Protect yourself

How to block a number on iPhone, Android and landlines

5 min read · Updated 31 October 2026

Blocking takes ten seconds and works on every phone. Here's how to block one bad number, silence everyone you don't know, and filter scam texts - plus what to do on a landline.

iPhone

Block one number

Open Phone and go to Recents.
Tap the ⓘ next to the number.
Scroll down and tap Block this Caller, then Block Contact.

For a text: open the message, tap the number at the top, then Info › Block this Caller. Blocked numbers can still leave voicemail, which goes to a separate "Blocked Messages" list.

Silence everyone you don't know

Go to Settings › Apps › Phone (on older versions, Settings › Phone) and turn on Silence Unknown Callers. Calls from numbers not in your contacts go straight to voicemail and show in Recents. Newer versions of iOS can also screen unknown callers, asking them who they are before your phone rings.

Filter scam texts

Settings › Apps › Messages › turn on Filter Unknown Senders. Messages from people not in your contacts move to a separate list, without notifications.

Android

Menus differ a little between makers; these are for Google's Phone app (Pixel and many others) and Samsung.

Block one number

Open the Phone app and go to Recents (or Call history).
Tap and hold the number (or tap it, then the ⋮ menu).
Choose Block or Block / report spam.

Turn on spam protection

Google Phone: ⋮ › Settings › Caller ID & spam › turn on Filter spam calls.
Samsung: Phone › ⋮ › Settings › Caller ID and spam protection, and Block numbers › Block unknown/private numbers.

Filter scam texts

In Google Messages: tap and hold the conversation › Block (tick "Report spam"). Turn on Settings › Spam protection.

Landlines

Many cordless phones have a call block list and a "block withheld numbers" option - check the manual.
Your provider may offer blocking of private or unknown numbers, and must help with ongoing nuisance or threatening calls.
Register on the Do Not Call Register to stop most legitimate telemarketers (scammers ignore it).

Block, then report. Blocking protects you; reporting protects everyone else. Report the number on BadCall so the next person sees the warning before they answer.

Why do I still get calls after blocking?

Scam operations rotate through thousands of numbers - often consecutive ones from the same block. That's why BadCall shows nearby numbers on every number page: if 0412 345 678 is a scam, 0412 345 679 deserves a second look. Silencing unknown callers is the most effective long-term fix.