Blocking Phone Numbers & Calls: The Ultimate Guide

Hey there! Ready to take control of your phone calls and block those unwanted numbers? I’m here to help you out. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll show you all the ins and outs of blocking phone numbers and calls. Let’s get started!

First things first, you might be wondering why you would want to block phone numbers in the first place. Well, we all know how annoying it can be to receive unwanted calls from telemarketers, scammers, or even that ex who just can’t take a hint. Blocking these numbers can save you from the frustration and inconvenience they bring.

Now, let’s delve into the different ways you can block those pesky calls. There are a few options available, depending on your device and preferences. If you’re using a smartphone, you’ll generally have built-in features that allow you to block numbers. You can access them through your settings or call settings, and it’s usually just a few taps away.

Some smartphones have a “Block” or “Spam” option right in the call log. When you receive an unwanted call, you can simply select that option, and boom! That number is blocked. Easy peasy, right?

If your smartphone doesn’t provide this feature, don’t worry; there are other options. You can download call-blocking apps from your app store, which give you even more control over who can reach you. These apps often have advanced features, like automatic call screening or blocking numbers based on known scams.

Now, you might be thinking, “But what if I want to block calls from unknown numbers?” Great question! Some call-blocking apps offer the ability to block calls from unknown or private numbers. This way, you never have to deal with those mysterious callers again. It’s like having your very own doorman for your phone!

But wait, there’s more! If you have a landline phone, you can still block unwanted calls. Many landline phone providers offer call-blocking services. You can usually activate these services by contacting your provider or managing your account online. They may have different methods, such as creating a blacklist or enabling do-not-disturb mode.

Now that you know how to block phone numbers and calls, you can finally reclaim control over your phone. No more interruptions during dinner or annoying sales calls. Just peace and quiet, just the way you like it.

Remember, blocking phone numbers is a powerful tool, but use it responsibly. Double-check the numbers you’re blocking to ensure you’re not accidentally blocking important calls. And if you ever change your mind, you can always unblock those numbers too.

So there you have it, a complete guide to blocking phone numbers and calls. I hope this information helps you regain control of your phone and live a more peaceful life. Happy blocking!

Almost every phone nowadays has a feature that lets you block specific numbers from calling you. Whether you want to avoid telemarketers, spammers, or just someone you don’t want to talk to anymore, you have control over who can reach you. This feature is built-in to your phone’s operating system, so you don’t need any extra apps or tools to use it.

Whether you have an Android smartphone or an iPhone with iOS, blocking unwanted calls is a breeze. All you need to know are the steps to get it done, and I’m going to walk you through it right here in this article.

So let’s get started.

Blocking Calls on an iPhone:

We’ve all been there: you’re going about your day, focused on work or enjoying your free time, when suddenly your phone starts ringing. But instead of your boss or a friend, it’s “Jenna” calling to tell you about “your car’s expired warranty.” Yikes! Hanging up on these calls is one thing, but it doesn’t stop them from trying to reach you again. If you want to block these numbers from contacting you altogether, you’ll be happy to know that it’s easy to do right on your iPhone. Let’s see how you can put an end to those persistent telemarketers.

When you want to locate your phone on your iPhone, all you need to do is find the Phone app either on your dock or home screen. Just give it a tap, and you’re good to go!

So, let’s talk about finding your recent calls log. It’s a pretty handy tool that lets you see all the phone numbers that have called you. And once you’ve found the number you want to block, here’s what you do: tap on the information button. You’ll find it on the right side of your screen, and it’s this lowercase ‘i’ inside a circle.

When you check the Information display, you’ll find the time and phone details of the annoying caller. Right at the bottom of the display, there’s a choice that says “Block this Caller.” Simply tap on that option.

When you want to block a contact on your iPhone, a menu will slide out from the bottom of the screen. It will give you the option to block the contact, and a warning that the number won’t be able to call, message, or FaceTime you. If you decide it’s okay to block the number, just tap “Block Contact.” But if you don’t want to block them, tap “Cancel” instead.

If you ever need to unblock a number in the future, just follow the same steps we mentioned earlier and tap “Unblock this Caller” at the bottom of the screen. If the number isn’t in your call log, don’t worry. You can still unblock it in the next section. So, if you need to unblock a contact but can’t find the call log, don’t panic. That’s pretty much it! You can now block unwanted callers directly from your iPhone’s native interface.

Blocking Numbers in the iPhone Contact List

The quickest way to block a number is to use the call log method we explained earlier. But if you need to block someone who’s already on your iPhone’s contact list, don’t stress. You don’t have to wait for them to contact you to block them. You can do it right from your iPhone’s contact settings.

Hey there! So, here’s what you gotta do. First things first, open up your settings. Scroll down until you come across the “Phone” option. Once you find it, go ahead and tap on it. This will take you to a menu where you can access all your call settings.

