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Message Says Delivered. Can still mean blocked with latest iOS?

I sent a message to someone I haven’t heard from in a while (Not typical for him!). It says Delivered. I thought for sure this means I haven’t been blocked. But then I saw online on a reputable site that with the latest Software, iOS 16.5, it still could mean you’re blocked, even if it says Delivered!! I hope this isn’t true!! Is it?! I called Apple & they haven’t heard of this. Thanks in advance!

iPhone XR

Posted on Jun 19, 2023 1:12 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 19, 2023 8:05 PM

Here’s what I mean. Attached is from an article saying that now, with the latest versions of Software even if it says Delivered you may have been blocked. This was NEVER the case before. As before, if it said Delivered then you were 100% NOT blocked. In fact, if the bubble stayed blue & it DIDN’T say Delivered, THEN you knew you were blocked before. I was merely asking if this article about the latest Software having changed this is true! :)

23 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 19, 2023 8:05 PM in response to lobsterghost1

Here’s what I mean. Attached is from an article saying that now, with the latest versions of Software even if it says Delivered you may have been blocked. This was NEVER the case before. As before, if it said Delivered then you were 100% NOT blocked. In fact, if the bubble stayed blue & it DIDN’T say Delivered, THEN you knew you were blocked before. I was merely asking if this article about the latest Software having changed this is true! :)

Jun 27, 2023 7:31 AM in response to Flowagirl

Just here to say, you are absolutely correct, and I’m glad you found out you weren’t blocked!!


iMessage to iMessage only: Prior to the new update, it would not say delivered if I was blocked. It would send as a text message (green). For example: I was blocked over a month ago by someone, and last week I sent them a message to see if I was still blocked (it’s a young, close family member and I had heard they weren’t mad anymore).


To my surprise, the message went through, and it was blue/said delivered. Before I got excited, I googled and found an article from a reputable source that said after IOS 16.5 it will likely still say delivered, even if you are blocked. This was so discouraging. I didn’t call Apple or anything, I just let it go and assumed I was still blocked.


A few hours later, the person responded. So I was obviously not blocked anymore.


Moral of the story: if your message is blue and says delivered, you are not blocked. Regardless of the IOS.


I just wanted to put this information out there, because so many people here clearly did not understand what you meant.

Jun 19, 2023 3:17 PM in response to razmee209

Thank you, razmee209. Yeah was thinkin that in a couple weeks if I still haven’t heard back from him I’ll text him askin if he could tell me if he’s ok, to make sure nothing happened to him & to eait that long as he may just need space. It’s just so unlike him to drop off or ghost! If he doesn’t respond to that then I’ll try calling him. If there’s barely a ring & it goes straight to vmail it could mean I’ve been blocked (unless I try it again with a *67 & it still goes to vmail. Then it’d mean something happened to his phone.).

But was hoping someone here from Apple could answer if it’s true that with the latest ioS that even if it says Delivered it could still mean you’re blocked. As it always was a given before that it would mean that for sure you aren’t blocked.

Jun 19, 2023 7:38 PM in response to lobsterghost1

Haha no it IS new. In the past any time it said Delivered it WAS WELL KNOWN that it meant you were 100% NOT blocked & that the person received your message. You COULD know by that. You just didn’t know this. It said that very CLEARLY everywhere that if it said Delivered then you were not blocked. I think maybe you don’t know that it’s not a question on if someone “accepts” your message. So my question was if this has CHANGED with this Software that you may still have been blocked even if it says Delivered. Checking if it goes directly to voicemail if you call IS the way to know if you’ve been blocked Apple always says lol.

Am CLEARLY not “asking for relationship advice that is just between he and I,” lol. In any case, he likely didn’t block me. :)

Jun 20, 2023 7:09 AM in response to Flowagirl

It has not changed. "Delivered” has NEVER meant that the message was not blocked. Note that your posted quote says “can” mean that you were blocked. It is not a definite statement. There are other reasons that you didn’t get a “delivered” message. To report back to you what the recipient did with your message is a violation of their privacy, and would be illegal in many places (like the EU). And perhaps they didn’t block you, but they saw the message and decided not to reply.


And a call going to voicemail does not “prove” the call was blocked. There are many possible reasons a call will go to voicemail even if your call was not blocked by the recipient.

  • Network problem
  • Phone is off
  • Phone is broken
  • Phone is out of range
  • Your contact info is not in the recipient’s contact app and they have Silence Unknown Callers enabled
  • They were on another call
  • They have Do Not Disturb enabled
  • They were driving and had the Driving focus enabled; likewise for other focus settings

Jun 21, 2023 4:26 PM in response to Flowagirl

I saw he contacted you. But in all reality, if you've been blocked, it doesn't matter whether you get 1 ring or 100 rings, you simply will NOT know if you've been blocked. And no one can tell you you've been blocked either. Blocking someone is up to the person who wants to block a contact. It's their choice completely and you'll never know.


You have a nice day as well.

