WhatsApp is now part of the Facebook group of apps which includes Snapchat and Instagram. WhatsApp is very popular messaging app that offers encrypted text messaging and audio or video calling. One of the features in this app is that if someone is cold calling you, sending you spam or bothering you in any other way, then you can simply block them.
If someone has blocked you, you do not receive any notification that they have blocked you. The only way to find if someone has blocked you is through a number of indications. Here are a few of these:
1. Audio/video calls do not go through
You cannot make video or audio calls to someone who has blocked you. But when you try to call them, it acts as if it is placing the call only they are always busy and WhatApp shows the person is not able to pick the call. This can happen for a few days because they are really not able to use their phone, but if this keeps happening even after 2 weeks then you know that you have been blocked.
2. Text messages display only a single checkmark
When you send a text message over WhatsApp, it displays a single grey-colored checkmark next to the message to indicate it has been sent. The checkmark turns into a double grey-colored checkmark to show that the message has been delivered on the other end. The double-checkmark turns into blue color when the person has read your message.
If you send a text message and it stays a single grey colored checkmark even after many days, then the message was not able to be delivered. One reason for this is that you have been blocked.
3. “Last seen” status is no longer displayed
When you open a chat with a person, it displayed under their name the last seen status. For example, it may show “last seen today at 8:10 AM”. This status is updated whenever that person goes online, launched WhatsApp on their phone and does something like checking messages or making calls.
If this “last seen” status is no longer displayed for a person, one reason could be that they have blocked you. But you should wait a few days and should not draw a conclusion based only on this fact.
4. Profile changes are no longer updated for you
Usually when a person makes changes to their WhatsApp profiles, the changes are displayed to all the people who check their profile. These changes could be updating their profile pictures. But if they have blocked you, you will be stuck with their old profile when they had not yet blocked you. But then it could be a person who never updates their profile.
Final words
These are only a few indications that someone might have blocked you. According to WhatsApp, they have intentionally made it ambiguous and difficult to determine when someone blocks a person. So even if all the above appear to be true for a person, they might not have blocked you and it could be some other reason. The best way always is to just make a phone call to them and ask them why they are not responding.