There are tons of reasons why you’d want to block a phone number. Maybe you got a spam call and want to make sure that you don’t get another call from that same number. Or maybe you don’t want to hear from someone anymore.
Whatever your reasoning is, you have a right to know how to prevent someone from calling you. That’s why I have provided the steps below to show you how to quickly block a phone number or text, whether you have an iPhone or Android.
Table of Contents:
There are two ways that you can block a number in your phone. If you want to block a random number that has called you, follow these steps.
- Open your Phone app (the green one with the telephone icon)
- Tap Recents at the bottom of the screen
- When you see the phone number you want to block, tap the lowercase “i” to the right of the number
- Scroll to the bottom and select Block this Caller
- Click Block Contact to confirm
If you want to block a number that you have saved as a contact, follow these steps:
- Open your Phone app (the green one with the telephone icon)
- Click Contacts at the bottom of the screen
- Select the name of the Contact you wish to block
- Scroll to the bottom and select Block this Caller
- Click Block Contact to confirm
GO DEEPER: HOW TO AVOID BEING DUPED BY ROBOCALLS NOW AND FOREVER
On an Android, you can block a contact and also block unknown numbers. Here’s how to block a contact.
- Open your Phone app
- Tap the 3 vertical dots and select Call History
- Tap a call from the number you want to block.
- Tap Block/report spam
To block unknown numbers, do the following:
- Open your Phone app
- Tap the 3 vertical dots
- Go to Settings and select Blocked Numbers
- Turn on Unknown
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone and then the message from the number you want to block
- Tap the number or contact name at the top of the conversation
- Tap Info
- Scroll down and tap Block this Caller
Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer
- Open the messaging app on your Android device
- Find the spam message you want to block
- Tap and hold the message until a menu appears
- Look for an option like Block or Spam and select it
- Confirm you want to block future messages from that sender
Most carriers also offer options to block spam calls and texts such as Verizon’s Block Calls & Messages, AT&T’s Secure Family, and T-Mobile’s Message blocking. The exact steps to use these features will vary depending on your carrier.
Regrettably, there is a high probability that your phone number is readily available on many lists sold by data brokers to hundreds of people search websites. However, if you remove it from the web it can reduce the likelihood of spammers and telemarketers obtaining your number and contacting you.
A service like Incogni can help you remove all this personal information from the internet. It has a very clean interface and will scan 195 websites for your information and remove it and keep it removed.
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Related: How to reclaim your phone and block unwelcome political text messages
How to reclaim your phone and block unwelcome political text messages
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