Hey there! Let me walk you through this. First, go ahead and tap on the “Calls” option. You’ll find it right there on your screen. Great! Now, look for the “Call Blocking & Identification” section. It’s important that you tap on it to continue.

If you’ve already blocked some numbers, you’ll find them listed in the “Call Blocking” menu. To block a contact, go to the bottom of the blocked numbers list and choose “Block Contact…”.

When you do this, your contacts list will open. Look for the person you want to block and select their contact. They will then be added to the list above.

To unblock a number, go back to the “Call Blocking and Information” menu. To remove a number or contact from the list and unblock them, tap “Edit” in the top-right corner of your screen. Then, select the circular red ‘delete’ button next to the number you want to remove from your block list.

Blocking calls on an Android phone works a bit differently than on iOS. The steps may vary depending on your specific phone’s skin and app. However, most Android phones have the ability to block numbers, so even if the steps below don’t match your phone exactly, you should be able to follow similar steps to block a number. If you can’t find the option on your phone, let us know in the comments, and we’ll do our best to assist you.

The steps below were performed on a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge but should work on most modern Samsung phones, including the newer Galaxy S8 models. Your device’s software may look different, but the method for blocking a number should be similar on any Android device.

Start by opening your phone app, either from your home screen or the app drawer.

If you want to use the phone app, you have two options. You can either open your recent calls or open the dialer to dial a new number. First, go to your list of recent calls and look for the person who called you and caused a problem. Once you find their number, tap on their call listing to see more options for their call history. You’ll notice three icons: call, message, and details. Choose “details.” This will give you access to the caller’s phone number and call history.

Here, you can find the complete record of all the calls you’ve had with that particular number. To stop receiving calls from that number, simply go to the top right corner and click on the menu icon with three dots. If the number is not saved in your contacts, the only option you will see is “Block Number.”

If you tap on “Block Number,” you’ll get a message that pops up and warns you that once you block a number, you won’t be able to receive any calls or messages from it. Once you’ve made up your mind and want to block that number, just click on “Block.”

If you want to check if the caller has been blocked, just tap the menu icon with three dots again. You might notice something different this time – there’s only one option, but it will say “Unblock Number” now.

If you realize you’ve accidentally blocked a number, don’t worry! You can easily unblock it. There won’t be a pop-up asking you to confirm the unblocking, so you’ll need to follow a few steps.

To unblock a number on your Android Marshmallow or Nougat device, there’s an alternative method you can use. Although we’re demonstrating this on a Galaxy S7 edge, it should work on almost any Android phone.

To start, open your Phone application from the app drawer. Once opened, look for the triple-dotted menu button at the top-right corner of the screen. Tap on it, and then select “Settings” from the menu that appears.

Next, you’ll find yourself in the “Call Settings” category. Look for “Block numbers” as the first option and tap on it. This will take you to the next screen where you can manage your blocked numbers.

Hey there! So, here’s the deal: you’ve got some options when it comes to blocking calls. If you want to remove a number from your block list, just select the delete icon on the right side of the number. To add a phone number to your block list, simply enter it in the “Enter phone number” box using the keypad on your screen. If you prefer, you can also go to your Contacts and add a number from there.

Now, if you really want to prevent any anonymous or restricted calls from getting through to you, all you have to do is select the switch at the very top of the menu. Easy peasy!

The Best Call Blocking App for iPhone or Android

Now that I’ve shown you how to block calls in your settings on both iOS and Android devices, let me give you a few extra tips on keeping your phone safe from spam calls. There are a bunch of apps out there that promise to block calls for you, but only a few are actually worth downloading. And my top pick for the absolute best call blocking app for your device is Truecaller. You can get it for free on both iOS and Android. Take a look at the image below to see what it looks like:

Here’s what makes Truecaller so awesome: it uses a big ol’ community-based spam list to spot and warn you about spam or sketchy calls before you even answer them. So you can decide whether or not to pick up the call. Plus, you can block unwanted callers and find out where they’re calling from by copying their numbers into the app. And hey, you can even add spam numbers to the Truecaller community, so that other people can avoid them too. It’s a win-win situation! Truecaller is the real deal, thanks to its strong user base and super helpful features. Of course, there are other apps out there like Mr. Number that are also pretty good, so you’ve got options.

As a final step to protect yourself, I recommend adding your phone number to the FTC’s Do Not Call registry. Doing this will stop telemarketers from bugging you. You can also report any pesky unwanted calls on their website. Keep in mind that this list won’t cover all annoying calls though – you may still get political calls, charitable calls, debt collection calls, informational calls, and surveys. But it’s definitely worth signing up, just to give yourself a little extra defense against those annoying callers.