How to Unblock Someone on Snapchat: Complete Step by Step Guide

Blocked someone on Snapchat in the heat of the moment and now want to reconnect? You are not alone. Whether it was an accidental tap, a resolved argument, or a change of heart about an old friend, unblocking someone on Snapchat takes less than a minute once you know where to look.

This guide walks you through the exact steps for iPhone, Android, and Snapchat Web. You will also learn what actually happens after you unblock someone, why you might not be able to find them, and how to decide whether unblocking is even the right move.

What Happens When You Block Someone on Snapchat

Before unblocking, it helps to understand what blocking actually does. When you block a Snapchat user, several things happen at once:

• They are instantly removed from your friends list.
• They can no longer send you Snaps, Chats, or view your Story.
• They cannot see your Snap Score, location on Snap Map, or profile.
• Any active Snapstreak with that person ends immediately and cannot be restored later.
• The block is silent. Snapchat never sends a notification telling the other person they have been blocked.

Blocking is different from simply removing a friend. Removing someone just breaks the friend connection, but they can still find your public account, send a friend request, or view content you have made visible to everyone. Blocking cuts off contact completely until you reverse it.

How to Unblock Someone on Snapchat on iPhone

The process is nearly identical across devices, but here is the iPhone specific walkthrough.

1. Open the Snapchat app and tap your Bitmoji or profile icon in the top left corner of the camera screen.
2. Tap the gear icon in the top right corner to open Settings.
3. Scroll down to the “Privacy Controls” section and tap “Blocked.”
4. You will see a full list of every account you have blocked, listed alphabetically or by most recently blocked.
5. Find the person you want to unblock and tap the “X” next to their name.
6. A confirmation popup will appear asking if you are sure. Tap “Yes” or “Unblock” to confirm.

That person is now unblocked. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.

How to Unblock Someone on Snapchat on Android

Android users follow the exact same path inside the app, since Snapchat’s interface is identical on both operating systems.

1. Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon on the camera screen.
2. Tap the gear icon to enter Settings.
3. Scroll to “Privacy Controls” and select “Blocked.”
4. Locate the username you want to unblock from the list.
5. Tap the “X” beside their name.
6. Confirm by tapping “Yes” on the popup.

Because Snapchat uses one shared codebase for iOS and Android, there is no separate menu structure or hidden setting on either platform. If your app looks different, updating to the latest version usually fixes it.

How to Unblock Someone on Snapchat Using a Computer (Web Version)

Most guides skip this, but you can also manage your blocked list from a browser using Snapchat’s web version at web.snapchat.com, which is useful if your phone is unavailable or you prefer using a keyboard and mouse.

1. Go to web.snapchat.com and log in with your Snapchat username and password.
2. Click your profile icon or Bitmoji in the corner of the screen.
3. Open Settings from the menu.
4. Scroll to “Privacy Controls” and click “Blocked.”
5. Find the username in your blocked list and click the “X” or “Remove” option next to it.
6. Confirm the action when prompted.

Keep in mind that some Snapchat Web features are limited compared to the mobile app, so if you run into issues, switching to your phone is the more reliable option.

What Happens After You Unblock Someone on Snapchat

Unblocking someone reverses part of the block, but not all of it. Here is exactly what changes and what stays the same.

What comes back:

• The person can search for your username and find your account again.
• They can send you a new friend request.
• They can view any Snaps or Stories you set to public or “Everyone.”
• They can message you again once you are friends.

What does not come back:

• You are not automatically re-added as friends. Someone has to send a new friend request, and the other person has to accept it.
• Your Snapstreak is permanently gone. Snapchat does not restore streaks after a block, even if the block only lasted a few minutes.
• Old chat messages that were deleted during the block are not recovered. Anything saved or unopened before the block may still appear, but new history starts fresh.
• The person does not get a notification that you unblocked them, just as they were never told they were blocked in the first place.

Why Can’t I Find the Person I Want to Unblock?

