Blocked or Deactivated on Twitter/X? How to Tell the Difference
TL;DR - Quick Answer
13 min readTips you can use today. What works and what doesn't.
Quick Answer
Fastest way to know: Ask a friend (or use a logged-out browser) to visit the person's profile URL. If they can see it but you can't → you're blocked. If nobody can see it → deactivated or suspended.
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Start your free trialSigns You've Been Blocked on Twitter/X
What Blocking Looks Like
When someone blocks you on Twitter/X, you'll see these specific signs:
1. "You're blocked" message on their profile If you visit their profile directly (by typing their URL), you'll see: "@username blocked you. You are blocked from following @username and viewing @username's posts."
2. Their tweets disappear from your timeline
- All their tweets vanish from your feed
- Their replies to other people's tweets become invisible to you
- Their retweets disappear from your timeline
3. You can't interact with them
- Can't follow them
- Can't mention them (they won't see it)
- Can't DM them
- Can't see their likes or media
- Can't add them to Lists
4. Old conversations change
- In group conversations, their messages still appear but you can't see their profile
- Direct message threads remain visible but you can't send new messages
- Their username may still appear but clicking it shows the blocked message
5. Search doesn't show their profile (for you)
- Searching their username yields no results from your account
- But they still appear in searches when logged out or from other accounts
How to Confirm You're Blocked
- Log out of Twitter/X or open an incognito/private browser window
- Go to
twitter.com/[their_username] - If their profile loads normally → you're blocked
- If it says "This account doesn't exist" → they deactivated
Signs Someone Deactivated Their Account
What Deactivation Looks Like
1. "This account doesn't exist" for everyone When you visit their profile URL, you see: "This account doesn't exist. Try searching for another.", and the same message appears for all users, not just you.
2. All their content disappears
- Tweets, replies, likes, and media are removed
- Retweets they made disappear from others' profiles
- Their profile picture and bio are gone
3. DM threads change
- Old DM threads still exist
- Their profile name may show as "Twitter User" or their previous name
- Their profile picture becomes the default egg/silhouette
- You can't send new messages
4. They disappear from follower/following lists
- Removed from your followers list and everyone else's
- Removed from everyone's following list
- Their follower and following counts disappear
Temporary vs. Permanent Deactivation
- Temporary (within 30 days): Twitter/X keeps the account for 30 days after deactivation. If they reactivate within 30 days, everything comes back.
- Permanent (after 30 days): After 30 days, the account and all data are permanently deleted.
Signs an Account Was Suspended
What Suspension Looks Like
1. "Account suspended" message The profile page clearly states: "Account suspended. Twitter suspends accounts that violate the Twitter Rules."
2. Visible to everyone Unlike blocking (which is personal), the suspension message appears for all users.
3. Content is hidden
- All tweets and replies are hidden
- Profile info may still partially show
- Cannot interact with the account in any way
Blocked vs. Deactivated vs. Suspended: Full Comparison
You visit someone's Twitter/X profile and see 'This account doesn't exist.' What happened?
How to Check: Step-by-Step
Method 1: Use a Different Account
- Log into a different Twitter/X account (or create one)
- Search for the person's username
- If their profile appears: You're blocked from your main account
- If nothing appears: They deactivated or were suspended
Method 2: Incognito Browser
- Open a private/incognito browser window
- Go to
twitter.com/[username] - Profile loads normally: You're blocked
- "This account doesn't exist": Deactivated
- "Account suspended": Suspended by Twitter
Method 3: Check Old DM Threads
- Open your DMs on your main account
- Find the old conversation with that person
- Their name and profile pic still show but you can't message: Likely blocked
- Shows "Twitter User" with default avatar: Deactivated or suspended
Method 4: Ask Someone
Simply ask a mutual follower to check if they can see the person's profile. If they can and you can't → blocked.
What's the fastest way to check if someone blocked you on Twitter/X?
What to Do If You've Been Blocked
- Don't create alt accounts to view them, this violates Twitter/X rules and can get you suspended
- Don't contact them through other channels about the block, respect their decision
- Move on, blocking is a personal boundary choice
- Mute instead of block for your own mental health, learn about muting on Twitter/X
Can You See Who Blocked You?
Twitter/X doesn't provide a list of people who blocked you. You can only find blocks by visiting specific profiles. Third-party tools that claim to show blocks often violate Twitter/X's terms of service.
What to Do If Your Own Account Was Locked or Suspended
If your account was locked rather than someone else blocking you, see our Twitter/X account locked fix guide.
Related Guides
Twitter/X Troubleshooting:
- Twitter/X Account Locked: How to Fix
- Twitter DM Issues Troubleshooting
- Twitter API Error Codes
- How to See Deleted Tweets
Twitter/X Strategy:
- How to Get Followers on Twitter/X
- Twitter Unfollowers Checker
- How to Hide Likes on Twitter
- Twitter/X Target Audience Guide
Free Twitter/X Tools:
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if someone blocked me or deactivated?
Open an incognito browser and visit their profile URL. If it loads normally → you're blocked. If "This account doesn't exist" → deactivated. If "Account suspended" → Twitter removed them.
Does Twitter notify you when someone blocks you?
No. Twitter/X sends no notification. You only find blocks by visiting their profile and seeing "You're blocked."
Can a deactivated account come back?
Yes, within 30 days. After that, the data is permanently deleted. If they reactivate within 30 days, everything is restored.
Can I see everyone who blocked me?
No. Twitter/X doesn't provide a block list. You can only find blocks by visiting individual profiles.
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