How To Block Someone On Teams: Step-By-Step Guide

Blocking someone on Microsoft Teams can be a necessary step when you need to prevent unwanted communication or reduce distractions. Whether it’s dealing with spam, inappropriate behavior, or simply needing a break from constant messages, the Teams block feature can help. In this guide, we’ll show you how to block someone on Teams on both Teams desktop and Teams mobile.

 You’ll also learn how to block someone in Teams chat and troubleshoot if the block isn’t working as expected. Whether you're blocking an internal colleague or an external contact, we’ve got you covered with simple steps to help you take control of your Teams experience and keep things professional.

What Does Blocking Someone on Teams Mean

Blocking someone on Microsoft Teams means they won’t be able to message or call you, and they won’t see your online status. However, if you’re in the same group chat or channel, they can still see and interact with your messages.

• No direct chats or calls – The person you block can’t message or call you directly.
• Status is hidden – They won’t be able to see if you’re online.
• No notifications – You won’t get any messages or alerts from them.
• Still in group chats – Blocking doesn’t remove them from new group chat conversations you’re both in, even if your Teams meeting capacity is full.

Who Can Block Someone on MS Teams?

Not everyone in Microsoft Teams has the same ability to block contacts. While regular users can block unwanted messages and calls, admins have more control over overall communication settings.

For Users

• You can block someone on Microsoft Teams in a one-to-one chat to stop them from messaging or calling you.
• Blocking works for both internal contacts (people in your organization) and external contacts (people outside your company).
• If you change your mind, you can always tap unblock contact in your settings.
• Blocking doesn’t remove the person from a group chat, so they’ll still see your messages there.

For Admins

• Admins can’t block users on behalf of others, but they can adjust settings to limit communication with external contacts.
• They can manage the Teams block feature in the Microsoft Teams admin center, deciding if blocking is available to users.
• Admins can also report behavior and enforce company-wide messaging rules.

How to Block Someone on Microsoft Teams Desktop

If you want to stop a contact from messaging or calling you on Microsoft Teams, you can easily block them. Here’s how to do it:

Teams - block someone desktop

        1. Open Microsoft Teams on your computer.

        2. Go to your Chat list and find the person you want to block. If you don’t see them, use the search bar to look them up.

        3. Click on their profile picture or name to open the chat.

        4. Click on More options (three dots) in the top-right corner.

        5. Select Block Contact from the menu.

        6. A confirmation message will pop up - click Block to confirm.

        7. Once blocked, they won’t be able to send messages, call you, or see your status.

If you ever need to unblock them, go to Settings, find Blocked users, and click Unblock contact. You also don't need to cancel a Teams meeting if you have blocked the participant.

How to Block Someone on Microsoft Teams Mobile

If you're getting unwanted messages or calls in Microsoft Teams, you can block user on Teams to stop them or unwanted interactions from reaching you. Here’s how you can do it on the mobile app.

Microsoft Teams - block someone

        1. Open Microsoft Teams on your phone.

        2. Go to the Chat list and find the person you want to block. If you don’t see them right away, use the search bar.

        3. Tap on their profile picture to open their details.

        4. Tap More options (the three dots in the top-right corner).

        5. Select Block contact and confirm by tapping Block.

Blocking Someone from Your Contacts

1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to Settings.
2. Tap Manage blocked users to view your blocked list.
3. Tap Add contact and search for the person you want to block.
4. Select Block Contact to confirm.

Once you block someone, they won’t be able to send messages, call you, or see your status. However, if you share a group chat or are part of the same Microsoft Office community, they can still see messages in those spaces.

How to Unblock Someone on Teams

If you’ve blocked someone in Microsoft Teams and want to reconnect, note that you can easily unblock them on both desktop and mobile. Here’s how:

Unblocking on Teams Desktop

1. Open Microsoft Teams and click your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select Settings, then go to the Privacy section.
3. Click Manage blocked users to see a list of blocked contacts.
4. Find the person you want to unblock and click Unblock.
5. If you have not deleted your chat yet, you can simply click on the chat and unblock the person you blocked in the first place.

Unblocking on Teams Mobile

1. Open Microsoft Teams on your phone.
2. Tap your profile picture, then go to Settings.
3. Select Privacy and tap Manage blocked users.

        4. Locate the blocked participant and tap Unblock contact.

Once unblocked, they’ll be able to message you, call you, and see your status again. However, Teams won’t notify them that they’ve been unblocked. You can change your name in Teams and ask if the participant can see your name changed on their end to make sure they are unblocked on their end.

Troubleshoot Blocking Issues on Teams

If you're having trouble blocking someone on Microsoft Teams, or a blocked contact still appears in your chat list, there are several possible reasons and solutions. Below, we’ll cover the most common blocking issues and how to fix them.

