Oscar Wong / Moment via Getty Images
Today’s technologies are all about connection: see what this person is doing, see what your doorbell camera is seeing, read what that person is posting. We are connected with others in ways we never thought possible only decades ago. And it’s no surprise: Humans are social animals.
But what happens when you need to break up in a world that encourages visibility above everything else? What happens when someone needs to break up with you? Blocking a number can be the perfect way to start breaking that link, no matter how strange it may be.
Table of Contents
How to know if someone has blocked your number
If you follow these steps and find that someone has blocked you, don’t try to contact them. They have their reasons for blocking you, and you don’t want your efforts to be subject to harassment. It’s important to remember that your feelings are valid, but so is the other person’s right to privacy.
Step 1: Send a test text
If you and the other person you think blocked both of you from using the iPhone, your text message exchanges happen via iMessage, so they show up in blue.
This text is delivered as an iMessage, so it comes up in blue and is delivered, which means your number is not blocked
Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
If you send a text message and it arrives as delivered, you weren’t blocked.
signs are in colors
After blocking my number on another phone, message delivered as text instead of iMessage
Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
If the sent text looks green instead, it means it was sent as an SMS instead of iMessage. you can also see not delivered Under the green text bubble in red or the message may go through as an iMessage but may not show that it was deliveredThese can all be clues that you may have been blocked by the other person.
However, iMessages may or may not show up in green delivered When someone’s phone is turned off or has no signal or internet connection. So before assuming that you have been blocked, give the other party time to access their messages.
If your message doesn’t come like this delivered Or it looks green instead of blue, it’s time to dig in a bit more.
Step 2: Call Them
Try calling “someone” you fear may be blocking you to see if the call is made
Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
It’s all about putting the pieces together to determine if someone has blocked your number. If you call someone who hasn’t blocked your number, you usually hear several rings before they go into voicemail.
When you call a number that has blocked your number, you may hear a ring or half or no ring at all, and then the call will go to voicemail. If it goes straight to voicemail, their phone may also be off or out of range, or they may be temporarily on do not disturb Mode to work, drive or sleep, so it doesn’t mean they have blocked your number.
Step 3: Hide Your Number
Dial *67 + their phone number. So, *67(XXX)-XXX-XXXX
Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
If your messages are delivered as text when they used to be iMessages and your calls continue to go straight to voicemail, there’s a good chance your number was blocked. You can try calling the number of the person who blocked you with a different number or hide your number by dialing *67 before your phone number.
Comment: Before proceeding with this step, think about how the other party will react if they pick it up and find that it is you.
Incoming call without caller ID *67 . using a hidden phone number
Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
If you get it from a different number or by hiding your number, you can be pretty sure you have been blocked.
No one wants to be blocked by someone else, especially if it’s someone you care about. But if you confirm that someone has blocked your number, the best thing to do is to give that person the privacy and time they need to do so.
general question
Android is not as straightforward as the iPhone when trying to find out if someone has blocked you. Since there’s no iMessage in Android, it’s a little difficult to determine. Some phones offer read and delivered receipts, so if yours is and you’re not seeing them, try doing some digging.
Either way, trying steps 2 and 3 will help you find out if someone has blocked your number, regardless of delivered or read receipts.
When you block someone’s number, you won’t receive notifications for their calls, messages or voicemails. But if you also use WhatsApp to communicate, their number will not be automatically blocked on the messaging app.
WhatsApp is a messaging app that is independent of your phone manufacturer and provider. To block someone from contacting you through WhatsApp, you have to do it through the app. In WhatsApp, going to Contact Info and tapping on Block (this person) will do the job.
Image: Maria Diaz / ZDNet
If you’re afraid that someone has blocked you on WhatsApp, you can send them a message to check. When someone receives a WhatsApp message, two checks will appear when delivered and they will turn blue when read. If only one gray checkmark appears, the message has not been delivered to the recipient.
If that person does not have Internet service at the time, or if their phone is turned off, it may not be delivered. If you have other reasons to think they blocked you on WhatsApp, give it a few days and if the checkmark never doubles, they probably have.
Source
