Telegram is one of the most popular messaging platforms for both personal and business use. However, as with any messaging platform, managing interactions effectively is key to maintaining a safe, productive, and professional environment.

One essential tool for this is the block feature. Whether you're dealing with unwanted messages, spam, harassment, or simply need to restrict access to your premium Telegram community, knowing how to block someone on Telegram ensures you stay in control.

There are many reasons to block a user:

  • Spam & Unwanted Messages – Some users may send excessive promotional messages, scams, or irrelevant content. Blocking them helps keep your inbox clean.
  • Harassment or Abusive Behavior – If someone is being aggressive, disruptive, or offensive, blocking prevents further contact.
  • Privacy Concerns – Blocking can prevent certain users from seeing your profile picture, online status, or messaging you directly.
  • Managing a Subscription-Based Business – If you run a paid community using Telegram, you may need to block those who violate your terms. Tools like InviteMember allow you to automate access control and restrict users who cancel their subscriptions.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of blocking someone on Telegram, what happens when you block a user, and additional privacy settings to help you safeguard your business and community.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Block Someone on Telegram

Blocking someone on Telegram is quick and straightforward, whether you're using a mobile device, desktop, or adjusting privacy settings. Below are the exact steps to block unwanted users and maintain a secure environment.

Blocking on Mobile (Android & iOS)

  1. Open the Telegram app on your smartphone.
  2. Navigate to the chat with the user you want to block.
  3. Tap on their profile name or picture at the top of the screen.
  4. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
  5. Select “Block User” and confirm when prompted.

Blocking on Desktop

  1. Open Telegram Desktop on your computer.
  2. Click on the chat with the user you want to block.
  3. Click on their profile name or picture to open their details.
  4. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top right corner.
  5. Choose “Block User” and confirm the action.

Blocking via Privacy Settings (Alternative Method)

If you want to block someone without opening their chat, you can do it through your privacy settings:

  1. Go to ☰ Settings > Privacy and Security in Telegram.
  2. Tap Blocked Users.
  3. Tap Add User or the plus (+) icon.
  4. Select the contact you want to block.

This method is ideal if you want to block multiple users at once, without needing to engage with them directly.

What Happens When You Block Someone on Telegram?

Blocking a user on Telegram changes how they can interact with you, but it doesn’t completely erase your past interactions. Here’s what happens:

Communication Restrictions

  • The blocked user can no longer send you messages or call you.
  • Messages sent after blocking won’t be delivered—they will appear with a single checkmark (✓), meaning they are sent but not received.
  • The blocked user will no longer see your online status.

Profile and Status Visibility

  • Your profile picture and last seen status become hidden from the blocked user.
  • Instead of your actual last seen, they will see “Last seen a long time ago”, even if you are currently online.
  • If you have a bio or About section, it will no longer be visible to the blocked user.

If you want to know if someone has blocked you on Telegram, check this article.

Note: If you later unblock the user, these restrictions will be lifted, but they won’t see messages that were sent while they were blocked.

Group Interactions

  • If you and the blocked user are in the same group, both of you can still see each other’s messages.
  • However, they cannot directly message or call you.
  • They will not be notified if you leave a shared group.

For businesses, if you are managing a paid Telegram community, blocking alone won’t remove a user from your group or channel. To fully restrict their access, you must use InviteMember’s banning feature which we cover below.

If you want to know if someone has blocked you on Telegram, check this article.

How to Unblock a User on Telegram

If you change your mind and want to restore communication with a blocked user, you can unblock them using the methods below:

Unblocking via Chat (Quick Method)

  1. Open the chat with the blocked user (if you haven’t deleted it).
  2. Tap on their profile at the top of the screen.
  3. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top right.
  4. Select “Unblock User” and confirm.

Note: After unblocking, you will need to send them a message first to restart the conversation—otherwise, they may not realize they have been unblocked.

Unblocking via Privacy Settings (For Multiple Users)

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Blocked Users.
  2. Tap on the user you wish to unblock.
  3. Confirm by selecting "Unblock".

Whether you’re blocking a disruptive user in a community, a spammer, or an ex-subscriber, knowing how to manage blocked users ensures that your Telegram interactions, and business, runs smoothly.

Banning a User from your Membership-Based Business

Managing a premium Telegram community requires effective tools to maintain a safe and exclusive environment. If a member violates your subscription terms, engages in spamming, or cancels their membership but remains in your community, InviteMember provides a straightforward method to ban such users.

How to Ban a User with InviteMember

  1. Obtain the User's Telegram ID:
    • If you don't already have the user's Telegram ID, navigate to your InviteMember Dashboard:
      • Go to Project > Dashboard > Users.
      • Locate the user in question to find their Telegram ID.
  2. Ban the User via Your Membership Bot:
    • Open your membership bot in Telegram.
    • Send the command /ban XXX, replacing XXX with the user's Telegram ID number. For example: /ban 123456789.

Once banned, the user will be unable to interact with your bot, including making payments or obtaining invite links. They will be automatically removed from all channels and groups associated with your project.

Important: Banning a user does not automatically cancel any active recurring subscriptions they may have. To prevent them from being charged post-ban, you must manually cancel their subscription(s) through your payment processor.

How to Unban a User in InviteMember

If you decide to reinstate a previously banned user:

  1. Unban the User via Your Membership Bot:
    • Open your membership bot in Telegram.
    • Send the command /unban XXX, replacing XXX with the user's Telegram ID number. For example: /unban 123456789.

This action will allow the user to interact with your bot again. They will also be permitted to rejoin your channels and groups, provided they have valid subscriptions.

Conclusion

Blocking users on Telegram is a simple yet powerful way to protect your personal privacy, eliminate spam, and maintain a safe business environment. Whether you’re an individual looking to avoid unwanted messages or a business owner managing a premium community, the ability to block and restrict access is an important tool. 

For Telegram-based businesses, InviteMember takes this a step further by offering automated access control—removing non-paying users, banning rule violators, and securing premium content. This ensures that only verified subscribers can access your exclusive Telegram channels and groups.

Ready to take control of your Telegram community? Start using InviteMember today and secure your business while growing your audience the right way!