WhatsApp has patched a privacy loophole that allowed users to determine whether someone had blocked them by checking the app’s encryption verification feature.
The issue involved WhatsApp’s automatic end-to-end encryption verification, which is available within a contact’s information screen. Users discovered that when this verification repeatedly failed and suggested using alternative verification methods, it could indicate that the other person had blocked them. Because this process didn’t require sending a message or placing a call, it became a discreet way to confirm a block without alerting the other user.
Meta has now updated WhatsApp to eliminate this behavior, preventing the encryption verification process from revealing whether an account has blocked another user. The change closes an unintended privacy loophole and reinforces the platform’s commitment to protecting user privacy.
The encryption verification feature was originally designed solely to confirm that conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption, not to provide information about a contact’s account status. Although the previous behavior was never officially documented as a block detection method, it became widely known after researchers highlighted the issue.
With the latest update, users can no longer rely on encryption verification to infer whether they have been blocked. As before, WhatsApp does not provide an official notification when someone blocks an account, and any remaining signs—such as missing profile photos, unavailable “Last Seen” information, or undelivered messages—should not be treated as definitive proof on their own.
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