Did someone block you on their iPhone or iPad, and you’re wondering whether or not you’ll still be able to send a FaceTime call to them?
This is an interesting question, since FaceTime and regular phone calls are handled differently.
So, in this article I’ll cover whether you can still FaceTime, what will happen if you try, and alternate ways to get through to them should you wish to get in contact.
Let’s get started!
Can You FaceTime Someone Who Has Blocked You?
No, you cannot FaceTime someone that has blocked you from their device. While iOS will allow you to place the call, it will never actually go through – making it impossible to FaceTime them.
The only exception to this is if they’ve requested with the cellular provider that they block you at the carrier level, but then also forget to block you on their device itself.
This is because carriers can block calls and SMS text messages going through, but cannot block messages from internet-based services like iMessage or FaceTime.
That being said, the majority of the time, people block you themselves directly from their iPhone or iPad.
So, in almost all cases, FaceTiming with someone who has blocked you is impossible.
What Happens If You Try To FaceTime Them?
So, what exactly happens if you try to FaceTime someone that’s blocked you?
On your end, the call will appear to be ringing endlessly, over and over again until you decide to hang up.
If you try to call them again, the exact same thing will continue to happen – endless ringing, with nobody there to answer.
On the other person’s end however, nothing at all happens.
Their iPhone or iPad will not ring, and they will see no indication that you’ve tried FaceTiming them at all.
So, although it may appear that FaceTime is ringing them, it’s actually not doing anything. Therefore, you shouldn’t waste your time trying to FaceTime someone that’s blocked you – they will never see your call, and thus couldn’t answer it even if they wanted to.
If They Unblock You Later, Will They See That You’ve FaceTimed Them?
This brings up another important question.
Let’s say that eventually, the person decided that they were going to unblock you. What happens then? Will they be able to see all the times that you attempted to call them?
Currently, the answer is no.
Just like texts, Apple does not send notifications retroactively indicating that you’ve been called.
While the call history will still be stored on your iPhone or iPad, they will not be able to see the calls that you attempted to make to them – even if they unblock you completely.
So, if you already tried calling them a bunch of times, don’t worry – they will never know unless you tell them!
So, How Should You Reach Them?
If you cannot reach someone by FaceTime – nor can you reach them by texting or phone calls, what should you do?
Well, if someone really doesn’t want to hear from you, it’s important to respect their wishes and leave them alone.
However, if you know that you’ve been blocked by mistake or it’s an absolute emergency, you have a few options.
The first is to use a separate device (such as an iPad), that’s signed into a separate ID.
This would need to have been blocked separately, which can give you another way to get through to them if you absolutely must speak with them.
Additionally, you may also consider contacting them through separate social networks, like Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok.
When someone blocks you on their iPhone, third-party services like these are left completely unaffected.
If you are the one doing the blocking, be sure to proactively block the person everywhere they could possibly reach you, even if you aren’t friends or connected with them on that platform.
Conclusion
If you try to call someone on FaceTime who has blocked you, the call will ring endlessly on your end – but never ring at all on their end.
iPhones share the same block list with texting, phone calls, and FaceTime. So, if you’re blocked on one of them, you will be blocked on all of them.
I hope that this article has answered your questions. If you have any questions about FaceTime or how iPhones / iPads handle blocking, ask them below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister