Skype officially retired on May 5, 2025, and Microsoft has moved all users to Microsoft Teams Free as its direct replacement. If you need to block someone who was previously on your Skype contact list, that contact now lives in Teams — and so does the block feature. This guide covers how to block someone on Microsoft Teams (the current Skype replacement) across desktop, mobile, and web, plus legacy Skype steps for anyone still running an older installation.
Whether the issue is harassment, spam, or simply someone you no longer want to hear from, blocking a contact removes their ability to message you, call you, or see your online status. The process takes under a minute across all platforms — here is exactly how it works.
What Happened to Skype?
Microsoft retired the consumer version of Skype on May 5, 2025, ending more than two decades of service. The platform peaked at 300 million users in 2013 but saw a steady decline as Zoom, WhatsApp, and Microsoft’s own Teams product absorbed its user base. By early 2023 Skype had dropped to around 36 million daily active users — a fraction of its former reach.
Microsoft Teams Free is the official replacement. Sign in with your existing Skype credentials and Teams automatically pulls in your contacts, chat history, and call logs. Skype for Business Server, the enterprise on-premises version, runs on a separate support timeline and is not affected by the consumer retirement.
One important distinction to understand before you start: Teams blocks external contacts freely, but blocking someone inside your own organization works differently. For personal accounts and external contacts — which covers the majority of Skype-to-Teams migrations — the block feature works exactly as expected. For workplace Teams accounts, the ability to block internal colleagues may be restricted by your organization’s admin settings. If the Block option does not appear, your admin has likely disabled it. The workaround is to mute or hide the conversation, or to report the behavior to your IT department.
How to Block Someone on Microsoft Teams (Skype Replacement)
Block on Teams Desktop (Windows and Mac)
Open Microsoft Teams on your computer and sign in. In the left sidebar, click Chat to open your conversation list. Find the person you want to block — either in your recent chats or by searching their name in the search bar at the top.
Once you find the contact, click their name to open the chat. Click the More options icon (three dots) in the top-right corner of the chat window. From the dropdown menu, select Block contact. A confirmation dialog will appear — click Block to confirm. Alternatively, you can hover over their profile picture to bring up their profile card, then select More options and choose Block from there.
Once blocked, the contact can no longer message you, call you, or see your presence status in Teams.
Block on Teams Mobile (iOS and Android)
Open the Microsoft Teams app on your phone and tap the Chat icon at the bottom of the screen. Find the conversation with the person you want to block and tap their name to open the chat. At the top of the chat window, tap the contact’s name or profile picture to open their profile. Scroll down and tap More options (three dots), then select Block contact. Tap Block to confirm. The block applies immediately across all devices where your Teams account is signed in.
On Android, you can also block a phone number on Android separately if the same person is reaching you through regular calls or SMS — Teams blocks and phone-level blocks operate independently of each other.
Block via Teams Web App
Go to teams.microsoft.com in any browser and sign in. Click Chat in the left navigation panel, then find the person in your chat list or search for them. Open their chat, then click their name at the top of the conversation to open their profile panel. Scroll to the bottom and click Block contact, then confirm. The block syncs across all your Teams-connected devices.
Can You Block Internal Contacts on Teams?
This is the limitation most guides skip over. Microsoft Teams does not offer a full block feature for colleagues inside the same organization by default. The platform is built for workplace collaboration, so keeping communication channels open internally is treated as a priority. The Block option simply does not appear for internal contacts in many organizational setups.
There are exceptions. If your organization’s admin has enabled the internal contact blocking policy, you may see a Block option when you receive a message from a new internal contact — Teams will show Accept or Block at the top of that conversation. This only applies to one-on-one chats and does not affect group conversations, channels, or meetings.
If blocking is not available for an internal contact, these are the practical alternatives. Mute the conversation by right-clicking the chat and selecting Mute — this silences all notifications from that person without blocking communication. Hide the conversation to remove it from your main chat view — right-click and select Hide. Set your status to Do Not Disturb to block all incoming notifications globally. If the behavior involves harassment or misconduct, report it through your organization’s HR channels or use the Teams feedback option to flag it to your IT department.
How to Block Someone on Legacy Skype (Still Running)
If you are still running an older Skype installation or Skype for Business Server, the following steps apply to the classic interface.
Block on Skype Desktop
Open Skype and go to your contact list or recent chats. Click the person’s name to open their chat window, then click their name at the top of the chat to open their profile panel. Scroll down until you see Block Contact and click it. A confirmation window will appear with an optional checkbox to report the person for abuse — check it if the contact has been sending harassing or inappropriate content. Click Block to confirm.
Block on Skype Mobile (iOS and Android)
Launch the Skype app and open the conversation with the contact you want to block. Tap their name at the top of the chat to open their profile. Scroll down and tap Block Contact. In the confirmation screen, you can optionally check the box to report the person for abuse before tapping Block to finalize. The block takes effect immediately.
Block in Skype for Business
Skype for Business handles blocking through its privacy relationship system rather than a direct block button. Right-click the contact you want to block in your contacts list. Select Change Privacy Relationship, then choose Blocked Contacts and click OK. The contact will no longer be able to see your presence status, send you messages, or reach you by call through the platform.
What Happens When You Block Someone
The effects of blocking are consistent across Teams and Skype regardless of which device you use. The blocked person cannot send you messages — anything they attempt to send will not be delivered. They cannot call or video call you through the platform. Your online status becomes completely invisible to them — they will not know whether you are active, away, or offline.
Blocking does not erase your existing chat history. The previous conversation thread stays in your chat list, but no new messages can come through from that contact. You can manually delete the conversation if you want to remove it from view entirely.
