- To tell if someone blocked you on iPhone, try sending both an iMessage and SMS message.
- You can also hide your number when calling the person, or use a different number or device.
- It’s hard to know for sure if you’re blocked, as it could also be Focus or Airplane Mode.
If you are making unwanted phone calls or messages on an iPhone to someone, the recipient of these messages may finally decide to block you. But if you genuinely didn’t mean to harass them and are unsure of your current standing with them, how do you know if your number is blocked on an iPhone? What are the tell-tale signs?
What happens when someone blocks you on iPhone?
If someone block you on iPhone, you will not be able to call (regular phone and FaceTime), and your messages won’t be delivered. Here, we answer some questions about what will happen when you try to text or call.
How to know if your texts are blocked in Messages
One way to get a sense of whether or not you’ve been blocked is to text the person. You can tell the difference between a regular SMS and an iMessage by looking at the message bubble – a green bubble means it’s an SMS, while a blue bubble means it’s an iMessage. If you’re used to seeing blue iMessage text bubbles but they are suddenly green, it can be an indication you’ve been blocked – but that’s just one possibility, and isn’t necessarily the most likely.
Sent as Text (Green Bubble)
When you send an iMessage to someone who has blocked you, your message:
- Will look like a regular SMS text (green bubble) instead of the blue iMessage bubble.
- Won’t say Delivered under the text bubble. Instead, it will say Sent as Text Message.
- Will never be delivered to the intended recipient’s iPhone.
Does a green text bubble definitely mean you are blocked?
No, not necessarily. You may see a green text bubble if one of the following conditions occurs:
- The recipient is using a non-Apple device like an Android device, or switched to a non-Apple device since the last iMessage you were able to send.
- The recipient’s setting does not allow the iMessage to be delivered. This may occur if the recipient has turned off iMessage.
- Apple’s iMessage servers may have been having a temporary outage. This can affect your and the recipient’s device. You can check Apple’s servers and services status, like iMessage, by going to the Apple System Status page. When iMessage is not available for you or the recipient due to outages, the messages will be sent as SMS.
- The recipient is somewhere with poor cellular or Wi-Fi connection.
Can someone who blocked you send you an iMessage?
Yes. A person who blocked you can still send you an iMessage, and you will receive the message. If you decide to respond to their message, they won’t get your reply.
Can you tell if someone blocked your number when you call?
If you try to call someone and it goes right to voicemail or rings once (or a half ring) then goes to voicemail, you might have been blocked. But on the other hand, the person’s phone might be turned off or have a drained battery, or they might simply be in Airplane Mode or Focus mode.
Can you tell if you are blocked without calling?
You can not really tell if you are blocked. The only clues you can get require you to try calling or sending iMessages.
Summary: How to tell if you’re blocked on iPhone
If the following are true, you might be blocked:
- If you call the person, your call goes straight to voicemail.
- You’re used to seeing blue iMessage text bubbles, but now they are suddenly green.
- If you facetime the person, the call rings without an answer.
- You can send an iMessage and call your contact normally using a different number or device.
You could try contacting the person and ask if they blocked you
As I stated above, if you are blocked, you will not be able to call (regular phone and FaceTime), and your messages won’t be delivered if you are blocked on your iPhone. However, there are still ways to reach them if you really need to contact the person who blocked your number. You may want to do this if you think that your number was blocked accidentally or if there is something very important. And, lastly, before proceeding, think carefully if you deserved the blocking. If you deserve it, do not try any of the steps below.
- Try contacting the person through third-party messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram, or Telegram. However, these third-party apps also offer contact blocking features, and you may be blocked there too. For this to work, however, the recipient must also be using the app, and you must not be blocked in that app too.
- Get another phone number and use that number to call. There are several apps where you can get phone numbers. For example, Skype offers this.
- Hide your Caller ID. You may be able to make calls then. You can do that by going to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID, then turn it off. However, No Caller ID calls can also be blocked.
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