How to know if someone has blocked you on WhatsApp (2023)

WhatsApp is a crowd-favorite instant messaging platform loaded with several features. It is end-to-end encrypted and has a ton of customizable privacy features. Among them is the option to block users. It is hard to determine if someone has blocked you on WhatsApp because you won’t receive a notification for the same. In this guide, we will help you look at factors that indicate if someone blocked you on WhatsApp.

1. Profile Picture is no longer visible
2. Last seen and online status are no longer visible
3. You can’t view status updates
4. Can’t add a user to WhatsApp group
5. Your messages only show one check mark on WhatsApp
6. WhatsApp calls do not connect

1. Profile Picture is no longer visible

Has the profile picture of the user who you suspect has blocked you suddenly disappeared? If a gray background has replaced the user’s profile picture, it can only mean two things – they have either deleted their profile picture or blocked you.

It is possible that the user has just deleted their profile picture. Nonetheless, it is one of the signs to know if the user has blocked you on WhatsApp. Read along to check some of the other factors that will help you identify if you’re blocked on WhatsApp.

2. Last seen and online status are no longer visible

The online status and last seen features on WhatsApp display the activity status of a user and also the time at which they were last active. When someone blocks you on WhatsApp, their last seen and online status automatically disappears. There’s nothing displayed in its designated space. Here’s how you can check the last seen and online status on WhatsApp.

1. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone. 
2. Navigate to the desired conversation. 
3. Once you’re on the conversation page, check their last seen or online status below their name. 
   
   

Thanks to WhatsApp’s privacy features, users also have the option to hide their last seen and online status by changing a few settings. Also, if you’ve hidden your last seen and online status, you won’t be able to view other people’s last seen and online status. Since we’ve again hit a roadblock, check the next step. 

3. You can’t view status updates

WhatsApp Status is a fun and simple way to share images and videos. It works like Snapchat and Instagram stories, where you upload photos or videos that disappear within 24 hours. When someone blocks you on WhatsApp, even their Status updates are hidden from you.

But just like the previous two points, the user can manually hide their status updates thanks to WhatsApp’s privacy settings. Moreover, there are several other reasons why you can’t view the user’s uploads, and we have a guide to help you fix the WhatsApp status not showing issue.

4. Can’t add a user to WhatsApp group

WhatsApp does not allow you to add users to WhatsApp groups if they have blocked you. So, another method to check if you are blocked on WhatsApp is to try and add the user to a WhatsApp group.

To check this, create a temporary WhatsApp group and add the user to the group. If you’re unable to add the user and encounter a pop-up that reads Failed to add <User> to the group or Can’t add participant, it means you have been blocked.

Again, WhatsApp’s privacy features allow users to control who can add them to groups. If you have had a history of adding users to WhatsApp groups without their permission, they might have restricted you from adding them to groups.

5. Your messages only show one check mark on WhatsApp

If you can’t view the user’s profile picture, last seen activity, status uploads, can’t add them to groups, it can be because they have changed their privacy settings. The chances of the person making all these changes at once are very low, but let’s just be a little optimistic.

So to know for sure if you’ve been blocked on WhatsApp, you need to check the read receipts of the messages you send. To do so, send the user a message on WhatsApp.

Now, I’m not asking you to confront the user asking if they’ve blocked you. Rather, just send a simple Hi or Hello and inspect the check mark beside the message.

Here’s what checkmarks besides messages on WhatsApp signify:

1. Single gray tick: The message is sent from your device.
2. Double gray ticks: The message is delivered to the user’s device. (Can be their iPhone, iPad, or any other linked device)
3. Double blue ticks: The user has read your message.

If the message displays a single gray tick and does not change to double gray ticks even after a couple of days, you’ve certainly been blocked.

6. WhatsApp calls do not connect

The final step is to call the user and check if your calls are going through. Here’s how to know if your calls are connecting.

1. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone. 
2. Navigate to the desired conversation and make a voice/video call. 
3. If the status of the outgoing call is “Calling,” it means the call has not yet connected. The status will change to “Ringing” in a few moments, meaning the recipient has received the call.
4. Now, if you’re blocked, the status won’t change from calling to ringing, no matter how long you wait. 
   
   

If the user does not have an active internet connection, the status of the call will be stuck at calling. You can try calling at a different time, which should clear your doubt. 

Move on, and do not cause more problems!

If all of the above-mentioned factors do not work in your favor, that particular user has blocked you on WhatsApp. There are chances that the user has just changed their privacy settings. However, the chances are pretty slim, and you might even know why you are blocked.

That said, do not try to create any further issues by contacting the person through some other medium. The primary reason WhatsApp and other social media platforms do not notify users of being blocked is to avoid conflict and protect blockers’ privacy.

Read more:

• How to use WhatsApp proxy on iPhone
• How to use WhatsApp Communities on iPhone
• 9 Ways to fix WhatsApp reconnecting problem on iPhone
• How to send photos as documents in WhatsApp on iPhone

Readers like you help support iGeeksBlog. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more.