How to Unblock Someone on POF (The One Trick That Actually Works)
POF won't let you unblock from the app. Here's the workaround nobody tells you about.
TL;DR for the Impulsive Blockers
Look, we've all been there. You blocked someone on Plenty of Fish in a fit of rage (or wine), and now you want them back. No judgment. Okay, a little judgment.
- You can't unblock from the POF app. Seriously. The option doesn't exist. You need a browser.
- Go to pof.com/blockedusers.aspx, log in, and hit unblock. That's it.
- Works on desktop, iPhone, and Android (through your mobile browser, not the app).
- Blocking permanently deletes your chat history. Unblocking won't bring it back. That flirty conversation? Gone forever.
- POF doesn't notify anyone when you block or unblock them. Your secret shame is safe.
How to Unblock Someone on POF (The Only Way That Actually Works)
Let's address the elephant in the room. If you've been tapping around the POF app trying to figure out how to unblock someone on POF, you're not stupid. The feature literally doesn't exist in the app.
POF decided, in their infinite wisdom, to make unblocking a browser-only activity. Because apparently building a functioning app is too much to ask from a platform that pulls in $208 million a year in revenue. (Down 23% from the year before, by the way. The ship is sinking and they can't even add basic features.)
I've used POF on and off over the years, mostly off. The interface looks like it was designed by someone who peaked during the MySpace era and never moved on. But the block/unblock situation is a special kind of bad.
Here's what you actually need to do.
Step-by-Step: Desktop or Laptop
- Open any browser. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, whatever. Even Internet Explorer if you hate yourself.
- Go to pof.com/blockedusers.aspx directly. Or if you want the scenic route: log into POF, click Edit Profile, go to Settings, then find Blocked Profiles.
- Log in with your POF username and password. (If you forgot your password, that's a whole other problem and I can't help you there.)
- Find the person you want to unblock in your list of blocked users.
- Click "Unblock" next to their name.
- Done. They can now message you and see your profile again.
That's it. Five steps. The fact that you need a guide for this says everything about POF's user experience.
Step-by-Step: iPhone or Android (Yes, You Still Need a Browser)
Same exact process, just on a smaller screen. The POF app won't help you here.
- Open Safari on iPhone or Chrome on Android. Any mobile browser works.
- Go to pof.com/blockedusers.aspx in the browser.
- Log in to your account.
- Scroll through your POF blocked users list and find the person.
- Tap "Unblock."
You might need to switch to "Desktop Mode" if the mobile version of the site gives you trouble. On Safari, tap the "aA" icon in the address bar. On Chrome, tap the three dots and select "Desktop site."
And no, before you ask, there's no way to do this in the app. I've checked. Twice. During moments of my life I'll never get back.
How to Block Someone on POF (A Refresher for Serial Blockers)
Since you're clearly someone who blocks first and thinks later (no judgment, I've rage-blocked someone mid-argument before and immediately regretted it), here's a quick reminder of how blocking works on Plenty of Fish.
On the app: Open their profile or your chat with them. Tap the shield icon (POF calls it the "Safety Toolbox," which sounds like something a kindergarten teacher made up). Select Block. Done.
On desktop: Open your conversation with them. Click the three dots menu. Click "Block This Person." Feel a brief rush of power like Thanos snapping his fingers. Question your decision 20 minutes later.
The blocking part is easy. POF put that right up front. It's the unblocking they buried like a body in the backyard.
What Happens When You Block Someone on POF (The Stuff Nobody Tells You)
Blocking someone on Plenty of Fish isn't just a soft mute. It's more scorched earth than that. Here's the full damage report:
- They can't message you anymore. Obviously.
- They disappear from your MeetMe and matches. Poof. Gone.
- Your entire chat history with them gets DELETED. Permanently. This is the big one. Not hidden. Not archived. Deleted. If you had some legendary conversation or (God forbid) important contact details only saved in that chat, they're gone. Forever. This is not a drill.
- They do NOT get notified that you blocked them. They'll just think you vanished, which is basically what happens to 90% of conversations on dating apps anyway.
- They can still find your profile via username search. They just can't contact you. So if they're determined enough to look you up, they'll see you exist but can't reach you. Like pressing your face against a restaurant window.
