You typically won't get a direct "You've been blocked" message; instead, you'll notice signs like texts appearing undelivered (no "Delivered" status), calls going straight to voicemail after one ring, or inability to see profile updates on social media, indicating the person isn't receiving your messages or calls.
If you attempt to send a text message and, in response, get a message that reads “Free MSG: Unable to send message, message blocking active,” that is a sign that the recipient is not receiving messages and that you may be blocked.
If your texts consistently show no delivery, it may be a sign you've been blocked. If your message goes through, you'll see Delivered beneath it. If it hasn't been delivered — whether due to being blocked or simply because of issues like poor reception — it will show Not Delivered.
When you text someone who blocked you, the message generally sends from your end but is blocked from reaching the recipient; you typically won't get an error message, but you won't see a "Delivered" notification (on iPhones, it might stay blue but lack delivery confirmation, while on Android, it might show "Not Delivered" or just hang, but you can't know for sure without them telling you or trying other methods like calls to voicemail or different apps).
You can tell if someone blocked your number if your calls go straight to voicemail (after one ring), texts show as undelivered (like on WhatsApp), or you're blocked on social media; however, the surest way is to call from another phone: if your calls don't go through from your number but do from another, you're likely blocked, though consistent patterns over time are key to differentiate from normal DND/airplane mode.
Signs you may have been blocked
If you have an iPhone and text another iPhone but don't see a “Delivered” notification, someone may have blocked you. (Android phones don't automatically show these messages.) The same goes for if you consistently see a green text bubble instead of a blue one on your iPhone.
This star code will unblock your caller ID for a single outgoing call if you have previously used *61 to block caller ID for all outbound calls.
Android phones move all blocked messages into a folder on the phone called “Spam and Blocked.” That means that the phone is still collecting messages from the blocked people; they just aren't notifying you.
Use caller ID blocking to hide your number
The simplest and most common way to call someone who's blocked you is by hiding your caller ID. When you do this, your call appears as “Private,” “Unknown,” or “No Caller ID” on the recipient's screen.
You can suspect someone blocked you on an iPhone if calls go straight to voicemail (maybe after one ring) and iMessages don't show "Delivered" or "Read" receipts, but these signs can also mean their phone is off; the most reliable test is trying to call them using a different number or *67 to hide your caller ID, and if it rings normally on their end but goes to voicemail from your real number, you're likely blocked.
Texting a Blocked Number: What Will Happen? If you text someone who blocked you, you won't see an alert that you've been blocked, but they won't get your text. If you usually see "Delivered" when you text them but don't see it now, or their message bubbles are suddenly green instead of blue, you may be blocked.
An easy way of knowing you've been blocked is to send a message with read receipts on. If the message doesn't say delivered that means you're blocked. Calling is slightly different, it rings a couple times and goes to voicemail. You can leave a message which they will get but they won't receive a notification for it.
One of the quickest ways to know if someone has blocked your number is to call them. If your call goes to voicemail after one ring, this could be a sign that your number has been blocked. But, no need to panic just yet. It's also possible that the recipient's phone is just turned off or in airplane mode.
If you have been blocked by someone on Android, then it is likely that you would want to text them. Unfortunately, since you have been blocked, there is no way to get your texts delivered.
Muting helps you ignore someone without preventing them from doing anything. Blocking someone prevents them from messaging you, commenting on your observations, identifying your observations, and otherwise interacting with you on iNaturalist.
If the person you're calling has blocked anonymous calls, *67 won't work either. While *67 hides your number from the person you're calling, phone companies can still trace the call. The good news is that using *67 is completely free, but you will need to dial it every time you want to keep your number private.
Dialing *77 on your phone activates Anonymous Call Rejection, blocking incoming calls from private or blocked numbers, making anonymous callers hear a message to hang up and try again. It's a landline/VoIP feature (like AT&T, CenturyLink) to stop spam/prank calls but can sometimes vary by carrier or state, potentially connecting to emergency services (like *87 to turn it off).
Dial *67. This code will block your number so that your call shows up as an "Unknown" or "Private" number. Enter the code before the number that you're dialing, like so: *67-408-221-XXXX. This may work on cell phones and home phones, but it won't necessarily work on businesses.
Blocked individuals can still leave voicemails, and in some cases, may be able to contact you through third-party apps that don't integrate with iOS's blocking feature.
Your text messages don't deliver
If your text messages aren't going through, it could mean the intended recipient has blocked your number. Most devices and messaging platforms indicate undelivered messages with a “Not Delivered” status message or a symbol, like a red exclamation point.
On iPhones running iOS 16.5 or later, the space below your last text will say Delivered whether you're blocked or not on iMessages. If your phone is running iOS 16.4 or earlier and you see Delivered beneath your last text, you're not blocked.
The only way to see a call history from a blocked number is to unblock the number. They will be added to your regular call list, and you will be able to see any missed calls you receive from the number. However, they will be able to contact you again.
Can you unblock yourself from someone else's phone? If you have confirmation that someone has blocked your contact on their phone, there's no way to unblock yourself remotely using any of your devices.
What is the *#21# code used for? The *#21# code checks the status of unconditional call forwarding. Dialling this code will display whether your calls are being forwarded to another number unconditionally, meaning all incoming calls are being redirected regardless of the condition.
“How to call back no caller ID” is a popular search, and there's an easy answer. To call back the last private number that called you – whether you answered it or not -- simply dial *69 and it will dial it back. It will also unmask the number, if it's been blocked from caller ID.