There are few big mysteries in the information age, but one of them is knowing how to figure out whether someone has blocked your number.
I'm talking about your number being blocked on someone else's phone, which is a side function that ensures calls and texts from a specific number don't go through. It's got nothing to do with social media and it's also separate from WhatsApp blocking, which just functions on the app. Number blocking also isn't managed by cell companies or your phone's maker – it's solely a feature that works on your specific phone.
There's no concrete way to know whether someone has blocked your number. If your digits inhabit someone else's blocked list, it's impossible to know for sure without checking that list yourself.
However, if you're awaiting a response to a message or a callback, and you're suspicious that someone has blocked you, there are a few things you can do that'll give you an indication. They're not ironclad, so don't take them as gospel, but they might help you ease your mind a little. I'd always recommend giving the potential blocker some time and space before you try these methods, though.
By the way, if you've got an iPhone, here's how to know if someone blocked you in iMessage.
Tools and requirements
To know if someone has blocked your phone number, the only thing you'll need is the phone with which that number is associated. However, it can help to have a separate phone, for a reason we'll get to later.
Quick steps to check if someone has blocked your number
At a glance, here are a few courses of action that might hint at whether your number has been blocked or not. I'd recommend reading the full article, including the Troubleshooting section, before proceeding.
- Give the phone a ring to see if the call is declined (and optionally, try with another number)
- Send a text to see whether the message is received (only on certain phones)
- Give the suspected blocker some time to respond, or ask around
Step-by-step guide to check if someone has blocked your number
Now let's run through those aforementioned methods in greater detail.
1. The phone call method
We'll start with the phone call method. To do this, ring the person you think blocked you using your smartphone's call app (you can see the stock Android one pictured above).
Listen to how many rings you hear. If the call keeps ringing for a while, it's likely that you haven't been blocked (and if the person answers the phone, that's always a surefire sign!).
However, if the call is dropped after the first ring, that's a possible sign that your phone number has been blocked.
It's not a guarantee, though. Perhaps the person manually declined your call after one ring, or they've got a filter on that blocks out all calls. It may be something else too, like if your number has fallen foul of a spam detection tool and the recipient's phone thinks you're a robo-caller.
A way to get some clarity is to call with another phone: if it rings for the same amount of time as your main phone, then you're almost definitely not blocked. If it rings for longer, then perhaps that's an indication, but for the reasons I've said already, it's not concrete.
2. Send a text
Another thing worth testing is a good old-fashioned text message to the suspected blocker. However, this only works on certain phones.
On iPhones, you can see read receipts to know whether someone has read your message. When you text the number of someone who's blocked you, the read receipts won't show up.
On Android, it's more complicated. Certain brands of phone support read receipts, usually if you're sending a text to someone else with the same brand, but that's not always the case. That's also true of sending texts between Android phones of different brands, or to or from iPhones on an Android.
Because of the Android complication, it's also tricky to use this method as confirmation. Maybe the person you're texting hasn't blocked you, but has just switched to Android, or maybe a bug is stopping the read receipts from going through.
3. Give the person some time to respond, or ask around
If you're worried that someone has blocked you, this third option is the hardest one, but it's also the best one: take a step back.
Maybe the person hasn't blocked you, but is simply busy: sometimes it's easy to forget to respond to someone for days or even weeks (or even months, if you're forgetful like me). They might be traveling somewhere where they don't have a cell plan, causing them to turn on airplane mode for the duration of the trip, or have made a conscious decision to spend less time on their phone for whatever reason.
Just give the person some space and more often than not, time will tell whether they've actually blocked you or not.
Another option is simply to ask around: maybe a mutual friend will be able to tell you whether they've blocked you or are simply very busy.
Troubleshooting
What if it looks like someone has blocked me?
It can be upsetting if someone blocks you, but it's best to avoid pestering the blocker to unblock you via other platforms or apps (or in person). Instead, you should try and come to terms with their decision.
Maybe there's someone you can talk to who'll help you understand or process your feelings about the situation, or maybe meditation or journaling will help you clear your head.
Many countries have laws against sending repeated unwanted text messages, especially if they're insulting or abusive, so make sure to leave the blocker alone and refrain from texting or calling them further.
How do I block someone?
You can block numbers on your phone using the Settings app on iPhones, or the Settings menu of the Phone app on Android. Depending on your phone, you can sometimes also set auto-blocking filters for spam calls too.
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