A step-by-step guide to unblocking text messages on your Android device, including troubleshooting tips and advice.
What Does it Mean to Have Blocked Text Messages?
Having blocked text messages on your Android device means you have set up your messaging app or phone settings to automatically reject incoming texts from certain phone numbers.
When a number is blocked, you won’t receive their text messages.
Why Would You Want to Unblock Text Messages?
There are a few common reasons you may want to unblock text messages on your Android phone:
- You blocked someone by accident and want to undo it
- You temporarily blocked someone but now want to receive their texts again
- You blocked an unknown number that turns out to be from someone you know
How to Unblock Text Messages in Android’s Default Messaging App
If you’re using the messaging app that comes pre-installed on your Android, here are the steps to unblock a number:
- Open the Messaging app on your phone
- Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right
- Select “Settings” from the menu
- Tap “Blocked numbers”
- Tap the red minus icon beside the number you want to unblock
- Confirm you want to unblock the number
Unblocking in Third-Party Messaging Apps
If you use a third-party messaging app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, the steps to unblock a number may differ.
Generally, you’ll find the blocked contacts list under settings or account information.
Tap the contacts you want to unblock and remove them from the blocked list.
Unblocking at the Android System Level
If you’ve blocked a number directly in your Android device’s phone app settings, follow these steps:
- Open the Phone app on your Android
- Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right
- Select “Settings” then “Blocked numbers”
- Tap the red minus icon beside the number you want to unblock
Troubleshooting Tips
- Double check the number is no longer on your blocked list after unblocking
- Restart your messaging app and phone if needed
- Check your app permissions to allow access to contacts and SMS
- Try manually adding the unblocked number as a contact
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I unblock someone without them knowing?
Yes, when you unblock someone on Android they are not notified or alerted in any way.
They will simply be able to send you text messages again which you’ll receive as normal.
What happens to texts someone sent while blocked?
Any texts someone sends you while you have them blocked will not be delivered to your device or saved in any way.
So if you unblock them, you won’t suddenly receive a flood of their old texts.
Only new texts sent after unblocking will come through.
How do I re-block someone?
If you find you want to block someone again after unblocking them, just follow the same steps.
On both Android’s native messaging app and third-party apps, look for the blocking/unblocking option under settings and add them back to your blocked contacts list.
You can repeat this process as needed.