Fix Blocking Not Working on Teams

If the block feature isn’t working, it could be due to sync issues, permissions, or organization settings. Try these solutions:

1. Restart Teams – Close and reopen the app to refresh settings.
2. Check Organization Policies – If you and the blocked participant are in the same organization, blocking might not be allowed.
3. Make Sure the Block Went Through – Sign out and back in to see if the contact is listed under Manage blocked users in Settings.
4. Update Teams – If you’re using an older version, update the app to ensure the block feature works properly.
5. Try Blocking Again – Open the chat, click on the profile picture, select More options, and choose Block contact.

Resolve Blocked Contact Still Visible on Teams

Even after blocking someone, their chat might still appear in Teams. This can be due to cache issues, external contact settings, or notification settings. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Clear Cache to Refresh Teams

Clearing the cache removes old data that might be keeping the blocked contact visible. You can try a test call in Teams after you have cleared cache to see if it works.

2. Hide the Chat Manually

If a blocked person still appears in your chat list, you can manually hide the conversation:

• Find the chat in your Chat list.
• Click on More options (three dots).
• Select Hide chat.

This won’t delete the chat permanently, but it will remove it from your main list.

3. Unblock and Reblock the Contact

Sometimes, Teams doesn’t process the block correctly. You can unblock and reblock the user to force the change:

• Go to Settings > Privacy > Manage blocked users.
• Tap unblock contact, then try blocking them again.

4. Check External Contacts & Organization Settings

If the blocked person is an external contact (outside your company), Microsoft Teams may still display them due to different communication settings. In this case:

• Go to Settings > Privacy and review your communication settings.
• Disable any settings that allow communication with external contacts.

5. Disable Notifications for Blocked Users

Even if a contact is blocked, you might still receive notifications from old chats. To stop this:

• Open Microsoft Teams.
• Click on Settings > Notifications.
• Adjust settings to mute notifications from blocked contacts.

6. Report the Contact for Inappropriate Behavior

If the blocked contact is still causing issues, you can report inappropriate behavior in Teams:

• Open their profile.
• Click More options > Report inappropriate behavior.
• Follow the prompts to submit a report.

Conclusion

In summary, knowing how to block someone on Teams is a helpful way to manage your privacy and control who you communicate with. Whether you're using Teams to block someone desktop or block someone on Teams mobile, it’s a simple process that lets you stop unwanted chats and calls. The Teams block feature ensures that blocked users can’t message or contact you, giving you peace of mind.

If you change your mind, it’s just as easy to unblock someone on Teams and resume communication. This level of control over your interactions helps you focus on the important stuff while maintaining a professional environment. By understanding how to block a person on Microsoft Teams and using these features, you can keep your workspace organized and free from distractions.

You can even use third party tools to improve your meetings by recording yourself on Teams and sending the notes to your team members who have missed the meeting,

How to Block Someone on Teams FAQ

Can You Block Someone on Teams Without Them Knowing?

Yes, you can block a person on Microsoft Teams without them being notified. When you block someone on Teams, they won’t be informed directly. They will no longer be able to send you messages or make calls, and they won’t see your status updates. While Teams block feature keeps their attempts to contact you hidden, it's important to note that they may still realize they've been blocked if they try to reach out and can't get a response.

Does Blocking on Microsoft Teams Affect Group Chats?

Blocking someone on Teams does not remove them from group chats or channels. If you block a user on Teams, they will still be able to see messages in shared group conversations. However, blocking someone on Teams mobile or desktop prevents them from sending you private messages or making direct calls. In other words, your blocked contact Microsoft Teams interactions are limited to the group chat, but they can’t directly communicate with you anymore.

Why Can’t I Block Someone on Teams?

If you’re wondering why you can’ block contact Microsoft Teams, there might be more options for a few reasons:

• Permissions Issues: If you’re an admin, certain restrictions might prevent you from blocking a person on Microsoft Teams, especially when it comes to external contacts.
• Sync Problems: Sometimes, Teams fail to sync immediately, causing the teams block contact action to not be applied right away. Try refreshing or restarting the app to resolve this.
• Teams Version: If you are using an outdated version of Teams, the Teams block feature may not work correctly. Make sure your app is up to date for full functionality on both Teams block someone desktop and mobile versions.
  

How to Report Someone on Teams After Blocking?

After you block someone in Teams chat, you can still report their behavior. Here’s how:

1. Go to the blocked person’s profile.
2. Click on the More Options button (three dots).
3. Select Report Inappropriate Behavior or similar options. This allows you to report issues even after you’ve taken the step to block someone on Teams.