Alex Ruben
How To Block Someone on Facebook Using the Mobile App: A Complete Guide
Blocking someone on the Facebook mobile app is kind of weird sometimes. It feels simple, but then you get stuck because the menu paths aren’t exactly obvious, or the options aren’t where they seem like they should be. Plus, Facebook updates can change things just enough to confuse you. But blocking a user is really useful if you’re tired of annoying messages, unwanted interactions, or just want some peace of mind. Once set up, you won’t see their posts, messages, or even their profile on your feed. It’s a handy tool for quick privacy control—though honestly, the process isn’t as streamlined as it could be. The goal here? To make sure you know exactly where to tap and what to toggle to get it done without so much frustration. Expect to see new menu sections sometimes, especially if you’re updating the app, so be aware that steps might vary a tad over time.
How to Block Someone on Facebook Mobile App
Find the right spot in the app to start blocking
First, open up the Facebook app on iOS or Android. If you’re like most people, you’re already logged in, but make sure your account is active. Then, tap the Menu icon—usually three horizontal lines in the top right corner (on Android) or bottom right (on iOS). From there, tap your profile picture or your name, which takes you to your profile page. Sometimes on Android, the menu can hide, especially if you’ve customized the interface, so look for that hamburger icon or a partial menu icon.
Navigate to your settings (sometimes hidden)
Once you’re on your profile, scroll down and find Settings & Privacy — this is often collapsed, so tap on it to expand. Then, select Settings. If the menu has been rearranged in recent versions, look for anything related to “Privacy” or “Account Settings”. The goal is to reach the section where Facebook handles blocking and privacy controls. The tricky part? On some setups, the Blocking option is tucked away under Privacy Settings, so don’t panic if it’s not where you expected. Just keep exploring those menus.
Access the blocking controls
Scroll down in the settings menu until you see a section titled Audience and Visibility — or maybe directly Blocking. On some Android versions, it might be labeled as Blocking and Restricted. Tap there. This is where you manage your block list and add new ones. If your app is a bit laggy, try closing and reopening it, sometimes the menu loads weirdly—Facebook’s app bugs are kind of annoying that way.
Add the person to the block list
In the Blocking section, there’s usually a button called Add to Block List. Tap that, and a search bar will pop up. Now, type the name or username of the person you want to block. It helps if you’re friends with them or have them in your recent contacts. If the name doesn’t show up immediately, double-check your spelling or try searching by username. Sometimes Facebook’s search is wonky, especially if you’ve got a common name.
Select and confirm the user to block
When the person appears in the search results, tap on their profile. Facebook will show their name and profile picture—make sure it’s the right one. Tap Block. Then, a confirmation dialog pops up—hit Confirm or OK. That final “yes” is how Facebook knows you really want to do it, but honestly, on some devices, it feels like you have to tap twice or wait a second for the button to respond. Not sure why it works like that, but it’s a thing.
Check and manage your block list
Once blocked, Facebook usually shows a list of your blocked users. Sometimes, you can unblock directly from here if you change your mind later—just tap the profile in the list and select Unblock. Keep in mind that unblocking might take a few minutes to sync across all services, so if you unblock and then try searching immediately, it might still say “blocked”.
Extra tips & common issues
If you’re hitting a wall, which happens on newer app versions or when Facebook is doing updates, try updating the app first. Sometimes the menu changes, and what worked last week isn’t where it used to be today. Also, if blocking the person doesn’t seem to work, check your privacy settings—are your privacy choices restricting your control? Weirdly enough, on some setups, you might need to restart the app or even delete cache data in your device settings to make the menus appear properly. For Android, clearing cache in Settings > Apps > Facebook > Storage & Cache can sometimes clear up those weird menu bugs. On iPhone, restarting the app or your phone can do the trick.
Blocking someone isn’t perfect, and Facebook’s interface can be a little unpredictable, but knowing where to find the options helps cut down the frustration. Just remember, it’s about protecting your space—sometimes it takes a few tries or app restarts to get it right. Finish up by checking your blocked list now and then, just to make sure everything’s clean and in order. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours of crawling through menus for someone. If this gets one update moving, that’s a win.
Summary
- Open the Facebook app and get to your profile
- Tap Menu (three lines), then Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Scroll to Audience and Visibility > Blocking
- Use Add to Block List to search and block users
- Confirm your choice and manage your block list as needed
Wrap-up
All in all, it’s not too crazy once you get the hang of where everything is hiding now and then. Facebook loves hiding things in menus just to keep us on our toes. As long as you know where to look and keep your app up to date, blocking someone becomes just another quick tap. Expect a little fuzziness sometimes—menus rearranged, buttons unresponsive—but that’s the platform for you. Just keep trying, and it’ll click eventually.