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How to know if someone blocked you on iPhone

How to know if someone blocked you on iPhone
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Finding out whether or not you have been blocked by a person is one of the best ways to know where you stand with them. Unfortunately, Apple make it difficult to know for certain if you’ve been blocked by someone. The only absolute way to know if someone has blocked you is if that person tells you.

Thankfully, there are a couple of easy ways for you to get an idea about whether someone has blocked you or not. These methods are simple to perform and take very little time. In as little as ten minutes, you can almost definitely know if you have been blocked on iPhone. Let’s find out how!

Disclaimer

Before you proceed with either of the methods listed below, first consider why you may have been blocked and then investigate from there. As a general rule, it is a bad idea to contact someone who has blocked you without their expressed consent.

The methods below are intended to be used solely to determine whether or not you’ve been blocked so that you can get a better grasp of where you and your potential blocker stand. If they have blocked you, then it has been done for a reason and you need to respect that.

 

Method One: Shoot Them a Text Message

Sending a text message is an effortless approach to find out if someone blocked you. If you suspect that you have been blocked, simply send a text (preferably a courteous one) to the number of the person who you think blocked you.

If you are not blocked, the word “Delivered” will appear within seconds of a sent message, followed by “Read” if your potential blocker has their message receipts on. However, if a notification saying “Message Not Delivered” shows up instead, or the word “Delivered” never changes to “Read”, there is a chance that you may have been blocked.

This method is quick and very easy to perform but it can be unreliable. The words “Message Not Delivered” can appear under your message in a number of circumstances that are unrelated to a blocked number.

These include circumstances like no/weak cell service on either phone, the recipient’s iPhone is turned completely off, the recipient is traveling abroad and has not paid for international cell service, or the recipient has your number on “Do Not Disturb”.

As you can tell, there are various reasons shooting a text to your suspected blocker is not exactly a surefire way to see if you have been blocked. On one hand, experimenting over text messages is a good first step in investigating whether someone blocked you or not, but also take into consideration the fact that there are other factors that can go into your message being “Delivered”.

These factors include situations that realistically have nothing to do with you getting blocked. If you sent a message and have left it for a few days and it’s still not delivered, then there’s a good chance that you are blocked as they most likely would have had their cell phone on in an area with no signal.

 

Method Two: A Simple Phone Call

Calling a potential blocker is a far more reliable way to tell if you have been blocked than text messages. There are fewer factors that can lead to a false-positive and this method is almost as quick as sending them a text.

To start, simply call the person’s number the same way you normally would. If you are blocked, the phone may ring either once or not at all and then send you to voicemail. You will still be able to leave your potential blocker a message, however, their iPhone system will never notify them about your voice message.

You can continue your investigation by hitting *67 before you type in their phone number. This string of numbers and symbols makes your phone number appear as “Private” to whoever you’re calling. Essentially, it fools their phone system. If your suspected blocker picks up the phone after you’ve made the *67 modification, it is likely a guarantee that you have been blocked.

This method is far more reliable than a simple text, especially considering you may be able to get in touch with the person who blocked you.

 

What do you do if you need to speak to your blocker urgently?

Trying to contact a person who has blocked you is only appropriate in certain situations, like when you need to relay vital information. Unless there is an exceptional circumstance that means you have to try and get in touch with the blocker, try to respect their privacy.

Some situations may require you to come in contact with someone who has blocked you. In this case, you have a couple of options to reach your blocker.

Leave a voicemail and get a friend to notify them – If you find yourself in a situation that requires you to relay a message to your blocker, you do have the option to call them. Like we went over in Method Two, your phone may ring either once or twice before sending you to voicemail.

Leave your blocker a voicemail message and describe your situation. Remember that their phone will not notify them that you sent them a message if they blocked you. If you know a friend of theirs or someone they contact frequently, ask them to inform your blocker of your message.

Go directly from a friend’s iPhone – If all else fails, you can also try calling your potential blocker from someone else’s number, preferably someone you know that your blocker will answer a call from. Be forewarned that this method can be seen as sneaky and misleading, so only contact a person in this way if you have a very good reason. Not only are you abusing the trust of someone who may have already blocked you but the trust in their contacts as well. Use this method sparingly.

 

Conclusion

Unfortunately, there isn’t a sure-fire way to know if your number is blocked but hopefully these methods can go some way to giving you the answers you need. Due to the lack of certainty, it’s important not to jump to conclusions if your text message or call doesn’t go through. If you do find out that you’re blocked, then it’s important to respect their decision and not make any further message or call attempts.

 

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About the author

Emily

Emily

Emily is a freelance writer and considers herself to be a lifelong learner, who has a fascination for all things new. She enjoys spending time writing about mobile tech, tablets, home tech gadgets, and more. She earned her BA in English Literature at the University of Boulder. Emily is an avid hiker who loves the mountain vistas of the Rockies. If she’s not trekking the mountains, you’ll find her chilling at home with some of the great fantasy novels, such as The Lord of the Rings, or playing her favorite video games.