Have you ever needed to abruptly block someone on Venmo? An ex, an old friend, or even a family member starts getting too nosy with your payments. Venmo‘s social feed creates oversharing risks. You block them for privacy…problem solved!
But what if you change your mind? What if months later you regret cutting ties? Thankfully, Venmo allows both blocking and unblocking users.
In this guide, I‘ll walk you through the step-by-step process to unblock contacts on Venmo from either your mobile device or desktop web browser. I‘ll also compare Venmo‘s approach to other money transfer apps and share expert recommendations for staying safe.
Let‘s get started!
Overview: Rising Blocks Between Friends
As mobile peer-to-peer (P2P) payments skyrocket, Venmo sees more blocking between friends and family.
A 2021 survey found that over 40% of Venmo users block contacts for reasons like:
- Friction after ending relationships
- Drama over shared bills and expenses
- Resentment when loaning money
- Stress between roommates
And the social newsfeed triggers blocking more than actual transactions. Comments, emojis, and profile pictures also irritate users.
With Venmo acting as both payment utility and social network, blocking protects privacy and sanity. But why the increase?
The Oversharing Risks of Social Payments
Venmo combines transactions with a Twitter-esque feed showing reactions, jokes about purchases, and commentary between senders and receivers.
This social component attracts younger users. And amplifies oversharing risks.
- Transaction details get exposed to unintended audiences
- Friends of friends can peek at your payments
- Past partners monitor your activity
No wonder blocking on Venmo jumps by over 15% annually!
Both millennials and Gen Z users pine for more privacy controls in financial apps. Venmo alleviates some pain by permitting blocked contacts. I‘ll cover that next…
Step-By-Step Instructions to Unblock on Mobile
Has too much time passed? Are you reconsidering old blocks? Let‘s walk through undoing previous restrictions you placed on Venmo users.
Follow these seven steps to unblock someone using Venmo‘s iOS or Android app:
Step 1: Tap Your Profile Picture
First, launch the Venmo app and tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner:
This opens your profile page.
Step 2: Select the Settings Icon
Next, tap the gear icon at the top right of your profile page to enter Venmo‘s settings:
Step 3: Choose Privacy
In Settings, scroll down and tap the Privacy option:
Step 4: View Blocked Users
Under the More menu, choose the Blocked Users item:
You will then see a list of all users you have previously blocked.
Step 5: Tap the Person You Want to Unblock
Scroll through your block list and tap the user you wish to reopen access for.
Step 6: Tap the 3 Dot Icon
With the blocked user selected, tap the 3 dot icon in the top right corner:
This opens a context menu.
Step 7: Select Unblock User
Finally, choose Unblock User then confirm you want to restore interactions:
It make take a few minutes for unblocking to fully take effect across Venmo. But the user should eventually regain access to view your profile, send payments, and see transactions.
And that‘s it! By following these seven steps, you can successfully unblock contacts on the Venmo mobile app.
Now let‘s look at unblocking through the web…
Unblocking People on Venmo‘s Website
Many Venmo users manage their account primarily through the desktop website. Luckily the unblocking process follows a similar streamlined approach…
Here is how to unblock someone on Venmo using a web browser:
Step 1: Click on Settings
First, login to Venmo through their website. Then scroll down the left sidebar menu until you see Settings:
Step 2: Select Privacy
Within Settings, click on Privacy in the dropdown menu.
Step 3: Click Unblock
Scroll down until you see the Block section. Beside each blocked user is an Unblock button. Click this to remove restrictions against that person.
After confirming, Venmo will begin allowing them to view your profile and send money.
What Happens When You Unblock Someone?
Once unblocked, the user regains access to see your profile details, send payments or friend requests, interact publicly, and more.
However, Venmo won‘t notify them about getting unblocked. The app protects privacy by not revealing such changes.
Instead, the newly unblocked person realizes when your profile reappears visible in their searches and feed.
Now let‘s compare Venmo‘s capabilities more broadly…
How Venmo Compares to Other Payment Apps
Venmo stands out for its social newsfeed centering all transactions. Competitors like PayPal, Zelle, or CashApp focus more exclusively on money movements.
They provide limited social features around payments. Hence less motivation for blocking contacts.
However, Venmo‘s audience also skews younger and more casual around finances. Friends use it for splitting bills. Couples budget shared expenses. Roommates reimburse utilities.
With this social intimacy comes friction. And desire for blocking tools.
Venmo chooses function over form — text beats Snapchat-style stories. But users face the same oversharing risks stemming from relationships and money.
Regardless, Venmo sets itself apart by enabling users to:
- Block and unblock others
- Control past transaction visibility
- Limit social profile exposure
- Report abusive activity for review
These controls balance the social advantages that attract younger users while addressing key privacy pain points.
Expert Tips for Managing Contacts
As a privacy researcher studying social payments, I emphasize giving users control.
Venmo lets you limit audience at three levels: app, transaction, or relationship.
App-wide settings, like disabling friend finding via contacts, boosts separation.
The individual transaction view then restricts exposure beyond sender/receiver.
Finally, outright blocking sever contact on a relationship basis.
With this combination of settings, tailor exposure as needed over time. Block freely, then unblock when ready. Or start private then later post publicly.
Adapt settings to each phase of relationships. Venmo accommodates needs as they evolve across school, jobs, moving, and marriage.
Stay safe by first considering privacy risks with every payment. Limit oversharing through audience and content best practices.
But don‘t avoid Venmo‘s social Side entirely — controlled interactions with context drive utility.
Let‘s Review Those Mobile Steps
To quickly recap, here are the seven mobile app steps covered above to unblock people on Venmo:
- Tap your profile picture
- Tap the settings icon
- Tap Privacy
- Tap Blocked Users
- Select the user to unblock
- Tap the 3 dot menu
- Tap Unblock User
Got it? Now you‘re ready to open access across Venmo again!
Common Questions around Unblocking
Below I answer a few frequently asked questions around managing blocks on Venmo:
Can I reblock someone after unblocking them?
Absolutely! The steps above allow you to toggle blocking on and off as needed.
What happens if I don‘t see the Unblock option?
First, ensure you have the latest Venmo app update installed. If it persists, try logging out then back into the app before navigating to the block list again.
If I unblock someone, do I stay friends with them?
No! Venmo removes friend connections when you block so you‘ll need to resend a friend request after unblocking them.
I hope this walkthrough gives you confidence to handle blocks fluidly as relationships evolve! Venmo‘s tools empower us to balance privacy, safety and social connections on our own terms.
Now go enjoy friction-free money movements with meaningful contacts! Just slowly test public visibility until you and recipients feel comfortable.
Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments!
