Facebook gives you control over who can see and communicate with you. Sometimes, you may block someone — maybe by mistake, or maybe because things changed later. In such cases, unblocking is easy. In this guide, you’ll learn step by step how to unblock someone on Facebook — whether you use the mobile app, browser, or Messenger.
What Does Blocking on Facebook Mean?
When you block someone on Facebook:
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They can no longer see your posts or timeline. (Facebook)
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They cannot tag you, invite you to groups or events, or send you messages. (Facebook)
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If you were friends before, blocking them automatically unfriends them. (Facebook)
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However, blocking does not necessarily stop them from interacting in shared groups or apps. (Facebook)
So, blocking is a powerful tool — but unblocking does not mean everything returns exactly as before. (Facebook)
What Happens When You Unblock Someone?
When you unblock someone on Facebook:
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That person can now see your public posts again (or posts shared with friends). (Facebook)
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You do not automatically become friends again. You’ll need to send a new friend request if you want to reconnect. (Facebook)
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Any past messages or comments that were hidden while they were blocked will not reappear. (PHP China)
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After unblocking, Facebook may enforce a short waiting period (usually a few days) before you can block that profile again. (Facebook)
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The person you unblock is not notified that you unblocked them. (Facebook)
How to Unblock Someone via Mobile (App)
Here’s how to unblock a person using the Facebook mobile app (Android or iPhone):
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Open the Facebook app on your phone. (How-To Geek)
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Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines). On Android, this is usually at the top-right; on iOS, at the bottom-right. (How-To Geek)
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Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy → then Settings. (Digital Trends)
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Under the Audience & Visibility section, tap Blocking. (How-To Geek)
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You’ll see a list of people you’ve blocked. Find the name you want to unblock. (PHP China)
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Tap Unblock next to that name. (Facebook)
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A pop-up will ask you to confirm. Tap Unblock again. (PHP China)
And done! The person is now unblocked.
How to Unblock Someone via Desktop (Web Version)
If you use Facebook on a web browser (desktop/laptop), follow these steps:
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Go to facebook.com and log in to your account.
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Click your profile picture in the top-right corner. (Facebook)
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Select Settings & Privacy, then click Settings. (Facebook)
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In the left sidebar, click Blocking (or “Blocking / Block profiles and Pages”). (Facebook)
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In the Blocked users or Block profiles and Pages section, click See your blocked list. (Facebook)
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Find the person you want to unblock, and click Unblock next to their name. (Facebook)
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A confirmation prompt will appear — click Confirm to finalize. (How-To Geek)
After that, the user is unblocked and can again interact with your profile (as long as your privacy settings allow).
How to Unblock Someone on Messenger
If you blocked someone using Messenger, here’s how to unblock them:
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Open the Messenger app and tap your profile picture at the top-left. (Facebook)
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Scroll down and go to Account Settings.
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Tap on Blocking. (Facebook)
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You’ll see a list of blocked contacts. Find the person you want to unblock. (Facebook)
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Tap Unblock next to their name, and confirm in the popup. (Facebook)
Important: If someone is blocked on Facebook, they are also blocked on Messenger. So to fully unblock them in Messenger, you should unblock them from your Facebook account first. (Digital Trends)
Things to Know Before You Unblock
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Friend request required: Unblocking someone doesn’t make you friends again. If you want to reconnect, you’ll have to send a new friend request. (Facebook)
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Waiting period: Facebook may prevent you from re-blocking someone you just unblocked for a few days. (Facebook)
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No notifications: The person you unblock will not get a notification. (Facebook)
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Privacy settings matter: Even after unblocking, whether they can see your posts depends on your post visibility settings (public, friends, etc.) (Facebook)
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Past messages: Chats or comments from before blocking don’t come back after unblocking. (PHP China)
When Might You Want to Unblock Someone?
There are a few common reasons:
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You blocked someone by accident.
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You had a disagreement but now want to reconnect.
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You want to see their posts or messages again.
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You realize blocking was unnecessary, and you just needed some distance.
Unblocking is reversible (though with that waiting period), so it’s a safe way to re-evaluate relationships.
Alternative: Use “Take a Break” Instead of Blocking
If your goal was just to limit what you see from someone — and not cut them off completely — Facebook offers a “Take a Break” option. This allows you to see less from that person without blocking, unfriending, or alerting them. (Facebook)
Summary
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Blocking on Facebook completely prevents someone from interacting with your profile. (Facebook)
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Unblocking is simple: go to Settings → Blocking (on web) or Settings & Privacy → Blocking (in app), find the person, and confirm. (How-To Geek)
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After unblocking, you must send a new friend request if you want to be friends again. (Facebook)
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The unblocked person is not notified, but they regain abilities to see your content (as per your privacy settings). (Facebook)
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There may be a cool-down period before you can block them again. (Facebook)
Unblocking someone can feel like a second chance — whether for friendship, communication, or just being open to reconnect. By following the steps above, you can easily manage who’s blocked or unblocked from your Facebook account.