The same unknown number calls every day at dinner time. A spam text lands at midnight. A telemarketer who will not take no for an answer. Blocking is the permanent fix: one block, and that number can never ring you or text you again. iPhone, Android, and Samsung each bury the option in a slightly different place — here is exactly where.
On iPhone: block straight from where they reached you
Apple gives you three doors into the same block list, and its guide to blocking numbers on iPhone documents all of them. Start wherever the nuisance last reached you:
- Open the Phone app and tap Recents.
- Find the number and tap the ⓘ Info button next to it.
- Scroll all the way down, tap Block Caller, and confirm.
Blocked from a text message instead:
- Open the Messages app and open the conversation.
- Tap the name or number at the top of the conversation.
- Scroll down, tap Block Caller, and confirm.
To block a number that has never called or texted you — a number a friend warned you about, an old contact's new line — add it by hand:
- Open Settings and tap Privacy & Security.
- Tap Blocked Contacts, then Add Blocked Contact.
- Pick a contact — or type any number or email address — and tap Block Contact.
On Android: block from the call history
On phones running Google's Phone app — Pixel and most other Android phones — Google's guide to blocking a phone number keeps it to four taps:
- Open your Phone app.
- Tap More (the ⋮ in the corner), then Call history.
- Tap the call from the number you want to block.
- Tap Block / report spam and confirm.
The same screen — More ⋮ → Settings → Blocked numbers — holds two more useful switches: turn on Unknown to block calls from private or unidentified numbers, and review or add numbers to your blocked list by hand. Google notes that with the Unknown switch on, you still receive calls from numbers that simply are not saved in your contacts.
On Samsung Galaxy: block from Recents or the blocked list
Samsung ships its own dialer, and its guide to blocking calls on Galaxy phones covers both routes. From the call log:
- Open the Phone app and tap Recents at the bottom.
- Tap the number you want to block, then tap the ⓘ Information icon next to it.
- Tap Block.
To add a number by hand — or shut out every hidden number at once:
- Open the Phone app, tap More options (⋮), then Settings.
- Tap Block numbers.
- Type the number and tap the plus icon. To block all unidentified callers instead, switch on Block unknown/private numbers.
What blocking actually does
| After you block | iPhone | Android (Google Phone app) | Samsung Galaxy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calls from the number | Go straight to voicemail — you get no notification | Declined automatically | No longer received on your phone |
| Texts from the number | Not delivered | Not delivered | No longer received on your phone |
| Can they leave a voicemail? | Yes, but you are never notified | No, if visual voicemail is on | Not specified — check with your carrier |
| Does the blocked person know? | No notification is sent | No notification is sent | No notification is sent |
| Where to unblock | Settings → Privacy & Security → Blocked Contacts → Edit → Unblock | Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Blocked numbers → Clear → Unblock | Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Block numbers → minus icon |
How to unblock a number
Changed your mind? Every platform keeps its list editable:
- iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Blocked Contacts → Edit, tap the red minus next to the number, then Unblock.
- Android: Phone app → More ⋮ → Settings → Blocked numbers → next to the number tap Clear, then Unblock.
- Samsung: Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Block numbers → tap the minus icon next to the number.
FAQ
Will the blocked person know I blocked them?
No — this is consistent across all three platforms. Apple states the contact gets no notification that the call or message was blocked, and Google and Samsung likewise send nothing. On iPhone the caller may notice their calls always go to voicemail, and on Android the call is declined automatically, but neither phone tells them why.
Does blocking stop texts too, or only calls?
Both. On iPhone, Apple states that messages sent or received will not be delivered once a number is blocked. On Samsung, calls and text messages from a blocked number are no longer received on the phone. On Android's Google Phone app, the same block covers the number across calls and messaging.
Can I block a number that has never called me?
Yes. On iPhone, go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Blocked Contacts → Add Blocked Contact and type any number or email. On Android, open the Phone app → More ⋮ → Settings → Blocked numbers and add a number by hand. On Samsung, the same screen has a plus icon for manual entry.
What is the difference between blocking and Silence Unknown Callers?
Blocking targets one specific number permanently — it can never ring or text you again. Silence Unknown Callers sends every number not in your contacts to voicemail without blocking any of them, which works better when spam arrives from constantly rotating numbers. See our guide to silencing unknown callers on iPhone and Android for that setup.
Does blocking sync to my other devices?
Apple documents cross-device blocking only for Mail — "email blocking works across all your Apple devices." For calls and texts, treat the block as living on that phone's list: it is not a carrier-level block, so a new phone or a fresh SIM means blocking the number again.
Can a blocked number still leave me a voicemail?
On iPhone, yes — Apple says a blocked caller can still leave a voicemail, but you get no notification. On Android with Google's Phone app, if visual voicemail is switched on, blocked callers cannot leave voicemails at all.