iOS · iPhone & iPad & Android
Remove a Restriction From a Messenger Account
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
Open Messenger's Restricted accounts list, select the intended person, and choose Unrestrict. This is separate from blocking or account penalties.
Before you start
Confirm that Restrict was applied to a person and that you want their messages and calls to return to normal Messenger handling. This is separate from blocking, muting, message requests, Facebook account penalties, or Page restrictions.
Open Restricted accounts
In Messenger, open Menu > Settings > Privacy & safety > Restricted accounts. Open Privacy & safety > Restricted accounts from the intended Messenger profile and review the list without opening unrelated conversations.
Choose the person
Select the restricted person to open the relevant chat. Select the correct person and check the conversation identity before changing its privacy state.
Unrestrict the chat
Tap Unrestrict at the bottom of the chat and review the resulting messaging and notification access. Choose Unrestrict in the chat and understand that future messages can again reach the normal chat list and notification behaviour.
Verify the result
Return to the restricted list to confirm the person is gone, then check the chat location and notification settings. Do not send a test message unless you actually want to contact them.
Troubleshoot Messenger restriction removal
If the person is not listed, check Blocked accounts and message requests because a different control may be active. Update Messenger and verify the current profile. Use Meta support for an account-level penalty rather than this person-level setting. Unrestricting does not automatically restore a muted conversation or undo a separate Facebook block. Review those controls independently only when the post-change messaging behaviour still differs from what you intended.
Video walkthrough
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: iPhone & iPad & Android.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.