How to block and unblock someone on Facebook

Steven John

Mar 27, 2019, 20:51 IST

How to block and unblock someone on Facebook

Reuters

If you want to cut off all contact, Facebook's "Block" feature allows you to do just that.

Blocking a Facebook friend stops their posts from showing in your feed and prevents them from sending you direct messages.
Unlike unfriending, blocking can be undone without the other party knowing you ever changed the nature of the Facebook relationship in the first place.
Also consider electing to unfollow a Facebook friend if you are tired of seeing their posts but don't have a reason to actually distance yourself.

Maybe you're tired of your uncle's constant political posts, or you've seen enough videos of your high school classmate's cat, or you're even mad at a friend in real life and want some space.

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Is it time to unfriend them? While that's always an option, it's a harsh one, as it can't be undone without letting the friend know you removed them in the first place. Consider blocking them instead, as there's a chance you will later change your mind.

And for the record, there's actually a good chance you'll change your mind. According to Google search data, people search "How to unblock a friend on Facebook" a lot more than "How to block a friend on Facebook."

The good news is that unlike unfriending, unblocking is quick and easy, and that "Friend" of yours will never know it happened. So instead of unfriending, just block the person. Blocking on Facebook means a person's posts won't enter your feed, your content won't be served to them, and they won't be able to send you messages. And if you ever decide to unblock them, they'll be readded to your Friends list automatically.

How to block on Facebook

That's it! You just can't take any more posts from this person, and you certainly don't want any direct messages, either. Here's what you do:

1. Log into your Facebook account and locate the person to be blocked either by searching for their name or by scrolling through your list of friends.

2. Near the top right of your friend's page, locate the three little gray dots in a parallel line, and click them.

Steven John/Business Insider

Click the three dots pictured.

3. On the dropdown menu that appears, click "Block."

4. On the window that pops up, click "Confirm."

5. Click "Okay" on the next window.

You're done - they're blocked. They won't see what you post, you won't see what they post, they are no longer listed as a friend on your page, and they can't send you messages, either.

But what if blocking them was a mistake you made in the heat of the moment? If so, then it's time we talk about how to unblock someone.

How to unblock on Facebook

1. From anywhere on Facebook, find and click the dark blue arrow in the top right corner of the page.

2. Hit the word "Settings" in the dropdown menu.

Steven John

If you're having second thoughts, unblocking someone only takes a few seconds. Find the feature under "Blocking" in Facebook's settings.

3. In the column on the left side of the screen, click the word "Blocking" (it has a red circle with a white line beside it).

4. On the next page, see which users you have blocked and, if you want to bring one back into the fold, click "Unblock" beside their name.

Steven John

Just click "Unblock," confirm your choice, and the block will be undone.

5. Click "Confirm" on the popup window.

And just like that, your friend is unblocked and it's like nothing ever changed; you're back in touch, they are again listed as a friend, and they never even knew you had severed ties. Isn't that better than unfriending? (Also, if it's just about the volume or type of posts and the issue isn't personal, consider unfollowing, too.)