In today's digital world, unwanted calls and messages can be a nuisance. Whether it's a telemarketer, a robocaller, or an ex you'd rather not hear from, knowing how to block a number on your iPhone can provide you with peace of mind and control over your communication.
Blocking a number on your iPhone is a simple process that can be completed in just a few steps. In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through the exact process, ensuring that you can effectively block any unwanted numbers from contacting you.
Now that you understand the importance of blocking numbers on your iPhone, let's dive into the detailed steps you need to take to achieve this.
How to block a number on iPhone
Follow these simple steps to block unwanted calls and messages.
- Open Phone app.
- Find the contact or number.
- Tap the "i" icon.
- Scroll down and select "Block this Caller."
- Confirm blocking.
- Blocked calls go to voicemail.
- Blocked messages are filtered.
- Easily unblock if needed.
Remember, blocking a number is a convenient way to protect your privacy and maintain control over your communication.
Open Phone app.
To begin the process of blocking a number on your iPhone, you'll need to open the Phone app. This is the default app for making and receiving calls on your device. It's typically located on your home screen, and its icon is green with a white phone receiver inside.
Once you've opened the Phone app, you'll be presented with a screen that shows your recent calls. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see three tabs: Favorites, Recents, and Contacts. Tap on the Contacts tab to view a list of all the contacts stored on your iPhone.
If the number you want to block is saved as a contact, simply tap on the contact's name to open their contact information. If the number is not saved as a contact, you can still block it by tapping on the "Recents" tab and finding the number in your call history.
Once you've found the contact or number you want to block, tap on the "i" icon next to their name or number. This will open a new screen with more information about the contact, including their phone number, email address, and any other contact details you've saved.
Now that you've opened the Phone app and found the contact or number you want to block, you're ready to proceed to the next step: selecting the "Block this Caller" option.
Find the contact or number.
Once you've opened the Phone app, you need to find the contact or number you want to block.
- If the number is saved as a contact:
Tap on the Contacts tab at the bottom of the screen to view a list of all your contacts. Then, tap on the contact's name to open their contact information.
- If the number is not saved as a contact:
Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom of the screen to view your call history. Then, find the number you want to block and tap on the "i" icon next to it.
- If you received a message from the number:
Open the Messages app and find the conversation with the number you want to block. Then, tap on the contact's name or number at the top of the conversation to open their contact information.
- If you missed a call from the number:
Open the Phone app and tap on the Recents tab. Then, find the missed call from the number you want to block and tap on the "i" icon next to it.
Once you've found the contact or number you want to block, you're ready to proceed to the next step: tapping on the "i" icon to open their contact information.
Tap the "i" icon.
Once you've found the contact or number you want to block, tap on the "i" icon next to their name or number. This will open a new screen with more information about the contact, including their phone number, email address, and any other contact details you've saved.
- The "i" icon is located in different places depending on where you found the contact or number:
- If you found the contact or number in the Contacts app, the "i" icon will be in the top-right corner of the screen. - If you found the contact or number in the Recents tab of the Phone app, the "i" icon will be next to the contact's name or number. - If you found the contact or number in a message conversation, the "i" icon will be next to the contact's name or number at the top of the conversation.
- When you tap on the "i" icon, the contact's information will appear in a new screen.
This screen will include their name, phone number, email address, and any other contact details you've saved. You may also see options to send a message, make a call, or add the contact to your favorites.
- Look for the "Block this Caller" option.
This option may be located in different places depending on the version of iOS you're using. In iOS 13 and later, the "Block this Caller" option is located at the bottom of the contact's information screen. In earlier versions of iOS, it may be located under the "Call Blocking & Identification" section.
- Once you've found the "Block this Caller" option, tap on it to confirm that you want to block the contact or number.
A confirmation message will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to block the caller. Tap on "Block Contact" or "Block Caller" to confirm.
Once you've tapped on the "Block this Caller" option and confirmed that you want to block the contact or number, the caller will be blocked from contacting you. You will no longer receive calls or messages from them.
Scroll down and select "Block this Caller."
Once you've tapped on the "i" icon next to the contact or number you want to block, their contact information will appear in a new screen. Scroll down to the bottom of this screen until you see the "Block this Caller" option.