Jun 19, 2023 7:54 PM in response to lobsterghost1

It’s not about arguing. I’m telling you exactly what has been written in many places for years. So am glad you don’t want to argue it. I just don’t think you are understanding the question. I am not making any assumptions as I posed a question. About a change in the Software. If it said delivered before, and all tech people disagree with you that it meant you weren’t blocked. I was just wondering if it’s changed with the new software. I believe that maybe NOW if it says Delivered it can still mean you’re blocked. It’s not a question about him and me. Have a good day!

Jun 20, 2023 12:11 PM in response to Flowagirl

From Block phone numbers, contacts, and emails on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


When you block a phone number or contact, they can still leave a voicemail, but you won't get a notification. Messages that are sent or received won't be delivered. Also, the contact won't get a notification that the call or message was blocked. When you block an email address from Mail, it goes to the trash folder. Email blocking works across all your Apple devices.


Privacy is a global issue. The fact that someone you know doesn’t care that you have access to information about them (such as that they have blocked you) does not mean that nobody cares about their privacy. The EU has imposed strict rules protecting the privacy of internet users (GDPR law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation). So for Apple to let you know that someone has blocked you violates the GDPR, because it reveals private information about them. While the GDPR does not apply to users in the US, it DOES apply to someone in the US who contacts someone in the EU. Thus, Apple cannot legally let you know whether or not your message was blocked.

Jun 19, 2023 3:24 PM in response to Flowagirl

This is a user to user only forum. No one from Apple is here. Just other users, so Apple won't respond here.


It is my understanding that you can send a message and even if you're blocked by the recipient, you will never know you've been blocked. You certainly won't get a message saying you've been blocked and yes, the message should show as delivered, even if you were blocked. They won't see it, but it would have been delivered.

Jun 20, 2023 10:57 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Lawrence, am confused about your message. I found out definitively that I wasn’t blocked. The guy called me by now that the reason he dropped off for 12 days was his mom died & he was so appreciative of my space. And is turning to me for support. My message said DELIVERED I said. He said he GOT IT.

You talk about “violation” of privacy but he knows that I give space & I also was only going to call 2 weeks later to see if I was blocked. So have no idea what that means.

Furthermore you’re wrong that “Delivered” under a blue message has never meant that it was sent. It HAS. I called Apple AGAIN before he called me and the woman there said that with my Delivered message it was clear that my message was SENT, that I was NOT blocked. I thought this had changed with the new ioS as I read that somewhere. In her opinion it HASN’T.

Jun 19, 2023 4:56 PM in response to lobsterghost1

lobsterghost1 ohhh lol. I just joined & for some reason thought Apple people were here too. Oops!

Is what you’re saying you mean as it’s a new Software, or have you always thought it says Delivered even if you’ve been blocked?

am thinking of texting him in 2 weeks asking if he can tell me if he’s ok & then call if he doesn’t respond. If it goes straight to vmail I’ll officially know I’ve been blocked (Unless I try again with *67 & it does the same thing. Then I’ll know that something’s been wrong with his phone). He’s the kindest guy I know! It’s why I liked him so much! So blocking or ghosting didn’t seem like his thing!! And he wrote me how much he adores me! Then he left lol.

Jun 19, 2023 3:07 PM in response to Flowagirl

Flowagirl wrote:

I sent a message to someone I haven’t heard from in a while (Not typical for him!). It says Delivered. I thought for sure this means I haven’t been blocked. But then I saw online on a reputable site that with the latest Software, iOS 16.5, it still could mean you’re blocked, even if it says Delivered!! I hope this isn’t true!! Is it?! I called Apple & they haven’t heard of this. Thanks in advance!

And why not call the person you text and ask if they've received your text?

Jun 21, 2023 4:17 PM in response to lobsterghost1

lobsterghost1 oh i meant to add that if u call & you’ve been blocked u get 1 ring & then it goes straight to vmail. If you’re saying that with do not disturb it goes straight to vmail then it’s a little different as that’s not one ring first. But to be doubly sure you’ve been blocked after just getting one ring, you can always check with another phone if it does the same thing.

In any case he finally ended up calling me & didn’t block me. My message having been blue with the word Delivered under it did mean it was received. It means not blocked but it can’t show you if it’s been read unless read receipts are on. It’s ok.

Have a nice day

Jun 28, 2023 1:31 PM in response to Micaylabuck89

Thank you SO MUCH!!! Finally someone who understands!!!! Yes, I was so surprised by the number of people here who don’t even understand the question!! Am known as a really clear speaker and it was racking my brains!! You clearly have a lot of experience with this, Mucaylabuck89! Plus, you did your research!! I am also so glad to hear you are no longer blocked as that can be painful! Am happy to hear that the site I saw was wrong that if it says Delivered & the message is blue then with the new ioS you can’t know it’s blocked! As I wasn’t and this was the tip off, it being blue with the word Delivered there!!!!

Thank you so much for your detailed message and for reaching out!!!

Message Says Delivered. Can still mean blocked with latest iOS?

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