The chat deletion is the part that catches people off guard. When you block someone on POF, what do they see? Nothing. What do you lose? Everything you said to each other. Think of it as POF's version of relationship scorched earth policy.
What Happens After You Unblock Someone on POF (Don't Get Your Hopes Up)
So you've done the browser dance and unblocked them. Congrats. Here's what to expect (and what not to expect):
- They can message you again and see your profile. The connection comes back to life.
- Your old chat history does NOT come back. This is worth repeating because people keep asking. Those messages are gone. Deleted. Sent to the digital afterlife like a Snapchat from 2014. You will need to start your conversation from scratch, which is honestly a metaphor for most things in online dating.
- POF does NOT notify them that you unblocked them. So if you're hoping for a dramatic "they're back!" notification on their end, nope. They'll have no idea unless they try to find your profile again.
- There's no cooldown period. You can unblock someone five seconds after blocking them. You can also block them again immediately after unblocking. POF doesn't care about your emotional instability.
Can't Unblock Someone on POF? Here's What's Probably Going Wrong
If you followed the steps above and you're still stuck, one of these is probably the culprit:
You're trying to do it from the app. I know I've said this three times now. But based on the number of people Googling "how do I unblock someone on Plenty of Fish," it bears repeating. Open. A. Browser.
Your account has a verification issue. Sometimes switching from the app to the web version triggers a verification step. Check your email for a confirmation link, or try resetting your password.
You forgot their username. If you can't remember who you blocked, you'll have to scroll through your entire blocked list. POF doesn't have a search function within the blocked users page, because of course it doesn't.
The person deleted their account. They might still show up in your blocked list, but unblocking them won't do anything meaningful. You can't reconnect with someone who's already left the platform. (If they deleted their account right after you blocked them, that's either a coincidence or you have more power than you realize.)
Your browser is being weird. Try clearing your cache, switching browsers, or using incognito mode. Sometimes the POF website just... doesn't cooperate. It has the technical reliability of a car held together with duct tape.
POF Blocking FAQ (Because You Clearly Have Questions)
When you block someone on POF, do they know?
Nope. They get zero notification. From their perspective, your profile just becomes unreachable. They might figure it out eventually if they're paying attention, but POF won't send them a helpful "Hey, you've been blocked!" message.
Does POF block IP addresses?
No. POF blocks are account-level, not IP-level. Blocking someone doesn't prevent them from creating a new account and finding you again. If someone is harassing you across multiple accounts, that's a report-to-POF-support situation, not a blocking situation.
Can you see who blocked you on POF?
No. There's no secret list of people who've blocked you. You'll just notice that their profile seems to have vanished or you can't contact them. Welcome to the world of dating app paranoia, where every disappeared profile could mean they blocked you, deleted their account, or got abducted by aliens.
Does unblocking someone on POF restore old messages?
No. I've mentioned this a few times now but people keep asking, so here it is again in FAQ format: POF permanently deletes your old messages the moment you block someone. Unblocking does not bring them back. Consider this your lesson in thinking before you block.
Can you re-block someone after unblocking them?
Yes, immediately. No waiting period, no cooldown, no limits. Block, unblock, block again. POF lets you play emotional ping-pong to your heart's content. Though if you're doing this regularly with the same person, maybe that's a sign.
Maybe It's Time to Cast a Wider Net
Real talk. If you're spending this much time and energy managing your block list on a platform with 10 million monthly active users (down from its peak, by the way), maybe it's time to diversify your dating portfolio.
POF is the Craigslist of dating apps. Free? Yes. Functional? Technically. But the experience? Let's just say you get what you pay for. With a 60/40 male-to-female ratio and a declining user base, the odds aren't exactly stacked in your favor. You're basically fighting over scraps at a buffet that's about to close.
There are free dating apps that actually feel like they were built in this decade. Or if you're willing to invest a little, the best dating apps offer features that POF can't touch. Looking for something age-appropriate? We've got picks for dating over 40 and over 50 too.
And hey, if you're using Tinder or Hinge and want to know how your profile actually stacks up against other users, upload your data and find out. It's like a report card for your love life. Except this one actually matters.
Stop fighting with POF's broken interface. Life's too short, and there are better fish in the sea. (Sorry. Had to.)
