens if you text someone who blocked you? ›If an Android user has blocked you, Lavelle says, “your text messages will go through as usual; they just won't be delivered to the Android user.” It's the same as an iPhone, but without the “delivered” notification (or lack thereof) to clue you in.
What happens when you're blocked on iMessage? ›When you're blocked on iMessage, Apple's messaging service prevents your instant messages from getting delivered to the person you're trying to reach. If you have text message fallback enabled, your device will resort to sending the message as a text, meaning the bubble will turn green after someone blocks you.
Does green text mean blocked? ›A green background means that the message you sent or received was delivered by SMS through your cellular provider. It also typically went to a non-iOS device such as an Android or Windows phone.
Are you blocked if iMessage doesn't say delivered? ›
If the iMessage never shows a “Delivered” or “Read” message, and it's still blue, then you may have been blocked – but not always. If the iMessage goes through and shows a “Read” receipt, then you have definitely not been blocked.
Do Imessages deliver when unblocked? ›No. The ones sent when they are blocked are gone. If you unblock them, you will receive the first time they send something once they are unblocked.
Can you FaceTime If you are blocked? ›When someone you've blocked tries to FaceTime you, their phone will simply ring and ring without an answer. Nothing happens on your end, and you won't know that they're calling. It'll go on like this until the blocked caller gives up and stops trying to call.
Is Blocking someone emotional? ›Everyone has experienced social rejection and knows its pain. The blocker knows that they are trying to inflict emotional and psychological pain on the blockee. Even for a short period, socially excluded people experience emotional pain, regardless of their self-confidence and self-esteem.
Does it hurt to be blocked? ›Whether we care to admit it or not, getting blocked on a social media platform by someone is usually painful especially if you did not see it coming. Think of a social media when you are in the middle of typing your punchline savage response only to find out you can't deliver it because you have been blocked?
What causes someone to block you? ›Usually, when a person blocks you, they don't want to speak or interact with you. While this is the typical implication of getting blocked, he might have used the block button to get your attention. Sometimes, getting suddenly blocked could be a desperate move for him.
What does * 57 do? ›About Call Trace
Call Trace helps you handle obscene, harassing, or threatening calls. It should only be used to trace harassing or threatening calls that warrant legal action. After activating Call Trace, you must contact your local law enforcement agency.
Another number you can use to trace a call is *57. This is the number to use if you believe a scam or spam caller is harassing you. *57 gets you the phone number and call information *69 does, but it goes above and beyond. When you dial *57, the information you obtain is passed along to the police.
What does * 69 do? ›Call return (*69) automatically dials your last incoming call, whether the call was answered, unanswered or busy. Call within 30 minutes, during which you can still make and receive calls. To deactivate while waiting for the party you are trying to reach to become available, dial *89.
Can someone see if you blocked them on iMessage? ›Blocking Someone on Android Messages and Apple iMessage
These messages will not show up on your phone but the sender will see the messages as sent. They won't know that they've been blocked.
Why is my iMessage blue but not delivered? ›
The most probable cause is that either their phone is off due to some reason, or they don't have access to an active internet connection. If their phone is on DND, iMessage will still say 'Delivered'.
Why is iMessage suddenly green? ›Why did my text randomly turn green? If your iPhone messages are green, it means that they're being sent as SMS text messages rather than as iMessages, which appear in blue. iMessages only work between Apple users. You'll always see green when writing to Android users, or when you're not connected to the internet.
What happens when you text someone who blocked you? ›If an Android user has blocked you, Lavelle says, “your text messages will go through as usual; they just won't be delivered to the Android user.” It's the same as an iPhone, but without the “delivered” notification (or lack thereof) to clue you in.
Do people know they are blocked? ›When you block a phone number or contact, they can still leave a voicemail, but you won't get a notification. Messages that are sent or received won't be delivered. Also, the contact won't get a notification that the call or message was blocked.
What happens when you call someone who has blocked you? ›If you call someone that hasn't blocked your number, you typically hear several rings before it goes to voicemail. When you call a number that has blocked yours, you may hear one or half a ring or no rings at all and then the call will go to voicemail.
Do blocked Imessages turn green? ›Check the Bubble Color
If you see green bubbles, this means that your text messages are being sent through SMS, and they might have blocked you on iMessage.
The Message Validity Period can be set to between 1 and 72 hours. A low setting is relevant for time critical messages and a high setting is relevant for non-time critical message content.
Does blue mean delivered? ›A filled-in blue circle next to your message means that your message was delivered. And, when a friend has read your message, a small version of your friend's photo will appear next to your message. Joan Devoe and 19,997 others like this.
When a contact name is green on iPhone does it mean blocked? ›It could be your friend has iMessage off or not activated. Another possibility is that she is in an area with a weak wifi or cellular data signal. Or she is no longer an iPhone user. If you can iMessage other iPhone user, then the issue is with your friends phone, especially if her contact is green instead of blue.
What happens when you text an iPhone and the message is green? ›If you see a green message bubble instead of a blue one, then that message was sent using MMS/SMS instead of iMessage. There are several reasons for this: The person that you sent the message to doesn't have an Apple device. iMessage is turned off on your device or on your recipient's device.
Can you still text when your iPhone is off? ›
If iMessage®, an Apple messaging service that allows unlimited text messages between iOS devices, is turned off your phone is capable of sending messages via SMS.
Do green messages say delivered? ›Why are my texts green? A green text message on your iPhone isn't a sign that your phone number was blocked, or that the text was not delivered. Instead, it means that the message was sent as a standard SMS message rather than an iMessage, which will appear as blue.
Why was my iMessage sent as a text message? ›Why was iMessage sent as text message? iMessage can only send encrypted messages to other Apple devices. So if the recipient is using an Android device, for example, you'll receive a “sent as text message” confirmation, and the message will appear in a green bubble as opposed to blue.
Why are some of my texts green and some blue? ›If you text someone and the bubble that shows up is green instead of blue, you are using SMS or MMS messages. These kinds of text messages stand for “Short Messaging Service” and “Multimedia Messaging Service,” respectively.