Technology has improved every aspect of our lives, delivering different ways to stay in contact with friends and family. Apart from the typical phone call, you can communicate with people using tools like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Zoom.
Even so, it has made it easy for anyone to block you with a simple touch of a button. Yes, that’s a bummer, and it’s quite frustrating to keep contacting a person, yet they don’t respond, or you don’t get through to them. In such a case, you’ve likely been blocked.
But how do you determine if your number has been blocked? Read on to learn how to tell if someone has blocked your number.
The Simplest Way Is to Call
Yes, if you want to find out you have been blocked by anyone, calling them is the simplest way to do so.
In a typical call, you’ll hear about three to 12 rings before the person picks up your call or the call goes to voicemail. If you’re blocked, you’ll hear only one tone or ring, and the call will automatically be dropped. In some cases, it can go to voicemail.
Remember that if your call goes directly to voicemail, you’re not blocked. It’s possible that the person is on another call or their phone is off. You can also mask your number before calling. If the call goes through yet it was not going through before, you have been blocked.
You can also call from another phone, and this can be your work phone or a friend’s phone. If you can reach them on another phone but not yours, there’s a good chance you’ve been blocked.
On iPhone
If you use an iPhone, checking your iMessage can tell you if you have been blocked. In this case, if you send someone a message, you should get a delivery status. Look at the message you’ve sent; if it doesn’t have the “Delivered” status, you’ve likely been blocked.
You can send several messages to ensure they’re not going through. In some cases, messages fail to go through due to network issues. Also, it’s worth pointing out that the iMessage will have a blue text bubble while the normal message will have a green bubble.
If the person has their phone on Do Not Disturb mode, you won’t get the delivery receipt until they turn that off. In iMessage, the “Delivered” status will change to “Read” if the individual opens the message. So, if the “Delivered” or “Read” status doesn’t appear, you have been blocked.
On Android
Knowing if you have been blocked on some Android phones can be difficult because not all phones support the delivery notification. Your messages will go through as usual but will not be delivered if you have been blocked.
But there’s a way around this. Simply delete their contact from your phonebook. Then, try searching for their number or name in your phonebook; if their number pops up as a suggested contact, you likely have not been blocked.
On WhatsApp
On WhatsApp, a couple of indicators can tell you whether you have been blocked or not.
When you’re in the chat window, you should see the person’s last seen or online status. If you do not see any of these, you should check their profile phone. If you can see the photo, you’re not blocked. If their avatar is blank, it’s possible that you’ve been blocked.
While still on the chat window, you should also check the message receipts. Usually, WhatsApp uses check marks to show the message status. A single check mark means the message has been sent but has not yet been received — this mostly happens when the content isn’t online.
Two check marks mean the message has been received. If the check marks are grey, it means the contact hasn’t opened or read the message yet. If they do, the check marks will turn blue. Users can still change this setting, so the check marks will remain grey, whether or not they’ve read the message.
Regardless, if there is only one check mark, you can’t see the contact’s profile pic, status updates, and last seen status, then they might have blocked you.
What If They’ve Changed Their Number?
Well, that can be a possibility when communicating with a person via text only. As noted before, Android doesn’t have delivery receipts, so the message will go through normally. On iPhone, you’ll not see the “Delivered” status.
If you try calling the number, you’ll likely get the message, “This number is no longer in service.” Note that you can get the same response if the person is in an area with poor network coverage. Otherwise, most people will inform you if they have changed their phone number.
On WhatsApp, you’ll get a notification in your chat window when a contact changes their number. In this case, you can add their new number to your phone book.
Knowing If Your Number Has Been Blocked
It can be frustrating to call or message someone but never get through to them. So, you’re left wondering whether they have blocked you, and this can be upsetting if the person is a lover or someone that owes you money.
The good thing is that there are different ways to tell if they have blocked you or not. In some cases, their phone might be off, or they might be in an area with a poor network. However, if you can’t get through to them after multiple attempts, then you probably have been blocked.
In this post, we’ve shared multiple ways you can use to determine if your number has been blocked, whether you’re using iPhone or Android phone. Finding out that you have been blocked can be a nasty feeling, but let it not get to you and resist the urge to confront or contact the person.
Marziano is a seasoned tech expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and multiple certifications, including CompTIA A+, Network+, and Cisco’s CCNA, he has a well-rounded and robust understanding of various aspects of technology.