Unblocking someone on your iPhone has significant implications for receiving their messages. The answer isn't a simple yes or no, as it depends on several factors, including when the messages were sent and what app they were sent through. Let's break it down.
Messages Sent Before Blocking
This is the most crucial point to understand. If someone sent you messages before you blocked them, those messages will not magically reappear once you unblock them. Think of it like this: blocking someone prevents new messages from reaching you, but it doesn't retroactively delete existing ones. Those messages remain lost in the digital ether. You'll only receive messages sent after you unblock them.
Messages Sent After Unblocking
Once you've unblocked someone, you will receive any new messages they send through the respective app, whether it's iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or any other messaging platform. The unblocking action essentially reverses the block and re-establishes communication.
iMessage Specifics
iMessage, Apple's default messaging app, works slightly differently. While unblocking someone restores communication, any messages sent while you were blocked might appear as if they were delivered. The user will see a "delivered" notification. This doesn't necessarily mean you saw the message, however, only that it was sent to your phone.
Different Messaging Apps
Remember that blocking works on a per-app basis. Unblocking someone in iMessage doesn't automatically unblock them in WhatsApp or any other app you might use to communicate with them. You'll need to unblock them individually within each app.
What About Read Receipts?
The visibility of read receipts also plays a role. Even if you unblock someone, they won't necessarily see that you've read their messages sent while you had them blocked. Read receipts are only active after the unblocking occurs.
In short:
- Messages sent before blocking are lost. Unblocking doesn't recover them.
- Messages sent after unblocking will be received.
- Unblocking is per-app: You must unblock in each individual app.
This comprehensive guide clarifies the complexities of unblocking on iPhones and their impact on message delivery. Remember to carefully consider the timing of messages when deciding to unblock someone.