The exact location of the "Block this Caller" option may vary depending on the version of iOS you're using. In iOS 13 and later, it's typically located at the bottom of the contact's information screen, below all of their contact details.
In earlier versions of iOS, the "Block this Caller" option may be located under a section called "Call Blocking & Identification." To find it, scroll down until you see this section and then tap on it. You should then see the "Block this Caller" option.
Once you've found the "Block this Caller" option, tap on it to select it. A confirmation message will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to block the contact or number. Tap on "Block Contact" or "Block Caller" to confirm.
Once you've confirmed that you want to block the contact or number, they will be blocked from contacting you. You will no longer receive calls or messages from them. You can unblock the contact or number at any time by following the same steps and tapping on the "Unblock this Caller" option.
Confirm blocking.
Once you've selected the "Block this Caller" option, a confirmation message will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to block the contact or number.
- Read the confirmation message carefully.
Make sure that you're blocking the correct contact or number. Once you block a contact or number, they will no longer be able to contact you, and you will no longer be able to contact them.
- If you're sure that you want to block the contact or number, tap on the "Block Contact" or "Block Caller" button.
This will confirm your decision and block the contact or number from contacting you.
- You may also see an option to "Report Junk."
This option allows you to report the contact or number to Apple as spam or junk. If you select this option, Apple will investigate the contact or number and may take action against them.
- Once you've confirmed that you want to block the contact or number, they will be blocked immediately.
You will no longer receive calls or messages from them. You can unblock the contact or number at any time by following the same steps and tapping on the "Unblock this Caller" option.
Confirming that you want to block a contact or number is an important step in the process of blocking them. Make sure that you're certain that you want to block the contact or number before you confirm your decision.
Blocked calls go to voicemail.
When you block a call on your iPhone, the caller will not be able to reach you directly. Instead, their call will be sent to voicemail. This is true for both regular phone calls and FaceTime audio calls.
When a blocked caller calls you, they will hear a message saying that the person they are calling is unavailable. They will then be given the option to leave a voicemail message. You will not be notified when a blocked caller leaves you a voicemail message.
If you want to listen to a voicemail message from a blocked caller, you can do so by opening the Phone app and tapping on the Voicemail tab. You will see a list of all your voicemail messages, including any messages from blocked callers. To listen to a message, simply tap on it.
You can also choose to delete voicemail messages from blocked callers without listening to them. To do this, simply swipe left on the message and tap on the Delete button. You can also delete all voicemail messages from blocked callers at once by tapping on the Edit button and then selecting the Delete All Blocked Messages option.
The fact that blocked calls go to voicemail can be helpful if you want to avoid talking to a particular person, but you still want to have a record of their attempts to contact you. You can listen to their voicemail messages at your convenience and decide whether or not you want to respond.
Blocked messages are filtered.
When you block a number on your iPhone, all messages from that number will be filtered out and sent to a separate folder called "Filtered Messages." This includes both SMS and MMS messages.
To view your filtered messages, open the Messages app and tap on the "Filtered Messages" folder. You will see a list of all the messages that have been filtered out, including messages from blocked numbers.
You can choose to read and respond to filtered messages if you want to. However, you will not receive any notifications when you receive a filtered message. This means that you may not be aware that you have a new message unless you check the Filtered Messages folder regularly.
You can also choose to delete filtered messages without reading them. To do this, simply swipe left on the message and tap on the Delete button. You can also delete all filtered messages at once by tapping on the Edit button and then selecting the Delete All Filtered Messages option.
The fact that blocked messages are filtered can be helpful if you want to avoid receiving messages from a particular person, but you still want to have a record of their attempts to contact you. You can check the Filtered Messages folder at your convenience and decide whether or not you want to read and respond to any of the messages.
Easily unblock if needed.
If you ever need to unblock a number that you've previously blocked, you can do so easily.
- Open the Phone app.
This is the default app for making and receiving calls on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Contacts tab.
This will show you a list of all the contacts stored on your iPhone.
- Find the contact that you want to unblock.
You can either scroll through the list of contacts or use the search bar at the top of the screen to find the contact you're looking for.
- Tap on the contact's name to open their contact information.
You will see a screen with their name, phone number, email address, and any other contact details you've saved.
- Scroll down and tap on the "Unblock this Caller" option.