This is one of the most common frustrations people run into, and most guides do not explain it well. If someone is missing from your blocked list, try these fixes:

1. Check for app updates. An outdated version of Snapchat can cause the Blocked list to load incorrectly or display blank.
2. Restart the app. Force closing and reopening Snapchat often resolves loading glitches in Settings.
3. Confirm you actually blocked them. Sometimes users mistake “removing a friend” for “blocking,” and removed friends will not appear on the Blocked list since they were never blocked.
4. Check your internet connection. The Blocked list pulls data from Snapchat’s servers, so a weak or unstable connection can cause it to load slowly or appear empty.
5. Log out and back in. This refreshes your account data and often fixes syncing issues between the app and Snapchat’s servers.

If none of these work, the account may have been deactivated or deleted by the other user, which would remove them from your list entirely since there is no longer an account to block or unblock.

How to Re-Add Someone After Unblocking Them

Unblocking is only half the process if you want your friendship restored. Here is how to reconnect:

1. Open Snapchat and tap the search icon at the top of the camera screen.
2. Type in the person’s exact username.
3. Tap their profile once it appears in the results.
4. Tap “Add Friend” or the plus icon next to their name.
5. Wait for them to accept your request before you can chat, send Snaps, or see their Story again.

If searching by username does not work, try adding them through a shared friend’s contact list or by scanning their Snapcode if you have it saved.

Should You Unblock Someone on Snapchat? Things to Consider

Unblocking is quick, but it is worth pausing before you do it. A few questions worth asking yourself:

• Did you block them because of a genuine boundary issue, like harassment or unwanted contact? If so, unblocking may reopen that same problem.
• Was the block accidental or based on a temporary situation, like a heated argument that has since been resolved?
• Are you prepared for them to know you unblocked them once they see a new friend request or search hit from you?

There is no rule that says you must unblock someone just because time has passed. If the original reason for blocking still applies, it is usually fine to leave things as they are.

Snapchat Blocking vs Removing vs Muting

These three actions sound similar but work very differently:

Action	What It Does	Notification Sent
Blocking	Fully cuts off contact, hides your profile, ends Snapstreaks	No
Removing (Unfriending)	Breaks the friend connection but allows searching and public content viewing	No
Muting	Hides their Snaps and Stories from your feed without unfriending or blocking them	No

If you just want a break from someone’s content without a full cutoff, muting is usually the gentler option. Blocking is reserved for when you want zero contact.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Unblocking Someone

• Assuming your old Snapstreak will return. It will not, no matter how quickly you unblock and re-add someone.
• Expecting the friendship to restore automatically. You must send a fresh friend request.
• Forgetting that unblocking makes your public content visible again, even before they are re-added as a friend.
• Not checking your privacy settings afterward. If you unblocked someone you are wary of, consider adjusting who can contact you or view your Story under Settings, then “Who Can.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Snapchat notify someone when you unblock them?

No. Snapchat never sends a notification for blocking or unblocking. The other person will only notice if they try searching for you or see a new friend request.

Will unblocking someone restore our Snapstreak?

No. Once a Snapstreak ends due to a block, it cannot be recovered, even if you unblock the person right away.

Do I need to re-add someone after unblocking them?

Yes. Unblocking does not automatically restore a friendship. You or the other person must send a new friend request, and it has to be accepted.

Can I see old messages after unblocking someone?

Messages sent before the block usually remain in your chat history if they were saved or not yet opened. New conversations start fresh, and anything cleared during the block is gone.

How many people can I block on Snapchat?

Snapchat does not publish an official limit on how many accounts you can block, so you can block as many users as you need to.

Can someone tell they were blocked before I unblock them?

Not directly. Snapchat gives no alert, but they may notice they can no longer find your profile, send messages, or view your Story while blocked.

Is unblocking the same as removing someone from my blocked list?

Yes, unblocking is the action that removes a person from your blocked list and restores their ability to search for and contact you.

Final Thoughts

Unblocking someone on Snapchat is a simple, thirty second task once you know the path: profile icon, Settings, Blocked, then tap the X next to their name. The harder part is deciding whether it is the right move and understanding that some things, like Snapstreaks and old chat history, are gone for good. Take a moment to think it through, and if you do decide to reconnect, remember you will need to send a new friend request to pick things back up.