Alex Ruben
How To Block and Unblock Users on TikTok
In today’s world, managing your social media presence can be kinda tricky. Sometimes you just wanna block that one person who’s been annoying, and other times, you might wanna reverse it. Nothing fancy, just practical stuff. If you’ve ever been in a situation where someone pops up and you’re like “Ugh, not today,” this is how you do it. Not the most obvious steps, and frankly, TikTok’s UI isn’t exactly intuitive, so here goes.
Step 1: Open the TikTok App
Start by opening the TikTok app on your phone. Log in if you’re not already, otherwise, you’ll be stuck on that ‘log in’ page forever. Make sure you’ve got the latest version, too — because of course, TikTok has to make it harder than necessary.
Step 2: Find the User You Want to Block
There are a few ways:
- Scroll through the For You page, hoping to stumble onto their videos. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
- Use the Search bar at the top (tap that magnifying glass). Type their username. If you’re lucky, their profile will come right up.
- If they’re in your following list, go to your Profile (bottom right icon), tap on Following, then scroll through until you see their face.
Pro tip: If you’re struggling to find them, just searching can be faster, especially if you remember their exact handle.
Step 3: Block the User
Once you’re at their profile (finally):
- Tap on their profile picture to open it.
- Look for the share icon in the top right corner — it’s usually an arrow or three dots depending on version.
- Tap it, then pick Report or Block from the menu. On some versions, it’s directly Block.
- You’ll get a confirmation popup — just tap Block again. Easy.
Blocking means they won’t see your stuff, they can’t reach you, and vice versa. It keeps the creeps at bay, in theory.
Step 4: How to Unblock Someone Later
If you change your mind (or they begged for forgiveness) and wanna unblock:
- Head over to Profile (bottom right).
- Tap on the hamburger menu (three lines) at the top right to open Settings and Privacy.
- Select Privacy.
- Scroll down to find the Blocked Contacts section — yes, it’s tucked away in there.
- They’ll be listed — find their name, then tap next to it Unblock.
Suddenly, they can see your videos again. Weird how that works.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Here’s some behind-the-scenes stuff that actually matters:
- If you accidentally banned someone, it’s a breeze to *undo* — just unban them. No drama.
- Blocking doesn’t notify people — so don’t worry about that getting out unless they go snooping.
- Sometimes, TikTok acts flaky, and the unblock process might lag or not work at first. Keeping the app updated helps, but not always.
When the Buttons Don’t Work
Yeah, sometimes clicking “Block” just doesn’t do anything, or it crashes. In those cases, try clearing cache (in Settings > Storage), or even restarting your phone. And if that fails, reinstalling TikTok might jolt things into place. Not really sure why it works, but some apps just get weird after updates.
Final Thoughts
Managing your TikTok contacts isn’t always straightforward, but with these steps, it’s doable. Just keep in mind: UI changes happen, so what works today might be different tomorrow. But hey, at least you’re armed with the essentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block someone without them knowing?
Yep, blocking on TikTok is sneaky — they won’t get a notification or anything. They just disappear from your feed, like they never existed.
What happens when I block someone on TikTok?
They can’t see your profile, videos, or send you messages anymore. It’s a full on ghosting mode, but on their screen, they might not know why.
Can I unblock someone after blocking them?
Of course — just follow the unblocking steps mentioned above, and they’re back in your circle. Pretty straightforward, but again — UI can be different depending on version.
Summary
- Open the app, find the user, then block or unblock.
- UI might vary, some buttons are tiny or hidden.
- Keep TikTok updated, settings in the menu, don’t overthink it.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. TikTok’s interface isn’t the clearest, and yeah, it takes a bit of clicking around. But once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty manageable. Fingers crossed this helps.