Being blocked by someone on your iPhone can be frustrating and confusing. You may try calling or texting them but get no response. How can you know for sure if your number has been blocked? There are a few key signs that indicate your number may have been blocked on an iPhone.
Calling Goes Straight to Voicemail
One of the most common signs of being blocked is when you call someone and it goes straight to voicemail every time. If you call them repeatedly and never get a ring, just directly to voicemail, then they have likely blocked your number.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s happening when a blocked call goes to voicemail:
- You call the person who has blocked you
- The call never rings on their phone
- It goes directly to their voicemail greeting
- You are unable to leave a voicemail
So if you call them and it rings a few times before going to voicemail, it’s likely they just declined your call. But if it never rings at all and you can’t leave a message, your number is probably blocked.
Text Messages Are Not Delivered
Another sign of a blocked number is when your text messages are not delivered to the recipient. If you text someone repeatedly and your texts are never delivered, chances are you’ve been blocked. Here are some ways to check if your text didn’t go through:
- No response from the recipient
- “Delivered” text status never changes to “Read”
- Green text bubble instead of blue (on iPhones)
However, keep in mind that just because your message says “Delivered” doesn’t necessarily mean the person has read it. But if you are consistently not getting any response, the lack of “Read” receipts is a strong sign you have been blocked.
What Happens When You’re Blocked on iPhone
When someone blocks your number in their iPhone, here are some key things that happen:
- Your calls go straight to their voicemail
- They receive no notification of your calls
- Your texts will never be delivered or marked as “Read”
- Any voicemails you leave will be automatically deleted
- You will basically get zero confirmation that your calls or texts went through
So from your perspective, it will seem like your calls and messages are going into a black hole with no indication they ever reached the recipient.
How to Block Someone on iPhone
To better understand what happens when you are blocked, it helps to know how to block a number yourself on an iPhone. Here are the steps:
- Go to Settings > Phone
- Tap on “Call Blocking & Identification”
- Toggle on “Silence Unknown Callers” to automatically block unknown numbers
- Or tap “Block Contact” and select a specific contact to block
- You can also block individual phone numbers by tapping “Add New” and entering the phone number
Once a number is blocked, all calls and texts will go directly to voicemail or be automatically rejected. The blocked caller will have no indication that you blocked them.
Major Signs of a Blocked Number on iPhone
Here are the main signs that a number has likely been blocked on an iPhone:
- Calls go straight to voicemail every time
- Texts never show as delivered or read
- No ringtone when calling, direct to voicemail greeting
- Voicemails you leave are automatically deleted
- No notifications received from attempted calls/texts
While these signs point to a blocked number, there are some reasons why calls and texts may not go through normally besides being blocked, like:
- Poor cell service in the area
- Phone turned off or dead battery
- Their voicemail box is full
- Airplane mode enabled on their phone
However, if you are consistently experiencing the signs of blocked calls and texts, chances are your number has been blocked on their iPhone.
Using a Different Phone to Test
One way to confirm for sure if you’ve been blocked is to call or text from a different number that hasn’t been blocked. Use a friend or family member’s phone to reach out. If the calls and texts go through normally when coming from a different number, then your number has definitely been blocked.
Checking Call History on iPhone
You can also check the recent call history on an iPhone to see if your calls are going through. Go to Phone > Recents to view recent calls. If your calls continuously show up here as “Dialed” instead of “Received” when calling someone, your number is likely blocked.
Contacting Provider to Confirm
Some cell phone providers like Verizon and AT&T allow you to contact them to confirm if a number has blocked you. Give them the number in question and they may be able to check if your number is blocked.
However, many providers will not disclose this information, so this is not a foolproof way to verify. But it’s worth contacting them if you want to exhaust all options.
Unblocking a Number on iPhone
If you determine your number has been blocked by someone, you can request they unblock you. But they have full control over their block list and may choose not to do this.
Here are the steps to unblock a number on an iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Phone
- Tap “Blocked Contacts”
- Tap the red minus button next to the contact you want to unblock
- Confirm unblocking when prompted
This will allow calls and texts to come through again from that number. But remember, the choice to unblock is up to the owner of the iPhone.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you suspect your number has been blocked but want to troubleshoot further, here are some tips:
- Try texting an iPhone user to confirm texts are going through normally to others
- Ask the person directly from another number if they blocked you
- Check your recent calls list on your iPhone to confirm calls are going through to others
- Make sure your phone service and number are active and in good standing
- Try manually unblocking the person’s number in your iPhone settings (just to rule it out)
Running through these basic troubleshooting steps can help confirm if the blocking issue is isolated to just the one number in question.
Prevent Being Blocked in the Future
To avoid being blocked in the future, here are some tips:
- Don’t over-text someone if they haven’t responded
- Respect someone’s request for space or minimal contact
- Don’t make unwanted calls repeatedly if they aren’t answered
- Generally be mindful of texting or calling too frequently
- Apologize if you’ve contacted someone excessively and they request you stop
Being mindful of your communication habits and respecting people’s boundaries can help prevent your number from being blocked again in the future.
Conclusion
Being blocked can be a confusing and frustrating experience. But there are definitive signs to look for like calls going to voicemail or texts not being delivered. If you repeatedly experience these issues reaching someone, chances are you’ve been blocked on their iPhone.
While it’s not an ideal situation, both you and the other person have the right to block communications. Overall, the best policy is to be mindful of your own texting and calling habits and respect someone’s request for limited contact if they make one.
With some patience and understanding, hopefully an amicable solution can eventually be reached if your number has been blocked by someone.