Mobile spam has recently taken on entirely new proportions. Whether it’s unsolicited messages from advertising companies or incessant spam calls from fraudulent services, you’ve probably encountered spam in some form or another.

block a phone number on iphone

Spam calls and messages aren’t only annoying but sometimes carry the risk of identity or digital theft. That’s why it’s important to be vigilant.

One of the easiest measures to outsmart this situation is to block phone numbers that send spam calls and SMS. Follow along as we break down phone number blocking and the steps to block a phone number on your iPhone.

What Happens When You Block a Number on iPhone?

One of the most common questions people have around phone number blocking is what actually happens when you block someone on your iPhone.

The short answer is that when you block someone on your iPhone, they can no longer reach you via calls, iMessage, or FaceTime. Basically, their calls end up in your voicemail. When a voicemail is sent, it ends up in the Blocked Messages folder at the bottom of your voicemail list.

iMessage and regular text messages, on the other hand, appear to end up with the sender but never arrive on your device. Similarly, FaceTime calls appear to be sent, but you don’t receive them.

For any of these situations, the sender, whose number you’ve blocked, won’t be notified about the same. They would, however, eventually come to know that you’ve blocked them since you’d never respond to their communications. Also, you should note that outgoing calls and messages from your end will still be forwarded to the other number or contact since you have blocked the sender.

Note:
Third-party apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, work even if you block someone’s number on your iPhone.

How do I Block a Phone Number on my iPhone?

Since the release of iOS 7, Apple has made it much easier to block phone numbers on the iPhone with the built-in block feature. So now, you can easily block incoming calls and messages without having to use third-party apps.

In the latest versions of iOS, you can block a phone number in several ways.

Note, however, that when you block a phone number on your iPhone – regardless of which method you use – you are essentially blocking its communications for both calls and messages, including FaceTime calls and iMessage.

Note:
The methods and steps listed below are the same regardless of which carrier you use your iPhone with – be it Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or any other carrier.

Block a Phone Number on iPhone Using the Phone App

If you have received a spam call from an unknown caller, you can block it directly from the Phone app. Do this:

1. Open the Phone app and select the Recents tab.
block phone number iphone

2. Click the i info icon next to the number you want to block and tap the Block this Caller button. Then tap Block Contact to confirm.
blocking a phone number on iphone

Alternatively, if you want to prevent unwanted calls from a contact in your Contacts list, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Phone app and select the Contacts tab. Or directly open the Contacts app.
  2. Click on the contact you want to block.
  3. Scroll down and click Block this Caller.

Related Read: 5 Ways to Stop Incoming Calls without Blocking

Block a Phone Numberon iPhone Using the Messages App

If you’re being spammed with messages from a phone number or have a contact you no longer want to chat with via SMS, you can block them in the Messages app. To do this, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Messages app.
  2. Go to the message thread of the number that is sending you unwanted messages.
  3. Tap the phone number, and from the context menu, hit the i button.
    blocking a phone number on iphone
  4. In the next window, click Info.
    blocking a phone number on iphone
  5. Tap Block this Caller button.
    blocking a phone number on iphone

Also, in case of a FaceTime spam call, you can block the number either from the FaceTime app or from the Photos app itself since the Phone app combines both regular calls and FaceTime. To do this, follow the steps listed under the method for the Phone app.

How to Manage Blocked Phone Numbers on Your iPhone

When a blocked number tries to send a text message, it will not be allowed through. If for some reason, you have a phone number (or contact) blocked on your iPhone and would like to unblock it or find out who you have blocked, you can access your block list. To view and manage the block list on your device, use one of the following methods.

Using the Phone App

  1. Open Settings from your home screen.
  2. Go to Phone and select Blocked Contacts.
    managing blocked phone numbers on iphone
  3. Tap the Edit button at the top-right of the screen, tap on the minus (–) button next to the number you want to unblock, and tap Unblock.

How to Unblock a Number on iPhone?

To unblock a number on iPhone, first, go to your blocked contacts list.

To do this, open Settings and either go to Phone or Messages. From there, select Blocked Contacts and tap on the Edit button at the top. Next, hit the minus (–) button next to the number you want to unblock and click Unblock.

how to unblock a number on iphone

Cut Down on Spam and Unknown Communications

With this tutorial, you can easily block phone numbers on your iPhone and prevent spam and unnecessary messages from random people.

Another way to deal with spam on Apple iPhone is to use caller identification services like Truecaller, which will tell you if a phone number is spam or legitimate. This way, you’ll immediately know if they’re spam numbers and can reject such unwanted calls.

FAQs about Blocking Phone Numbers on iPhone

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To block calls on your iPhone, open the Phone app, hit the i button next to the number you want to block, and tap on Block this Caller. Check out the guide above to learn how to block a number via the Phone and Messages apps.

Do note that when you block a number on iPhone, you essentially block out any communication from that number, including phone calls, messages (and iMessages), and FaceTime calls. So no matter whether you block a number in the Phone or Messages app, it wouldn’t be able to reach out to you over call or message.

Depending on your mobile carrier, you may be able to disable your phone’s caller ID when making outgoing calls. To do this, open Settings and go to Phone. Here, tap on Show My Caller ID and toggle the button next to Show My Caller ID.

Yes, *67 still works if it is supported by your carrier. However, note that it does not work when calling toll-free numbers or emergency numbers. On smartphones, *67 does work but must be re-entered each time you dial a number. Most mobile carriers offer the option to block your number for all outgoing calls via the settings on your iPhone

In the Messages app, you can report iMessages that appear to be spam or junk. The Report Junk link is visible if you receive an iMessage from someone not saved in your Contacts.

Tap Report Junk, then tap Delete and Report Junk. The message will be forwarded to Apple, along with the sender's information.

When a message is reported as junk, it does not prevent the sender from sending another message. Block the contact if you don't want to receive these messages.

On iPhone, take a look at iMessage. Once a message has been delivered, you will receive a 'delivered' confirmation. If you think someone has blocked you, look for confirmation in their messages. It should have a 'delivered' status if you know it was received and responded to. You could be blocked if you do not see that "delivered" notification under subsequent messages

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