Let’s find out.
How to Block or Block and Report Someone on WhatsApp
Let us start from the beginning. Apart from some UI differences, the steps to block and block and report on WhatsApp are the same for both Android and iOS. I will be using iPhone as an example here.
- To block a contact on WhatsApp, open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Accounts > Privacy > Blocked, and tap on Add New.
- Search for the contact that you want to block and tap on the name of the contact. You cannot choose multiple contacts here. To unblock a contact on WhatsApp, go back to Settings > Accounts > Privacy > Blocked and select the contact you want to unblock, and tap on Unblock at the bottom of the screen. You can also block contacts from the chat window by tapping on the name to access the same screen as above. Here you will find two options – Block or Report. If you select Report, again, you will see two options – Report and Block or Report. Once you have reported a contact, you cannot un-report it. You can unblock a contact though.
What Happens When You Block and/or Report Someone on WhatsApp
Now that you know how to block or block and report someone on WhatsApp, we will explore what happens afterward. What the contact you have blocked can and cannot do.
1. What Happens to Old WhatsApp Chats
Irrespective of whether you have blocked the contact or blocked and reported the contact, previous chat history remains intact. Old messages and files shared will continue to be visible to both parties on WhatsApp. There are a few ways to export WhatsApp chat history as a PDF file in case you are worried about losing data.
2. Can They Send New Messages, Calls, Files
Contacts who are blocked or blocked and reported on WhatsApp cannot send new messages, make audio/video calls, or send files. However, if the contact has been reported but not blocked, he/she can still do all of those things until you block them. When blocked, any message they try and send you will show with one checkmark which denotes that the message has not been delivered yet. It will remain that way forever. Any calls they make will continue to ring but you will not hear or even receive notification about the same.
3. Can You Send New Messages, Calls, Files
No, you can’t send messages, make calls, or send files either if the contact is blocked or blocked and reported on your end. First, you need to unblock them and then you can do all those things. When you try to send a message, WhatsApp will remind you that the contact is blocked and that you need to unblock it first. If you have simply reported the contact on WhatsApp, you can still communicate.
4. Do They Receive Notification of Block or Report
No, no notification is sent to the contact who is blocked, reported, or blocked and reported on WhatsApp. There are, however, a few ways to know if the contact has blocked you. For example, if you are blocked, you can’t see their status updates, send messages to them or make calls, or see their profile pic and other information.
5. Can They See My Last Seen, Status Updates, Profile Photo
Again, if the contact has been blocked or blocked and reported on WhatsApp, they can’t see any of the above after they were blocked. However, if the contact was simply reported then they can still see your profile photo, last seen, and status updates. With the latest update, you can hide your WhatsApp About and some other pieces of profile information from contacts without having to block them.
6. Will Blocking and Reporting Delete My Contact From Their Phone
The short answer is no. Whether you block, report, or block and report a contact on WhatsApp, their number on your phone and your number on their phone will not be deleted automatically. That has to be done separately and you have no control over their smartphone.
7. What About Messages/Calls After You Block Them on WhatsApp
We noted that if you block someone on WhatsApp and they send you a message, it will show with one checkmark. After that, if you unblock the contact, that message will not be delivered automatically. Messages sent during the blocked period remain pending forever. In other words, they are lost. If the person tries to call you after they are blocked, they will hear your phone ringing but you will not hear or see anything on your end. The call will never connect nor any notification will be sent of the same. However, if you have simply reported someone on WhatsApp, they can message and call you still.
8. Can You Block or Report Unknown Number on WhatsApp
If you receive a message or call from an unknown number on WhatsApp, you can block, report, or block and report the number. In fact, the option will be visible right below the chat message. However, you can’t block or report a number directly without saving it first if no message was delivered to you.
9. What Happens When You Report Someone on WhatsApp
When you report or block and report a number, WhatsApp will receive the last five messages sent by the contact, phone number, user id, time of the message sent, and type of message (text, image, video, file). No notification will be sent to the person who was reported. But they can still see your profile, send messages or files, and make calls unless you block them. These are two different features.
10. Can I Report View Once Photo/Video
Yes, if the message sent is in View Once mode, you can open the file, select the kebab menu (three-dot icon), and select Report Contact option.
11. How to Know If Someone Blocked You on WhatsApp
Simple. Create a WhatsApp group and try adding that person to the group. If you can then you are not blocked. However, if you can’t add him/her to the group, then you are blocked.
12. What About Group Chats
Group chats remain unaffected. If you and the person you have blocked on WhatsApp are members of the same group, both of you can see each other’s messages in the group. Block works for personal one-to-one messages only.
Block and Report Works Differently on WhatsApp
Reporting and blocking are two separate features on WhatsApp that can be used together. Block feature is useful if you want peace of mind and don’t want to be disturbed by the other person. Report is when you believe that the person is sending obscene, violent, or hateful messages and you want WhatsApp to take action. If WhatsApp deems it fit, they will ban that number from their database but there is no way to know for sure.
