How to block a number on iPhone, Android and landlines

Blocking a number takes about ten seconds on any phone. Here's how to block one shady caller, screen everyone you don't know, filter junk texts, and turn on the free spam protection your carrier already offers, plus what works on a home phone.

Menu names shift a little with every software update. If a step doesn't match your screen exactly, search your phone's Settings for "block" or "unknown."

iPhone

Block one number

1. Open the Phone app and find the call in your recent calls.
2. Tap the info button (i) next to the number.
3. Scroll down and tap Block Caller (on older versions, Block this Caller), then confirm.

To block a texter, open the conversation, tap the number or name at the top, then choose Block Caller. Blocking on iPhone covers calls, messages and FaceTime from that number. You can review your list in Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts.

Screen or silence unknown callers

Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers (on older versions, Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers). The options:

• Ask Reason for Calling: your iPhone answers numbers that aren't in your contacts and asks the caller for their name and reason before it rings you.
• Silence: unknown numbers go straight to voicemail and show in your recent calls.
• Never: everything rings as normal.

Silencing can hide calls you want (a doctor's office or a delivery driver), so check your voicemail regularly.

Android: Google Pixel (and the Google Phone app)

Block one number

1. Open the Phone app and go to Recents.
2. Tap the call, or touch and hold it.
3. Tap Block or Block / report spam. Tick "Report call as spam" if it was.

Filter spam and screen calls

In the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, then Settings > Spam and Call Screen (called Caller ID & spam on some versions). Turn on caller and spam ID and, where offered, Filter spam calls. On Pixels with automatic Call Screen, you choose how aggressively unknown and spam calls are screened instead. To block calls with no caller ID, go to Settings > Blocked numbers and turn on Unknown.

Android: Samsung Galaxy

Block one number

1. Open the Phone app and go to Recents.
2. Tap the number, open the menu (or the info icon) and choose Block.
3. Confirm.

Spam protection and unknown numbers

In the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, then Settings > Caller ID and spam protection and turn it on. Under Settings > Block numbers you can add numbers by hand and switch on blocking for calls from unknown or private numbers. Exact labels vary by One UI version and carrier.

Blocking texts

• iPhone: in Settings > Apps > Messages, turn on Screen Unknown Senders (older versions: Filter Unknown Senders) so texts from strangers go to a separate list without notifications. For a junk text, use Delete and Report Spam (or Report Junk).
• Google Messages: touch and hold the conversation, tap Block, and leave "Report spam" ticked. Check spam protection is on under your profile picture > Messages settings > Protection & safety.
• Samsung Messages: touch and hold the conversation, then More > Block.

Before deleting a scam text, forward it to 7726. More in how to stop spam texts.

Your carrier's free tools

• Verizon: Call Filter (free version) flags suspected spam and can send high-risk calls to voicemail; Call Filter Plus is a paid upgrade. In My Verizon you can block up to five numbers per line for free, for 90 days at a time.
• AT&T: the free ActiveArmor app blocks suspected fraud calls, labels spam and telemarketing calls, and lets you keep your own block list. A paid Advanced tier adds more.
• T-Mobile: Scam Shield is free. Turn on Scam Block in the T-Life app, in your T-Mobile account, or by dialing #662# from your phone.

Landlines and home phones

• Call Block (*60): many traditional landlines support dialing *60 and following the recorded prompts to block the last caller or build a short block list. Whether it works, how many numbers it holds and whether it costs extra depends on your phone company, so check their support page.
• Internet home phone (VoIP): if your home phone comes from a cable or internet company, ask about their built-in spam blocking. Some third-party services, such as Nomorobo, work with many VoIP lines.
• A call-blocker device: a small box between the phone and the wall. Better ones only let through numbers you approve or callers who press a key to prove they're human, which robocalls rarely do.
• Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry to cut down legitimate sales calls. Scammers ignore it, but it helps.

Why do I still get calls after blocking?

Blocking stops one number. Robocall operations rotate through thousands, often consecutive ones from the same exchange. That's why every ShadyCall number page lists nearby numbers. If (212) 555-0123 is a scam, (212) 555-0124 deserves a look. For the long-term fix, combine blocking with screening unknown callers; see how to stop robocalls.