What happens if you block a contact in WhatsApp and delete their number - briefly?
If you block a contact in WhatsApp and subsequently delete their number from your phone, several changes occur: the blocked user will no longer be able to call, message, or view your status updates; additionally, their messages will not be delivered to your phone, effectively removing them from your communication circle.
What happens if you block a contact in WhatsApp and delete their number - in detail?
When you block a contact in WhatsApp, several changes occur immediately:
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Messages and Calls: The blocked user will no longer be able to send messages or make calls to your number. Any message they try to send will remain undelivered and will show only one checkmark (indicating it was sent but not delivered). Similarly, any call attempt will fail and display a "call failed" notification.
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Status Updates: The blocked user will not see any updates to your status. This includes any changes in your profile picture, about section, or any stories you post.
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Read Receipts: If you have read receipts enabled (double blue checkmarks), the blocked contact will no longer receive these indicators. However, they will still see single checkmarks for messages sent before the block was implemented.
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Last Seen and Online Status: The blocked user will not be able to view your "last seen" or "online" status. Similarly, you will not be able to see theirs if you ever unblock them in the future.
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Group Conversations: If both of you are part of a group conversation, the blocked contact can still see your messages within that group. However, they will not receive any direct messages or calls from you outside the group context.
Now, if you also delete their number from your contacts:
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Contact Information: Your phone's contact list will no longer show their information. This means you will not see their name or profile picture when they message or call you (if the block is ever lifted).
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Future Interactions: If you unblock them in the future, WhatsApp will treat them as a new contact. You will need to manually add their number back to your contacts if you want to see their name and profile picture.
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Backup and Restore: If you have enabled chat backup on iCloud or Google Drive, deleting their number from your contacts will not affect the backup. However, restoring from a backup where they were still in your contacts will re-add them as a contact in your phone, but WhatsApp will still treat them as a new contact due to the previous block.
In summary, blocking a contact in WhatsApp severely limits their ability to interact with you directly. Deleting their number from your contacts removes their information from your phone's address book but does not affect WhatsApp's functionality regarding the block.