If your messages have been going unanswered, you can be forgiven for thinking that the other person has blocked you on iMessage. What makes the situation further irritating is that you don't get a notification whenever your contacts block you unless they inform you.
But how can you find out without getting them involved?
Rest easy. In this article, I will share how and what to do upon finding this out and other tips on using iMessage for your convenience.
Find out if you have been blocked
1. Check the Color of the Text Bubble
Text bubbles are an excellent indicator for iMessage users. Usually, when you are chatting on iMessage while connected to the internet, the bubbles are blue.
This color may change to green if the other party's phone is off, offline, or they have switched from an iOS device. But if this persists, chances are high that you have been blocked on iMessage.
iMessage vs SMS
2. Send Them an iMessage
When you send an iMessage, it should immediately read Delivered under it and later Read if the recipient has enabled read receipts. However, if you see no such status, you have been blocked or are not connected to the internet.
To know if someone blocked you on iMessage with certainty, try sending other people an iMessage too. If the status shows Delivered under those messages, then there is little doubt you were blocked.
Check the iMessage’s status update
3. Send Them an SMS Message
If your iMessage can't reach the targeted recipient, it will instead be sent as a text message, and your iPhone will indicate as much. That can happen when the recipient is out of network range.
To tell if someone blocked your number on their iPhone, you will notice that the “Sent as Text Message” status does not change to “Delivered”.
Check if the SMS status changes to Delivered
4. Check Your Device
While the problem may be that somebody has blocked your number on their iPhone, it might as well be that you are offline unawares.
The messages app could also be down on your iPhone. Rare as these incidents appear, you may experience them now and then.
To Check It:
- Go to Settings > Messages, and tap Send & Receive.
- Tap on "Use your Apple ID for iMessage," if it appears and sign in with an Apple ID similar to that on your Mac, iPad, and iPod touch.
- Tap on your phone number to add it to iMessage. You will know it is added if you see a blue checkmark.
For your iPad or iPod touch:
Navigate to Settings > Messages and make sure that iMessage is on. If asked, sign in with the Apple ID you're using with Messages on your iPhone. Tap on Send & Receive, then select your phone number.
For your Mac:
Launch Messages. If asked, sign in with the Apple ID you're using with Messages on your iPhone. Choose Messages > Preferences, then click iMessage. Select your phone number to enable it.
Find out if the issue is on your end
5. Look For The Moon Icon in iMessage
The moon icon indicates that the recipient of your messages has temporarily disabled notifications for specific apps and contacts, including yours. Thus there is no cause for concern.
If the recipient has Focus mode enabled, you will receive a notification with a small moon symbol that says [Contact] has notifications silenced.
On the other hand, if you don't see any such notification, then you most probably have been blocked.
Look for the moon icon
Three Misconceptions About Being Blocked
While your fear that someone has blocked your number on their iPhone is valid, it may also be unfounded if the following are the prevailing circumstances:
You Receive an Automated Response
Consider yourself in someone's good books if you get an automated response to your text. The other party probably has Focus enabled or is in Do Not Disturb mode. That's an assurance that you are not blocked, as automated responses never go out to blocked numbers on iPhones.
You See a Delivery Notification
If you see a delivery notification, you are safe. It doesn't matter if the person you are texting has turned on Do Not Disturb. You will still get a delivery notification.
When none is forthcoming, your fear of being blocked may be accurate. However, you will also not get a delivery notification if the other party uses an Android device.
An iMessage Not Delivered Error
An iMessage Not Delivered error doesn't mean you're blocked. The most common cause is that the other party lacks internet access or there is a technical glitch on your part. Click on the Red info icon and tap Send as Text Message to send your text as an SMS rather than an iMessage.
Send as Text Message
If the Not Delivered notification disappears, your message has been successfully sent.
Not Delivered Notification
What To Do If Someone Blocked You On iMessage?
>Having established that someone has blocked you on iMessage need not necessarily be the end of your interactions. You may have critical information to pass. At the risk of proving more annoying, the following are some suggestions:
1. Use Other Messaging Apps
Try sending them a message from another app if you are not getting a response from iMessage.
If you aren't blocked everywhere, your message will be delivered, and you will witness that. However, failure to respond by the other party will indicate that they blocked you or don't want to answer.
2. Give Them a Call
Call them with your number
Call the other party to see if they have blocked you on their iPhone. Once you call someone who has blocked you, the phone will ring and then take you straight to voicemail. While that could mean that they are engaged elsewhere, repeated occurrence means there's a chance you've been blocked.
Call from a different number
The other way to find out if you have been blocked is by masking your number when calling them. Dial *67 before their number, and if it rings normally or they answer, your number is blocked.
You might as well attempt calling them with a different number as the last resort if you have a genuine concern for their welfare and have satisfied the above steps. If they pick up the call, it means you are blocked, but if your call still goes to voicemail, something else is the matter, or they are out of network coverage.
Leave a voicemail message
You can also leave a voicemail message if your number is blocked, but it's unlikely the other party will find your voicemail since it will appear under the Blocked Messages section.
3. Contact Them Via Another Platform
A word of caution as we proceed, being mindful of others' welfare is great, but the constant pursuit of somebody who doesn't want you in their life could amount to harassment. Having said that, here are some other ways you can contact them:
Take advantage of social media
Social media platforms offer an excellent alternative because they all have chat platforms from which you can enquire about peoples' well-being.
Leverage Email
Try emailing somebody you suspect has blocked you on iMessage from a different address, as emails associated with your contact also get affected.
Try a video chat
You can also attempt a video chat via popular services like Zoom and Skype.
How to Block Someone on iMessage
Nobody has a monopoly on blocking others on iMessage. So while it proves difficult to establish whether you've been blocked, you too can block someone in a few taps, as shown below:
- Find the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Locate the conversation with the contact you want to block.
- Go to their profile and tap the Info button.
- Scroll down and tap on Block this caller.
Tap the Messages App
Find the Contact You Want to Be Blocked
Tap the Info button
Select Block this caller
Well, rejection is hard to swallow, but it's one of our everyday realities. However, unless you know for a fact that that's the case, it is safe to have ways of knowing if someone blocked you on iMessage. That way, you get a reasonable assurance and can gracefully back off or be the one to nip an issue in the bud.
