How to block and report someone

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You can stop receiving messages, calls, and status updates from someone by blocking them. You can also report them if you think they are sending problematic content or spam.
When you block someone, the existing chat will remain in your chatlist. You can delete the chat completely if you want to remove it from your chatlist, or archive the chat instead. You can also unblock the sender to receive new messages from them.
You can’t block a group. Alternatively, you can exit a group and block the group admin. Learn how in this article. You can also adjust your privacy settings to prevent unknown contacts from adding you to groups. Learn more in this article.
If you feel you or anyone else is in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services.

Block a contact

  1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Privacy > Blocked > Add New...
  2. Find the contact you want to block, then tap the contact.

From a WhatsApp notification on the lock screen:

  1. Tap
    on the WhatsApp notification to see more info.
  2. Tap Block.
    • If you'd like to also report the contact, check the box next to Report.
  3. Tap Block.

From the chat info screen:

  1. Open the chat with the contact.
  2. Tap the contact's name > Block > Block.
    • If the contact is a business, open the chat with the business. Tap the business contact info > Block. Select the reason you’d like to block the business > Block.
  3. Tap Unblock if you’d like to unblock the contact. You can also tap Delete Chat > Archive Instead or Delete Chat.

From the chatlist:

  1. Swipe left on the chat.
  2. Tap More > Block > Block.
    • If the contact is a business, swipe left on the chat in the chatlist. Tap More > Block. Select the reason you’d like to block the business > Block.
  3. Tap Unblock if you’d like to unblock the contact. You can also tap Delete Chat > Archive Instead or Delete Chat.

Block an unknown phone number

To block an unknown phone number, you have two options:
  • If this is the first time you've been contacted by the sender, you can open the chat and tap Block > Block.
  • Tap the chat you'd like to block, then tap the sender > Block Contact > Block or Report Contact > Report and Block.

Note:

  • Tapping Report and Block will both report and block the sender.
  • Blocked contacts or phone numbers won't be able to call you or send you messages.
  • Your last seen, online, status updates, and any changes made to your profile photo won't be visible to senders you've blocked. If you're concerned about whether a blocked sender will know you're blocking them, read this article.
  • If you change your phone number and use the same WhatsApp account, your blocked contacts will stay blocked. Learn how to use the change number feature in this article.
  • If you set up a new WhatsApp account, you’ll need to manually block those contacts again.
  • Blocking a contact won't remove them from your contacts list, nor will it remove you from the list on the contact's phone. To delete a contact, you'll need to delete the contact from your phone's address book.

Unblock someone

  1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Privacy > Blocked.
  2. Swipe left on the contact's name.
    • Alternatively, tap Edit > the red minus sign icon.
  3. Tap Unblock.

More ways to unblock someone:

  • Open the chat with the sender you'd like to block. Tap the sender’s name or unknown phone number > Unblock {contact name} or Unblock {unknown phone number}.
  • From the chatlist, swipe left on the chat with the sender. Tap More > Unblock.

Note:

  • If you unblock someone, you won't receive any messages, calls, and status updates they sent you during the time they were blocked.
  • If you unblock someone who wasn't previously saved in your phone’s address book, you won't be able to restore that contact or phone number to your device.

Report someone

WhatsApp receives the last five messages sent to you by the reported sender or group, and they won’t be notified. WhatsApp also receives:
  • The reported group or user ID.
  • Information about when the message was sent, and the type of message sent such as an image, video, or text.
If you report a group, you’ll be removed from that group. If you’d like to rejoin a group you reported, the group admin will need to invite you again to the group.

To report a contact or unknown sender:

  1. Open the chat with the sender you want to report.
  2. Tap the contact name or unknown phone number to see Chat Info.
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Report or Report and Block.

To report a group:

  1. Open the group you want to report.
  2. Tap the group name, then tap Report Group > Report.

Report a view once photo or video

  1. Open the view once photo or video.
  2. Tap
    more
    in the bottom corner.
  3. Tap Report Contact.
To learn more about view once, read this article.

Related resources

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