As is the case with most social media platforms, Twitter allows you to block users who you’d rather not interact with, regardless of the reason. Why put up with someone you can’t stand when you can just block them? It’s quick, satisfying, and saves everyone the back-and-forth rants on the timeline.
To see if someone’s blocked you on Twitter, log in to your account and go to the search box. Type in the username of the account in question and tap their name to visit their profile. If they’ve blocked you, you’ll see the message “You’re blocked. You can’t follow or see [username]’s tweets.”
Per their privacy policy, Twitter won’t notify you when someone blocks you, so you’ve got to check manually using this method. Luckily, it’s not too hard. Let’s take a closer look at the process, and how blocks on Twitter work.
How Do You Block Someone on Twitter?
When you block someone on Twitter, they won’t be able to see your tweets. You, too, won’t be able to see theirs. Their account and tweets won’t appear in your search results, and you can’t tag them in photos.
Basically, it’s the internet equivalent of sending someone into exile or to prison where you can’t interact with them. A blocked person can contact you only through a mutual follower or on other social platforms.
Here’s how to block an account on Twitter:
- Log in to your Twitter account.
- Go to the search box and type in the account you wish to block.
- Tap their username to visit their profile.
- Tap the More icon (three horizontal dots) on their profile page.
- Tap Block and then select Block again to confirm your decision.
You can also block a specific tweet that you no longer wish to see. Here’s how:
- Tap the More icon (three horizontal dots) at the top of the tweet you wish to block.
- Tap Block and then Block again to confirm your decision.
Here’s how to confirm that you’ve blocked someone: Visit their profile and look for the Follow button. It should be replaced by a Blocked button. The person’s tweets will be hidden from you. However, you can select Yes, view profile to see their tweets.
How Can You Tell if Someone Blocked You on Twitter?
There is no ‘block list’ on Twitter where you can see all the names of who blocked who and who’s been blocked by who. Twitter also doesn’t send you notifications every time an account blocks you. You have to do a little bit of investigation yourself if you suspect that someone has blocked you.
Luckily, it’s not difficult and won’t consume much of your time. Here’s how to check if someone’s blocked you on Twitter:
- Log in to your Twitter account.
- Go to the search box and type in the account that you suspect has blocked you. It may take a while for their profile to appear, especially if they’ve blocked you.
- Once you find them, tap the name to open their profile.
- If you’re blocked, you won’t be able to see any of their tweets. Instead, there will be a display message: You’re blocked. You can’t follow or see [username]’s tweets.
This is the best way to ascertain whether someone has blocked you, although there are a few other ways.
You can try checking their follower list. If you’re unable to, it may mean that they have set their account to private — or the more probable reason is that they’ve blocked you.
You can also try following them. If they’ve blocked you, you’ll receive the error message: “You are not authorized to view this user’s tweets.”
How to Unblock Someone on Twitter
Twitter allows you to view and manage the list of your blocked accounts. You can even decide to unblock them. Here’s how to do it:
- Log in to your Twitter account.
- Tap More from the side navigation menu.
- Select Settings & Privacy.
- Scroll down to Safety and tap Blocked accounts.
- There are two options at the top of the block list, All and Imported.
- Tap All to see all the accounts that you are currently blocking.
- Tap Imported to see the accounts you blocked after previously importing another account’s list.
- If you want to unblock an account, tap the Blocked button next to the account you would like to unblock. The button will read unblocked upon tapping it.
Alternatively:
- Visit the profile of the account you wish to unblock.
- The Blocked button should replace the Follow button.
- Tap the Blocked button and then confirm your decision to unblock them.
Can You Message Someone Who Blocked You on Twitter?
Technically, you can still message a person even after they’ve blocked you, but they won’t receive it unless they unblock you. The only way to contact a person who’s blocked you on Twitter is through a mutual follower or another social media platform.
When a person blocks you:
- You can’t follow them.
- You won’t be able to see their tweets.
- You won’t receive notifications about their content.
- You won’t see their replies or comments in a conversation.
- You can’t view their followers and following lists and likes.
- You can’t tag them in a photo.
- You can’t add your Twitter account to their lists.
- Their tweets won’t appear in your timeline.
Use Blolook to View Blocked Accounts
The official Twitter app doesn’t show you the number of people that have blocked you, and you have to go on a personal investigation to find this. Blolook, a third-party website, makes this possible. It’s a free service that is available as a mobile app and on the web.
It won’t show the usernames of people who have blocked you, but it will give you the number. Here’s how to use it:
- Visit the Blolook website.
- Log in to your Twitter account and authorize Blolook to connect to your Twitter.
- Once in, go to the “Your account” box.
- It will show you the number of accounts blocking you, the accounts you have blocked, and mutual blocks.
Twitter: A Safe Space for All
Twitter is meant to be a safe space for people of all backgrounds and identities. From the everyday user to celebrities, it provides an inclusive platform where anyone can connect and engage in meaningful conversations.
In order to play your part, remain respectful of others. Avoid hateful conduct, harassment, and threats directed at individuals or groups.
Don’t discriminate against people based on race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, religious affiliation, or disability.