How Do You Block a Phone Number?

You block a phone number in the phone itself, using the call history, the contact card, or a blocked list in settings. Every current iPhone and Android phone has this built in, and blocking a number there stops calls and usually messages from that number reaching you.

Blocking works well against a specific caller who keeps calling from the same number. It works poorly against nuisance calls that come from a new number every time, which is why the second half of this page covers what to do when the block list stops being enough.

How do you block a number on an iPhone?

1. Open the phone app and go to Recents.
2. Tap the information icon next to the number you want to block.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the contact screen.
4. Tap Block this Caller and confirm.

To block a number that never called you, save it as a contact first, then open that contact and use the same block option at the bottom.

To see everything you have blocked, open Settings, go to the Phone settings, and open the blocked contacts list. That list is also where you unblock, which matters if you blocked the wrong entry in a hurry.

How do you block a number on an Android phone?

The wording differs between manufacturers, but the path is the same shape.

1. Open the phone app and go to the Recents or call history tab.
2. Press and hold the number, or tap it and open its details.
3. Choose Block or Block and report spam.
4. Confirm.

The full list of blocked numbers is in the phone app's settings, usually under blocked numbers or caller ID and spam. Open it once after blocking to confirm the number actually landed there.

What is the difference between blocking a number and blocking your own number?

These are opposite actions that sound alike, and mixing them up sends you to the wrong setting entirely.

• Blocking a phone number means stopping calls from someone else reaching you. That is the block list described above.
• Blocking your own number means hiding your caller ID so the person you call does not see your number. That is a caller ID setting, and it is done either per call with a dialing prefix or permanently in your phone or carrier settings.

If you searched for how to block your phone number because you want to make private calls, the caller ID setting is what you need, not the block list.

How do you block calls from unknown or hidden numbers?

You cannot add a hidden number to a block list, because there is no number to add. Instead, phones offer a filter that handles unidentified callers as a group.

• On iPhone, look in the Phone settings for the option to silence unknown callers. Calls from numbers not in your contacts go to voicemail without ringing.
• On Android, the phone app settings include caller ID and spam protection, and often a setting for blocking unknown or private numbers.
• Both approaches also silence legitimate callers you have never saved, such as a doctor's office, a delivery driver, or a job interviewer.

That last point is the tradeoff. If you turn this on, check your voicemail and missed calls regularly, because the calls you wanted are now in the same silent pile as the ones you did not.

Why do blocked numbers still get through?

A block that seems to fail usually has one of these explanations.

• The caller is using a different number each time. Blocking one number does nothing about the next one.
• The number is spoofed, meaning the caller is faking the number that appears on your screen. Blocking a spoofed number blocks whoever really owns it, not the caller.
• The call arrives through a messaging or internet calling app, which keeps its own separate block list.
• The number was saved twice, in slightly different formats, and only one version was blocked.
• You blocked the contact but the call came from a second number on the same contact card.

Open your blocked list and check what is actually in it. Numbers stored with and without the area code are treated as different entries on some phones.

What can your carrier block that your phone cannot?

Phone-level blocking rejects the call after it has already reached your phone. Carrier-level blocking stops it earlier, on the network, which is a stronger tool for persistent problems.

Most carriers offer some combination of a network block list, a spam-labeling service that marks suspected nuisance calls before they ring, and an app for managing both. Sign in to your carrier account or check the support pages at the company’s official website to see what your plan includes.

Carrier block lists usually hold a limited number of entries, so they are best saved for the numbers that matter most rather than filled with every nuisance call.

What should you do about repeated unwanted calls?

1. Do not answer, and do not press any key the recording suggests. Answering confirms the line is live.
2. Block the number, then turn on your carrier's spam filtering if it is available.
3. Add your number to the national registry for unwanted sales calls, which reduces calls from legitimate sellers.
4. Report the calls to the relevant regulator if they continue, keeping a note of dates and times.
5. If the calls are threatening or come from someone you know, keep a written record, since that record is what any later complaint rests on.

Blocking is a tool for repeat callers with one number. Against automated calling that rotates numbers, filtering and reporting do more than blocking each one by hand ever will.