One important caveat: if you and the blocked contact are both members of the same group chat, they can still see your messages in that group and you will see theirs. Blocking only affects direct one-on-one communication. If you are the group admin, you can remove them from the conversation entirely to cut off all contact.
Neither Teams nor Skype sends a notification to the person being blocked. The block is completely silent — they will only notice that messages are not going through and calls are not connecting. If you want to know whether someone has blocked you, one indicator is that their presence status becomes permanently unavailable and direct messages fail to deliver. For contacts you share across multiple platforms, you may also want to check how to tell if someone blocked you on Facebook as the signs are similar.
How to Unblock a Contact
On Microsoft Teams desktop, click your profile picture at the top right and go to Settings. Select Privacy, then find Blocked contacts (on some versions this appears as People → Blocked contacts). Locate the contact and click Unblock next to their name.
On Teams mobile, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, then Privacy or People, and find Blocked contacts. Tap the contact you want to unblock and confirm. On the Teams web app, the same path applies through Settings → Privacy → Blocked contacts.
On classic Skype desktop, go to Settings → Contacts → Blocked contacts. Find the contact and click Unblock. On the Skype mobile app, follow the same path through Settings → Contacts → Blocked contacts, then tap any blocked contact to unblock them.
If you also blocked the person at the phone level, you will need to handle that separately. The process to unblock a number on Android is done through the Phone app settings, completely independent of any app-level block you set in Teams or Skype.
How to Block Unknown Contacts and Strangers
Blocking does not require the person to already be in your contact list. On both Teams and Skype, search for any user in the platform’s directory using their username, email address, or phone number. Once you navigate to their profile — even if you have never communicated — the Block contact option is available at the bottom of the profile panel.
For a longer-term solution to unwanted contact from strangers, adjust your privacy settings so only existing contacts can reach you. In Microsoft Teams, go to Settings → Privacy and set Who can contact me to Contacts only. This prevents unsolicited messages and call requests without requiring you to block each unknown account individually.
Reporting Abuse When You Block
Both Teams and Skype let you file a report at the same time you block a contact. If someone has been harassing you, sending inappropriate content, running a scam, or violating the platform’s terms of service in any other way, use the report option — Microsoft reviews flagged accounts and can suspend repeat violators.
On Teams, the block confirmation dialog includes a toggle to report the contact. Select the reason that best describes the situation — typically harassment, spam, or inappropriate content — before clicking Block. On Skype, a checkbox to “Report abuse from this person” appears in the block confirmation window. Reporting does not reveal your identity to the person being reported, and Microsoft investigates flagged accounts independently.
Migrating from Skype to Microsoft Teams
If you have not completed the switch yet, download Microsoft Teams Free from Microsoft’s official website or your device’s app store. Sign in using your existing Skype username and password — no new account needed. Teams pulls in your contacts, chat history, and call logs automatically during the first sign-in.
Block lists do not always transfer automatically from Skype to Teams. After signing in, go to Settings → Privacy → Blocked contacts to verify which contacts are currently blocked and manually add any that were missed. Users with active Skype Credit, subscriptions, or a Skype Number will find these features accessible from the Calls section in Teams. Skype data can be exported through Microsoft’s export portal until June 15, 2026 — if you want an archived copy of your chat history, request the export before that deadline.
Blocking on Other Platforms
If the person you blocked on Teams is also contacting you through other apps or channels, blocking needs to happen platform by platform. Most apps follow the same pattern — find the contact’s profile, look for More options or a three-dot menu, and select Block or Restrict.
On iPhone, you can manage blocked callers on iPhone through Settings → Phone → Blocked Contacts, where the full list of blocked numbers and contacts is visible. For anyone reaching out through Snapchat, knowing how to unblock someone on Snapchat follows the same profile-based approach once you decide to restore access.
Managing your contact permissions across every platform you use gives you genuine control over who can reach you. Block tools are built to be quick — a few taps is all it takes to stop unwanted contact across any channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does blocking someone on Teams also block them on Skype?
No — Teams and Skype were separate platforms with independent block lists. Since Skype retired in May 2025, this is no longer a concern for most users. If you are still running a legacy Skype installation, blocks made there do not transfer automatically to Teams.
Will the blocked person know I blocked them?
No. Neither Teams nor Skype sends any notification when someone is blocked. The block is invisible — the person will only notice that their messages are not delivered and calls fail to connect. There is no alert, no status message, and no indication that a block is in place.
Does blocking delete my chat history with that person?
No. Blocking stops all future communication but does not erase your existing conversation thread. The chat history remains in your list. You can delete the conversation manually if you prefer not to see it.
Can I block someone in a group chat?
Blocking a contact does not remove them from shared group chats. You will still see their messages in those groups and they will see yours. Blocking only restricts direct one-on-one contact. If you are the group admin, you can remove them from the group entirely to prevent any further interaction.
Why can’t I see the Block option in Microsoft Teams?
The most common reason is that you are trying to block an internal contact within your organization. Teams restricts the Block feature for colleagues in the same org by default, as the platform is designed for workplace collaboration. If you are on a personal or Teams Free account, the option should appear for any external contact. If it still does not show, your organization’s admin may have disabled the feature.
How do I block a non-contact on Teams?
Search for the person using their email address or username in Teams’ search bar. Open their profile and scroll down to find the Block contact option. Blocking is available for anyone on the platform — you do not need to have previously communicated with them or have them saved as a contact.
What’s the difference between blocking, muting, and hiding on Teams?
Blocking prevents all direct contact — the person cannot message you, call you, or see your status. Muting silences notifications from a specific chat but keeps the conversation accessible and does not restrict the other person at all. Hiding removes a chat from your main view but does not affect communication either way. Use blocking when you want to fully cut off contact; use mute or hide for temporary decluttering without restricting anyone.