This option may be located in different places depending on the version of iOS you're using. In iOS 13 and later, it's typically located at the bottom of the contact's information screen, below all of their contact details.
Once you've tapped on the "Unblock this Caller" option, the contact will be unblocked and you will be able to receive calls and messages from them again.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about blocking numbers on your iPhone:
Question 1: How do I block a number on my iPhone?
Answer 1: To block a number on your iPhone, open the Phone app, find the contact or number you want to block, tap on the "i" icon next to their name or number, scroll down and select "Block this Caller," and then confirm your decision.
Question 2: What happens when I block a number on my iPhone?
Answer 2: When you block a number on your iPhone, the caller will not be able to reach you directly. Their calls will be sent to voicemail, and their messages will be filtered out and sent to a separate folder called "Filtered Messages."
Question 3: Can I still receive voicemail messages from a blocked number?
Answer 3: Yes, you can still receive voicemail messages from a blocked number. However, you will not be notified when you receive a voicemail message from a blocked caller. You can listen to voicemail messages from blocked callers by opening the Phone app and tapping on the Voicemail tab.
Question 4: Can I still send messages to a blocked number?
Answer 4: No, you cannot send messages to a blocked number. If you try to send a message to a blocked number, the message will not be delivered.
Question 5: How do I unblock a number on my iPhone?
Answer 5: To unblock a number on your iPhone, open the Phone app, tap on the Contacts tab, find the contact you want to unblock, tap on their name to open their contact information, scroll down and tap on the "Unblock this Caller" option, and then confirm your decision.
Question 6: Can I block unknown numbers on my iPhone?
Answer 6: Yes, you can block unknown numbers on your iPhone by enabling the "Silence Unknown Callers" feature. To do this, open the Settings app, tap on "Phone," and then tap on "Silence Unknown Callers." Once this feature is enabled, calls from unknown numbers will be automatically silenced and sent to voicemail.
Question 7: Can I report a spam or junk caller on my iPhone?
Answer 7: Yes, you can report a spam or junk caller on your iPhone. When you block a number, you will see an option to "Report Junk." If you select this option, Apple will investigate the contact or number and may take action against them.
Closing Paragraph for FAQ: These are just a few of the most frequently asked questions about blocking numbers on your iPhone. If you have any other questions, you can consult Apple's support website or contact your wireless carrier for assistance.
Now that you know how to block numbers on your iPhone, here are a few tips for using this feature effectively:
Tips
Here are four tips for using the call and message blocking feature on your iPhone effectively:
Tip 1: Block numbers as soon as you identify them as spam or unwanted.
Don't wait until you've received multiple calls or messages from a spammer or unwanted caller. Block their number as soon as you realize that you don't want to hear from them.
Tip 2: Use the "Report Junk" feature to report spam callers to Apple.
When you block a number, you'll see an option to "Report Junk." If you select this option, Apple will investigate the contact or number and may take action against them. This can help to reduce the number of spam calls and messages that you receive in the future.
Tip 3: Consider blocking entire area codes or prefixes if you're receiving a lot of spam calls from a particular region.
You can do this by adding the area code or prefix to your blocked contacts list. This can be especially helpful if you're receiving a lot of robocalls or scam calls from a particular area.
Tip 4: If you're being harassed or threatened, you can block the caller's number and report them to the police.
You can also contact your wireless carrier and ask them to block the caller's number on their network.
Closing Paragraph for Tips: By following these tips, you can use the call and message blocking feature on your iPhone to effectively manage unwanted calls and messages and protect your privacy.
Now that you know how to block numbers and use the call and message blocking feature on your iPhone effectively, you can take control of your communication and enjoy a more peaceful and productive mobile experience.
Conclusion
In this article, we've walked you through the step-by-step process of blocking a number on your iPhone. We've also provided answers to frequently asked questions and shared some practical tips for using the call and message blocking feature effectively.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily block unwanted calls and messages from telemarketers, robocallers, spammers, and anyone else you don't want to hear from. This can help you to protect your privacy, reduce interruptions, and maintain control over your communication.
Remember, blocking a number is a simple but powerful tool that can make a big difference in your mobile experience. So, if you're tired of dealing with unwanted calls and messages, take action today and block those numbers!