Blocking someone on Snapchat is a common way to limit interactions with them, preventing them from seeing your posts or sending you messages. But, if you’ve decided to unblock them, you may be unsure of the steps or the implications of doing so. This article will walk you through the entire process of unblocking someone on Snapchat and provide additional context on what happens afterward.
Steps to Unblock a Contact on Snapchat
If you’re ready to unblock someone, here’s a simple step-by-step guide:
- Open Snapchat: Launch the app on your device.
- Access Profile Settings: Tap your Bitmoji or avatar icon in the upper-left corner of the screen.
- Go to Settings: Tap the gear icon in the upper-right corner to open your settings.
- Find Blocked Contacts: Scroll down until you see the “Blocked” section.
- Unblock the Contact: Tap the “X” next to the person’s name you want to unblock.
- Confirm Unblock: Snapchat will ask for confirmation before unblocking. Tap “Yes” to finalize.
Once unblocked, that person can see your public posts, stories, charms, and send you messages again.
Can They See You Blocked Them?
No, Snapchat does not notify users when they are blocked. However, if you unblock someone and re-add them as a contact, they might realize they were previously blocked when they receive a friend request from you.
What Happens After Unblocking?
When you unblock someone, they can resume seeing your public posts and stories. However, note that the person will not automatically be added back to your friends list; you’ll have to manually add them again. Also, any conversations, snaps, or shared content before blocking will not be restored. You’ll need to start fresh if you wish to communicate with them again.
Snapchat Block and Unblock Implications
Before deciding to unblock someone, it’s essential to consider the following:
- Messages and Snaps: Once someone is blocked, all message history is deleted. You cannot recover previous conversations.
- No Notification: Blocking or unblocking someone on Snapchat is a private action. They won’t be notified, but they may deduce it if they suddenly can’t find your profile or receive friend requests.
- Re-Friending: After unblocking, you will need to send a friend request again to restore communication.
- Search Delay: It may take up to 24 hours before the unblocked contact appears in search results again.
Managing Your Snapchat Contacts
In addition to unblocking, Snapchat offers other ways to manage interactions with your contacts. You don’t always have to block someone; you can simply remove them or manage how they can interact with you.
Alternatives to Blocking
Remove a Contact
Removing a contact prevents them from seeing your private content but still allows them to view your public posts. They can also message you, depending on your privacy settings.
Steps to Remove a Contact:
- Open your contact list.
- Find the person you wish to remove.
- Tap the three dots next to their name.
- Select “Remove Contact.”
Manage Messaging:
If you don’t want someone to message you without blocking them, Snapchat’s privacy settings offer control over who can send you messages.
Steps to Adjust Messaging Settings:
- Navigate to Settings.
- Tap “Who Can…”
- Select “Contact Me” or “Send Me Snaps.”
- Adjust who is allowed to message or send snaps to you.
Do Not Disturb:
For temporary reprieve from a contact’s messages or notifications, activate the “Do Not Disturb” feature instead of blocking them.
Steps to Enable Do Not Disturb:
- Open Settings.
- Select “Do Not Disturb.”
- Enable it for the contact you wish to silence.
What Happens When You Block Someone?
Blocking a contact on Snapchat has several implications:
- Messages and Snaps: The person you block can no longer send you messages, view your snaps, or access your profile.
- Disappearance from Contact List: The blocked contact will no longer appear in your contact list, and you won’t show up in theirs.
- No Notification: Snapchat does not notify users when they have been blocked. However, blocked contacts may deduce it if they are unable to find your profile or if they receive an unexpected friend request after being unblocked.
Re-Adding a Blocked Contact
Once you’ve unblocked someone, you will need to manually re-add them as a contact. Here’s how to do it:
- Search for Their Username: Use the search bar to find the unblocked contact.
- Send a Friend Request: Tap “Add” next to their username.
- Wait for Acceptance: If their profile is private, they will need to accept your request to re-establish the connection.
Can You See Old Messages After Unblocking?
No, once a contact is blocked on Snapchat, all messages, snaps, and shared data are permanently deleted. There is no way to retrieve the old conversation unless the other person saved it on their device. It’s a good idea to back up important chats or media before deciding to block someone.
Snapchat Privacy Controls
Snapchat provides several privacy controls to tailor your experience and manage interactions with contacts. These settings allow you to customize who can message you, view your stories, and send you snaps.
Privacy Settings Overview
- Who Can Contact Me: Control who can send you messages, snaps, and view your content.
- Options: “Everyone,” “My Friends,” or specific custom settings.
- Who Can See My Story: Limit who can view your Snapchat stories.
- Options: “Everyone,” “Friends Only,” or custom settings.
- Who Can Send Me Snaps: Control who can send snaps to you.
- Options: “Everyone,” “My Friends,” or custom settings.
- Do Not Disturb: Temporarily mute notifications from certain contacts without blocking them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can You Retrieve Blocked Contacts?
Once a contact is blocked, their messages and interactions are deleted. To re-establish a connection, you’ll need to unblock and manually re-add them to your friends list.
Can You See Messages After Unblocking?
No, Snapchat deletes all messages, chats, and snaps when you block someone. You will not be able to retrieve them after unblocking the person unless they have saved the conversation.
Why Can’t I Find Someone After Unblocking?
If you cannot find the unblocked person in your contacts, search for them manually using their username. Make sure you’re spelling the username correctly, as they may have changed it. Also, it may take up to 24 hours for the contact to reappear in search results after being unblocked.
What If They Blocked You First?
If the contact blocked you before, you will not be able to find them after unblocking them. In such cases, you will need to wait until they unblock you as well.
Conclusion
Unblocking someone on Snapchat is a straightforward process, but it’s important to understand the implications. While you can restore communication, old messages and snaps are permanently deleted. Before unblocking, consider whether you want to re-establish contact and explore other alternatives like “Do Not Disturb” or removing them from your contact list.
Snapchat provides various privacy controls, allowing users to manage interactions effectively without needing to block contacts in most situations. By making use of these settings, you can tailor your Snapchat experience to fit your needs, while avoiding unwanted communications.
