How to Block Someone on X (and What They Can Still See)

Every account on X (formerly Twitter) attracts the odd troll, spam bot or reply-guy eventually. For small business owners and creators it can be worse, because a public profile is the whole point and you can't simply lock the doors. Blocking is the tool that keeps a specific account out of your mentions and your inbox.

Before you tap it, though, it helps to know one thing that surprises people: on X, blocking isn't invisible. Here's how to block from a post or a profile, what the other account can and can't do afterwards, and when muting or DM blocking might suit you better. All of it follows X's own help centre.

Block someone on X from one of their posts

This is the quickest route when a reply or post has just annoyed you. X's help describes it like this:

1. Find a post from the account you'd like to block.
2. Tap the icon at the top of the post (the three-dot more icon).
3. Tap Block.
4. Select Block again to confirm.

It works the same way in the X app on iPhone and Android and on x.com in a browser, where you click rather than tap.

Block someone on X from their profile

If you'd rather go through the account itself, perhaps because you've spotted it in your followers list:

1. Open the account's profile.
2. Tap the more icon on the profile.
3. Tap Block, then confirm.

Menus vary a little by app version, but Block always sits in that more menu on the profile.

What a blocked account can't do on X

According to X's help centre, once you block an account it can't:

• Engage with your posts, so no likes, replies or reposts.
• Follow you.
• Send you Direct Messages.
• Add your account to their lists.
• Tag you in a photo.

On your side, posts from the blocked account stop appearing in your timeline. You may still see posts from people you follow that mention the blocked account, so it won't vanish from X completely.

What a blocked account can still see on X

This is where blocking on X differs from many other apps. X's help is clear on two points:

• Blocked accounts can still see your public posts. They just can't engage with them.
• They don't get a notification that you've blocked them, but if they visit your profile, they'll see they've been blocked.

So if you're hoping someone won't notice, they may well find out the next time they look you up. If your posts need to be hidden from an account entirely, think about making your account private, so only followers you approve can see what you post.

Blocking vs muting vs DM blocking on X

There are three levels of control, and picking the right one avoids drama:

Tool	What it does	Can they tell?
Mute	Hides their posts from your timeline without unfollowing or blocking	Muting is designed to be quiet
DM block	Stops them sending you Direct Messages; public interactions stay	Their messages simply stop reaching you
Block	Stops them following, engaging, messaging, listing or tagging you	Yes, if they visit your profile

X's DM blocking help says that once you've blocked messages from a user, they can't send you Direct Messages and you won't receive new ones from them, while group messages aren't affected. That's a neat option for a persistent salesperson who's otherwise harmless. If you're reviewing these settings, my X privacy audit goes through the others worth checking at the same time.

Blocking people when you run an X account for a business

For a brand account, I'd use blocking for spam, scams and abuse, and muting for the merely irritating. A few habits help:

• Block accounts that impersonate your business or tag you in scam posts, and report them too.
• Mute rather than block a grumpy customer, so you can still see and answer a real complaint.
• Keep a short note of who you've blocked and why if several people manage the account.
• Check your blocked list every so often, in case someone was blocked by mistake.

Running a brand account long term brings these choices up again and again, as I explain in my piece on the challenges of looking after an X account for years.

If an account is harassing or threatening you, block it and report it to X, and if you're in danger, contact the police. Blocking protects your feed, but reporting is what tells X's team something's wrong.

How to unblock someone on X

1. Visit the blocked account's profile.
2. Tap the Blocked button.
3. Confirm that you'd like to unblock.

After you unblock, the limits listed above no longer apply, so they can follow, message and engage with you again. If you only unblocked by accident, you can block again straight away from the same profile.

I'd give it a moment's thought before unblocking someone who was abusive. If the problem was spam or a one-off disagreement, unblocking is harmless. If it was harassment, leaving the block in place is usually the kinder choice for your own peace of mind.

If blocking on X doesn't seem to work

• You still see the account mentioned: that's normal when people you follow post about it.
• They can still read your posts: blocked accounts can see public posts. Make your account private if that's a problem.
• You can't find the Block option: update the X app, then look in the more menu on the post or profile.
• The account keeps coming back under new names: block each one and report the pattern to X through its help centre.

Frequently asked questions

How do I block someone on X?

Tap the more icon at the top of one of their posts or on their profile, tap Block, then confirm.

Does X tell someone when you block them?

No notification is sent, according to X's help. But if the blocked account visits your profile, it'll see it has been blocked.

Can someone I've blocked on X still see my posts?

Yes, if your posts are public. Blocked accounts can see public posts but can't like, reply, repost, follow or message you.

What's the difference between muting and blocking on X?

Muting hides someone's posts from your timeline quietly. Blocking stops them following, engaging with or messaging you, and they can see they're blocked if they visit your profile.

How do I unblock someone on X?

Open their profile, tap the Blocked button and confirm.