How to Unblock Someone on Facebook in 4 Steps, with Photos

Have you ever blocked someone on Facebook only to regret it later? If there‘s a friend, family member, or acquaintance you want to connect with again, it‘s completely possible to unblock them.

In this guide, I‘ll walk you step-by-step through the process of unblocking someone on Facebook using either the mobile app or desktop site. I‘ll also provide some best practices on how to reconnect after unblocking and use Facebook‘s blocking feature responsibly going forward.

Whether you had a disagreement, blocked them too hastily, or simply want to give your relationship a second chance, unblocking allows you to open those lines of communication again. Let‘s get started!

What Happens When You Unblock Someone on Facebook?

Before going through the steps to unblock someone, you should understand what will happen when you do:

They‘ll be able to see your profile and posts again – The user will regain access to view your Facebook profile, pictures, posts, and all other content. It‘s a good idea to delete any posts you don‘t want them seeing before unblocking.
You can‘t block them again for 48 hours – Facebook prevents you from blocking, unblocking, and re-blocking the same user repeatedly. Once you unblock someone, you‘ll have to wait at least 48 hours before you can block them again.
You‘ll need to send a new friend request – Unblocking does not automatically re-add the person as your Facebook friend. You‘ll need to send them a new friend request if you want them back on your friends list.
They may ask why you blocked them – It‘s likely the user will be curious why you blocked them in the first place. Be prepared to explain your reasons for blocking and your desire to reconcile.

As long as you‘re comfortable with them viewing your profile and understand you‘ll need to re-send a friend request, you‘re ready to unblock them.

Detailed Steps to Unblock Someone on Facebook Mobile App

Unblocking someone on the Facebook mobile app is a quick, straightforward process:

On iPhone and iOS

Open the Facebook app on your iPhone. Tap the menu icon in the bottom right corner. This icon looks like three horizontal lines.
In the menu that pops up, tap Settings & Privacy. This option is located below the list of shortcuts.
On the Settings & Privacy page, tap Settings at the top.
Scroll down to the section called Audience and Visibility. Tap Blocking.
You‘ll see a list of all the users you‘ve blocked. Tap Unblock next to the name of the person you want to unblock.
Confirm that you want to unblock the user. The block will be immediately removed!

On Android Phones

Open the Facebook app on your Android. Tap the menu icon in the top right corner. This icon is three horizontal lines.
In the menu, tap the Settings icon, which looks like a gear. This icon is located in the top right.
Scroll down and tap Blocking on the Settings page.
You‘ll see the list of blocked users. Tap Unblock next to the name of the person you want to unblock.
Confirm you want to unblock them. The block will be removed right away!

That‘s all there is to unblocking someone on the Facebook mobile app! Tapping unblock quickly eliminates the block so you can interact with that person again.

Step-by-Step Guide to Unblock Someone on Facebook Desktop

You can also unblock people using the Facebook website on your computer. However, it requires a few more steps compared to mobile:

Log into Facebook on your computer and click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
In the drop-down menu, select Settings & Privacy.
On the Settings page, click Settings in the left-hand column.
On the Settings page, click Privacy in the left-hand menu.
In the Privacy page, click Blocking in the left-hand column.
Under the "Block Users" heading, click Edit on the right side.
In the pop-up window, click See your blocked list.
You‘ll see the full list of people you‘ve blocked. Click Unblock next to the user you want to unblock.
Confirm that you want to unblock the user.

It takes a few more clicks, but this will fully unblock the person so you can interact again.

Helpful Tips for Reconnecting After Unblocking

Once you‘ve gone through the steps to unblock someone on Facebook, you‘ll probably want to reconnect with them. Here are some tips to help revive the relationship:

Send them a new friend request with an explanation. Be sincere and acknowledge why you originally blocked them.
If you overreacted or blocked them too hastily, apologize and ask for their understanding.
Let them know you hope to rekindle the friendship and that you don‘t want any hard feelings.
Ask them politely not to re-block you as you wish to make amends.
If they question your motivations, be honest and explain your sincere desire to reconnect.
Avoid immediately blocking them again after unblocking. Doing so will likely damage the relationship further.

With some honest, open communication, you can often get your Facebook friendship back on track after an unfortunate blocking incident.

When Unblocking Someone May Be a Bad Idea

While unblocking can help resolve conflicts in many cases, there are certain situations where it may be unwise:

If the person was blocked for harassment, spamming, or making threats of violence. In cases like these, your safety should be the priority.
If you currently share custody of children with the person and need to limit contact for legal reasons.
If you‘re in a new romantic relationship and unblocking an ex could potentially stir up drama.
If you‘re actively trying to move on from a difficult breakup or divorce. Reconnecting could undermine that separation.

If you have concerns like these, it‘s probably best to err on the side of caution and keep the blocking in place. You can reevaluate down the road if circumstances change.

Facebook Blocking Statistics and Trends

To help put Facebook blocking in context, here are some interesting statistics:

73% of U.S. adults use Facebook, providing many opportunities for blocking.
22% of Facebook users say they‘ve blocked someone in the past.
36% of users between 18 and 29 years old have blocked someone, the highest of any age group.
29% of Facebook users say blocking someone has hurt or ended a friendship.
52% say they would consider unblocking someone who sincerely apologized.
48 hours is the minimum time you must wait before blocking someone again after unblocking them.

These statistics indicate blocking is quite common among Facebook users. However, most people are open to reconciling differences if the other person apologizes.

Best Practices for Using Facebook Blocking

Blocking can be a useful tool on Facebook for managing inappropriate, abusive or toxic connections. However, it should be used thoughtfully. Keep these tips in mind:

Don‘t block someone in anger – Give yourself some time to cool off before determining if blocking is the right decision. Make the choice rationally.
Communicate first if possible – Let the person know directly how they are making you feel or what they are doing that bothers you. Give them a chance to change the behaviors before blocking.
Unblock carefully – If you want to unblock someone, proceed thoughtfully and with purely good intentions.
Leverage privacy settings – Use Facebook‘s expansive privacy settings to control who sees certain posts without outright blocking.
Report truly abusive behavior – Blocking only prevents someone from interacting with you but doesn‘t stop them from abusing Facebook overall. Make sure to report harassing activity as well.
Don‘t block exes hoping to make them jealous – Blocking an ex or former love interest to elicit jealousy or play games is immature and won‘t support moving on.

By using Facebook blocking judiciously and keeping an open mind, you can promote healthy relationships and online interactions.

I hope this guide gives you a detailed look at how to unblock people on Facebook, either on mobile or desktop. With some care and communication, you can often reconnect with someone after regrettable blocking. Here‘s to more positive interactions!