WhatsApp users around the world have recently been sharing a new method they say may help determine whether a contact has blocked them, by checking the encryption status of a chat. The tip has spread on social media and in tech forums, and is based on WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption system.
According to WABetaInfo, users can open a contact’s details in WhatsApp, tap the “Encryption” option, and see whether the app can automatically verify the encryption between both sides. If the app suggests using another verification method, or if verification fails, some users say that could be a sign of a block.
Tech experts caution that this is not definitive evidence. Encryption verification can fail for other reasons, including switching phones, reinstalling WhatsApp, temporary technical problems, or changes to an account’s security keys. So an error message does not confirm that someone has been blocked.
Other commonly cited signs of a block include messages that remain stuck with one check mark, no profile photo or “last seen” status, failed voice calls, and an inability to add the person to a new group. But, as with the encryption check, none of these signs is proof on its own.
