Blocking contacts
You can stop receiving messages, calls and status updates from certain contacts by blocking them.
To block a contact:
- In WhatsApp, tap Menu > Settings > Account > Privacy > Blocked contacts.
- Tap Add
.
- Search for or select the contact you want to block.
Here are a couple alternative options for blocking a contact:
- Open a chat with the contact, then tap Menu > More > Block > BLOCK.
- Open a chat with the contact, then tap the name of the contact > Block > BLOCK.
To block an unknown phone number:
- In WhatsApp, open the chat with the unknown phone number.
- Tap BLOCK.
- Tap BLOCK again.
- If the message from the unknown phone number is spam, you have the option to tap REPORT AND BLOCK instead, which will report and block the number.
Note:
- Messages, calls and status updates sent by a blocked contact won't show up on your phone and will never be delivered to you.
- Your Last seen, online, status updates and any changes made to your profile photo will no longer be visible to contacts you've blocked.
- 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 must delete the contact from your phone's address book.
- If you're concerned whether a blocked contact will know you're blocking them, please read this article.
Unblocking contacts
To unblock a contact:
- In WhatsApp, tap Menu > Settings > Account > Privacy > Blocked contacts.
- Tap the contact you want to unblock.
- Tap Unblock {contact}. You and the contact will now be able to send and receive messages, calls and status updates.
Alternatively, you can search for the contact you blocked > tap and hold the contact > tap Unblock {contact}.
Note:
- If you unblock a contact, you won't receive any messages, calls or status updates the contact sent you during the time they were blocked.
- If you unblock a contact or phone number that 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.
Learn how to block or unblock contacts on: iPhone | Windows Phone