How to Block Spam Calls and Texts

What this helps with: Cutting down on unwanted calls and texts, and blocking a number that keeps bothering you.

You can’t stop every unwanted call, but your phone has tools that help a lot. These steps take a few minutes.

On an iPhone

Block one number:

1. Open the Phone app.
   • What you’ll tap: A green icon with a white phone handset.
2. Tap Recents (or Calls on newer iPhones) at the bottom.
3. Tap the small i in a circle next to the number you want to block.
4. Scroll down and tap Block Caller, then tap Block Contact to confirm.
   • What you’ll tap: Red words near the bottom of the screen.

Block someone who texts you: Open the Messages app, open the conversation, tap the name or number at the top, then tap Block Caller.

Quiet calls from numbers you don’t know:

5. Open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Phone.
6. Scroll to Screen Unknown Callers and choose one:
   • Ask Reason for Calling: your iPhone asks unknown callers who they are before it rings.
   • Silence: unknown callers go straight to voicemail. You can still see them in your call list.
7. Under Call Filtering, turn on Spam to send likely spam calls to voicemail.

Important: Save the numbers of family, friends, your doctor, and your pharmacy in Contacts first, so their calls always ring.

On an Android phone

These steps are for the Phone by Google app, which most Android phones use. Samsung and some other brands look a little different, but the words are usually similar.

Block one number:

1. Open the Phone app.
   • What you’ll tap: An icon with a phone handset.
2. Tap Recents (or the clock icon), or tap More then Call history.
3. Tap the call from the number you want to block.
4. Tap Block / report spam, then tap Block to confirm.

Turn on spam filtering:

5. In the Phone app, tap the three dots (More) at the top right, then Settings.
6. Tap Caller ID & spam (on some phones, Spam and Call Screen).
7. Turn on See caller ID & spam and Filter spam calls.
   • What you’ll tap: Switches that turn blue or colored when they’re on.

Block spam texts: In the Messages app, press and hold the conversation, then tap Block (a circle with a line through it). You can also report it as spam.

Two more free steps

• Add your number to the Do Not Call Registry at DoNotCall.gov. This cuts down on sales calls from real companies. Scammers ignore it, which is why blocking helps too.
• Ask your phone company what free call-blocking or call-labeling it offers. Call the number on your bill.

If something goes wrong

• I blocked someone by mistake. On iPhone: Settings, Apps, Phone, Blocked Contacts, then tap Edit and remove them. On Android: Phone app, More, Settings, Blocked numbers, then tap the X or Unblock next to the number.
• I’m missing calls I want. If you chose Silence for unknown callers, save the caller’s number in Contacts, or switch to Ask Reason for Calling instead.
• A spam call still got through. That’s normal. No filter catches everything. Just hang up. Don’t press any numbers, because that can lead to more calls.
• I want to report a call. Report unwanted calls at DoNotCall.gov. If you lost money, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Official sources

• Apple: Block phone numbers, contacts, and emails on your iPhone
• Apple: Manage unknown callers on iPhone
• Google: Block or unblock a phone number (Phone app)
• Google: Report spam in Google Messages
• FTC: How To Block Unwanted Calls

Last checked: Oct 15, 2026

This is general help, not personalized tech support. Menus can look slightly different depending on your phone and carrier.