If your calls and texts aren't getting through to someone, there's a chance your number might have been blocked.
But don't jump to conclusions just yet. It's just as plausible that the person's phone you're trying to reach has been turned off or is out of service.
There are a few telltale signs that indicate you've been blocked, but they're not 100% foolproof. Still, until you've tried out these methods to test whether your number has been blocked, don't fret too much.
Try calling the person you think blocked your number
One of the easiest methods to figure out if you've been blocked is to simply call the person you think blocked you. By paying attention to how many rings, if any, there are before being sent to voicemail, you can figure out what's going on.
If you hear multiple rings before being sent to voicemail, the person on the other end has likely just missed your call. Only a few rings or a ring interrupted by the voicemail prompt indicates your call has been rejected.
When you call someone and immediately get their voicemail, this means their phone is currently turned off. If the call is perpetually ringing, it's possible the person has never set voicemail up and isn't able to take your call at the moment.
If you've been blocked, look for a single ring followed by the person's voicemail. If you leave a voicemail at this point, it'll be directed to a special voicemail area for blocked numbers, not the person's regular voicemail.
To double-check your findings, call the number in question from someone else's phone.
Use someone else's phone to make the call
Try calling the person you think blocked you from someone else's phone to see if you can get through. If you have a work phone or home phone with a different number to your phone, you can use that. Otherwise, you'll need to borrow a friend's phone.
There's a chance the person you're calling could answer. But we're hoping for the default response to an unknown (or even known) number: not answering and letting it go to voicemail.
If you get multiple rings or no rings before reaching voicemail — compared to one ring before voicemail — that's a pretty solid indication you've been blocked. If you get some type of "unavailable" message from both your phone and someone else's phone, the person might have changed their number.
Before trying this method, you should be prepared with what to say or ask if the person you think blocked you answers the phone. Furthermore, be ready for the person to potentially hang up on you or not explain why you're blocked. If someone blocked your number, the best thing you can do is give the person space.
For anyone who doesn't want to make a call for fear of the person actually picking up, there's one more method you can try.
See what happens when you send a text message
This method is easier for seeing if you've been blocked on iMessage for iPhone, but it's also possible to discern some details from Android messages.
On iPhone, you'll typically see 'Delivered' or 'Read' under a message you send. If you don't see any text below your message, one of two things is going on. You're blocked, or their phone is currently in Do Not Disturb mode. Once the person turns off Do Not Disturb, a message will appear if you haven't been blocked.
If your iMessage bubbles turn green when they've always been blue, that's another indicator that your number might be blocked (or that the person switched to Android).
It's a bit harder to tell if you've been blocked from sending a text from an Android phone. If you get an "unable to send message" response, you could be blocked, or the issue could be related to a connection or billing issue.
Checking 'suggested contact' recommendations might be a more foolproof method for Android users.
You'll first have to delete the person in question's number (make sure you write it down somewhere if you don't want to lose it). Then, search for their name in your contacts. They probably haven't blocked you if you see them pop up as a suggested contact. If you don't, you've likely been blocked.
Don't pester someone who's blocked you
It can hurt if you find out a friend or family member has blocked you. You might be angry, embarrassed, sad, or any combination of these emotions, but it's important not to act rashly and continue contacting the person who blocked you from other phones or apps.
It's possible the person who blocked you could need a little space before unblocking you and having a mature conversation, but you have to be willing to give them that space. On the other hand, that person might keep you blocked for a while, and it's up to you to make peace with that and respect people's privacy.
MORE FROM LAPTOP MAG
