The three ways to block calls depend on your phone type and what you're blocking

You can block calls at three levels: on your phone itself, through your carrier, or with a third-party app. Phone-level blocking works immediately but only on that device. Carrier blocking stops calls before they reach you and works across all your devices, but requires a call to your provider. Third-party apps offer the most control over which calls get through, but add another layer of software to manage.

The fastest route for most people is phone-level blocking — it takes under a minute and requires no phone call to anyone. If you're getting dozens of spam calls daily, carrier-level blocking or an app might save you more time. If you want to block calls from a specific person, phone-level blocking is usually enough. If you want to block entire categories of calls — robocalls, numbers from certain area codes, calls from people not in your contacts — an app gives you more options.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone, open the contact, tap the info button, scroll to Block This Caller, and confirm — the person can still leave voicemail but you won't see missed calls from them.
  • On Android, open the contact, tap the three dots, select Block Number, and confirm — blocked callers cannot leave voicemail on most phones.
  • Carrier blocking through AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or other providers stops calls before they reach your phone and costs between $3 and $5 per month for most carriers.
  • Third-party apps like Nomorobo, RoboKiller, and Truecaller let you block by category (robocalls, unknown numbers, specific area codes) but require you to grant them permission to access your call log.
  • Blocking someone does not delete past calls or messages from them — you can still see the history if you unblock them later.

Blocking calls directly on iPhone

Open the Phone app and find the person or number you want to block. Tap their name or number to open their contact card. On iPhone 14 and newer, tap the info icon (circle with an "i") in the top right. On older iPhones, scroll down and tap Edit. Look for a red button labeled "Block This Caller" and tap it, then confirm by tapping Block Contact.

The person you blocked can still call you — their call will ring once on their end and then go to voicemail, so they won't know they're blocked. You won't see a missed call notification, but their voicemail will appear in your voicemail inbox. To unblock them later, go back to their contact card and tap Unblock This Caller.

If you want to block a number that isn't saved as a contact, open the Phone app, go to Recents, find the number, swipe left on it (or tap the info icon), and select Block This Caller. You can also block numbers from voicemail messages the same way.

Blocking calls directly on Android

Open the Phone app and find the person or number you want to block. Tap their name or number to open their contact details. Tap the three vertical dots (menu icon) in the top right corner. Select Block Number or Block Contact — the exact wording varies by phone maker. Confirm the block when prompted.

On most Android phones, blocked callers cannot leave voicemail — their call will go straight to a message saying the number is not accepting calls. Some carriers and phone models do allow blocked callers to leave voicemail, so check your phone's settings if you want to change this behavior. To unblock someone, go back to their contact and tap Unblock Number.

If you want to block a number from your call history instead of your contacts, open the Phone app, go to Recents or Call History, long-press the number, and select Block Number. Some Android phones also let you block numbers directly from text messages — long-press the conversation and look for a Block option.

Blocking calls through your phone carrier

Your carrier — AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or another provider — can block calls at the network level before they reach your phone. This works on any device you use with that carrier and catches more spam calls than phone-level blocking alone. Most carriers charge $3 to $5 per month for this service, though some offer a free version with limited features.

Call your carrier's customer service number (on your bill or their website) and ask about call blocking or spam filtering. AT&T offers Call Protect (free basic version, $4.99 per month for advanced), Verizon offers Call Filter (free basic version, $2.99 per month for advanced), and T-Mobile offers Scam Shield (free basic version, $4 per month for premium). Each service has different features — some block robocalls automatically, others let you create a personal block list, and some show you which calls are likely spam before you answer.

You can also manage carrier blocking through your carrier's app or website. Log into your account, find the call blocking or spam settings, and add numbers to your block list. Changes usually take effect within a few minutes.

Using a third-party app for more control

Apps like Nomorobo, RoboKiller, Truecaller, and Call Control let you block calls by category rather than just by individual number. You can block all robocalls, all calls from unknown numbers, all calls from specific area codes, or all calls from people not in your contacts. These apps require permission to access your call log and contacts, and they run in the background to filter incoming calls.

Nomorobo and RoboKiller are free for basic blocking and cost $2 to $4 per month for advanced features. Truecaller is free but shows ads and sells a premium version for about $3 per month. Call Control is free with optional paid features. Each app works slightly differently — some answer spam calls automatically with a message, others just block them silently, and some let you record calls for your records.

Download the app from your phone's app store, open it, and grant it permission to access your calls and contacts. Most apps ask you to set them as your default phone app or give them permission to manage calls in your system settings. Once set up, the app filters calls in the background. You can usually see a log of blocked calls in the app and adjust which types of calls to block.

Third-party apps work alongside phone-level and carrier-level blocking — you can use all three at once. However, if you use multiple apps, they may conflict with each other or slow down your phone, so most people choose one app rather than several.

What happens to blocked calls and messages

When you block someone on your phone, they can still call you, but you won't see the call or get a notification. On iPhone, their call goes to voicemail. On Android, the call is usually rejected immediately. Either way, they won't know they're blocked — the call will seem to go through normally from their end.

Text messages from blocked contacts behave differently depending on your phone. On iPhone, blocked messages still arrive but go into a separate folder you have to open manually. On Android, most phones delete blocked messages automatically, though some carriers let you choose whether to keep them. If you unblock someone later, you can see all the messages they sent while they were blocked.

Blocking does not delete past calls or messages — they stay in your call log and message history. If you want to remove them, you have to delete them manually. You can unblock someone at any time, and they will be able to reach you normally again.

When blocking doesn't work and what to do instead

Blocking works well for calls from people you know, but spam and robocalls often come from different numbers each time. Blocking one number stops that specific call, but the next spam call comes from a new number. This is why carrier-level blocking and third-party apps are more effective for spam — they block entire categories of calls rather than individual numbers.

If you're getting spam calls constantly, start with your carrier's spam filtering service. Most carriers now block obvious robocalls automatically at no extra cost. If that's not enough, add a third-party app. If you're still getting spam, you can register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov, though this works better for telemarketing calls than for robocalls and scams.

If you're getting harassing calls from someone who keeps using different numbers, blocking becomes less effective. In that case, consider changing your phone number, reporting the calls to your carrier and local police, or consulting with a lawyer about a restraining order if the harassment is severe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

No. On iPhone, their call goes to voicemail like a normal missed call. On Android, the call is rejected, but they won't receive a message saying they're blocked. They might suspect it if you never respond to calls or messages, but there's no technical way for them to know for certain.

If I block someone, can they still text me?

On iPhone, text messages from blocked contacts still arrive but go into a hidden folder. On Android, most phones delete blocked messages automatically, though some let you choose. Either way, you won't get a notification. Check your phone's settings to see how your specific model handles blocked messages.

Do I have to pay to block calls?

Phone-level blocking is free. Carrier-level blocking costs $2 to $5 per month for advanced features, though most carriers offer a free basic version. Third-party apps are free with optional paid upgrades. You can block calls for free using only your phone's built-in tools.

What's the difference between blocking and silencing a contact?

Silencing (or muting) a contact means their calls still ring through, but you don't get a notification sound. You'll still see the call come in and can answer it. Blocking means you won't see the call at all and they'll go to voicemail. Use silencing for people you want to hear from but don't want notifications for, and blocking for people you don't want to hear from.

If I block someone and then unblock them, will they know?

No. Unblocking is invisible to them. They'll be able to call and text you normally again, but they won't receive any notification that you unblocked them.