If you are having trouble reaching friends, family, or colleagues through calls and texts, it is possible that your number has been blocked. Unfortunately, the blocker may not inform you of this, leaving you unsure of the situation. In some cases, blocking may even occur accidentally. That’s why it’s important to know how to unblock a number on Android.
But what if you are the one who has been blocked?
Here’s how you can check:
What happens when your number is blocked?
The first thing to understand is what occurs when someone has blocked your number.
If you attempt to call them, you may hear one or two rings before being informed that their number is unavailable. This does not necessarily mean you have been blocked, as they may simply have ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode activated. If their phone continues to ring, it indicates that you are not blocked; they are just not answering for another reason.
When sending text messages, there is no clear indication if you have been blocked. Your messages will appear to be delivered successfully, but the recipient will not actually receive them.
How to check whether you’re on a person’s ‘Blocked Number’ list
If you have a good relationship with the person who may have blocked you, you can easily check if you are blocked using their phone (with their permission, of course).
If they also use an Android phone, they should open their ‘Contacts’ app, access the settings menu, and tap on ‘Blocked numbers’ to see if your number is listed.
For iPhone users, they should navigate to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts to check if your number is blocked. If your number is on the list, removing it should allow your calls and messages to go through again.
How to check if you’ve been blocked from your own Android phone
If you do not have direct communication with the person who may have blocked you, there is a workaround on Android devices to determine if your number has been blocked:
- Open the ‘Contacts’ app on your phone.
- Locate the contact you suspect has blocked your number.
- Make note of their contact details.
- Delete the contact from your phone.
- Close the ‘Contacts’ app.
- Reopen the ‘Contacts’ app and search for the deleted contact.
If the deleted contact appears in the search results, it is likely that they have not blocked you. If the contact does not show up, there is a good chance that you have been blocked.
This method only applies to cases where your phone number has been blocked specifically on someone else’s device. If you suspect you have been blocked on other platforms, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facebook Messenger, refer to their respective guides for more information.
