Your landline can block calls at the device or through your phone company

Most landline phones have a built-in block feature you can use right now without calling your provider. If your phone doesn't have this feature, or if you want to block calls before they reach your phone at all, your phone company offers services that do this — some free, some for a monthly fee. The fastest route depends on whether you want to block one specific number or many numbers, and whether you want to block them permanently or just for a while.

The method you choose also depends on what kind of landline phone you have. Older rotary or basic push-button phones cannot block calls. Newer cordless phones, answering machines with caller ID, and digital phone systems usually can. If you are not sure what you have, check the manual that came with your phone, or look up the model number online.

Key Takeaways

  • Most modern landline phones let you block numbers directly using the caller ID display and a menu button, without any monthly fee.
  • Your phone company can block calls at the network level before they reach your home, which stops the call from ringing at all.
  • Free blocking through your phone company usually covers a limited number of blocked numbers, while paid services block more.
  • Blocking a number on your phone does not stop the caller from leaving a voicemail, but network-level blocking usually does.
  • If you do not know your phone company's name, check your phone bill or call 411 and ask them to identify your local provider.

How to block calls directly on your phone

If your landline phone has a caller ID display, you can usually block numbers without any help from your phone company. When a call comes in that you want to block, look at the display screen while the phone is ringing. You should see the caller's number and sometimes their name.

Press the button labeled Menu, Options, or Settings on your phone. Use the arrow buttons to scroll down until you see an option that says Block, Block Number, or Block Caller. Press the button to select it. The phone will ask you to confirm — press Yes or OK. That number is now blocked on your phone. The next time that number calls, your phone will not ring, and the call will go straight to voicemail if you have it.

If you want to block a number that called you in the past, check your phone's call history or recent calls list. Look for the number you want to block, press Menu or Options, and follow the same steps. Some phones let you block numbers from your voicemail too — if you have a message from someone you want to block, press the button to block the caller while listening to the message.

The blocked numbers stay blocked until you remove them. To unblock a number, go back to your phone's menu, find the blocked calls list, select the number you want to unblock, and press Delete or Remove.

How to block calls through your phone company

Your phone company can block calls at the network level, which means the call never reaches your phone at all. This is more powerful than blocking on your phone because it stops the caller from leaving a voicemail. To set this up, you need to call your phone company and ask for their call blocking service.

Find your phone company's name on your phone bill, or call 411 and give them your phone number — they will tell you who your provider is. Call that company's customer service number. Tell them you want to block specific phone numbers. They will ask you for each number you want to block, and they will add those numbers to a list on their system. From that point on, calls from those numbers will not go through.

Most phone companies offer a free tier that blocks a certain number of calls — often between 10 and 30 numbers. If you need to block more numbers than that, they may charge you a monthly fee, usually between $3 and $5. Ask your phone company how many free blocks you get before you agree to pay.

Some phone companies also offer a service called Anonymous Call Rejection or Block Anonymous Calls. This blocks all calls that come in with no caller ID information — the caller's number is hidden or blocked. This is useful if you are getting many calls from numbers that do not show up on your display. Ask your phone company if this service is available and whether it costs extra.

What to do if the same number keeps calling after you block it

Scammers and telemarketers sometimes use different numbers to get around blocks. If you block a number and then get called from a similar number — for example, the same area code and first three digits but a different last four digits — the caller is probably spoofing their number. Spoofing means they are hiding their real number and showing a fake one instead.

If this happens, block each new number as it comes in. You can also ask your phone company to block the entire area code or exchange if the calls are coming from the same region. Some companies will do this for free if you explain that you are being harassed. Keep a list of the numbers that call you so you can show your phone company the pattern.

If the calls are threatening, abusive, or clearly illegal, you can report them to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also file a complaint with your state's attorney general office. These reports help law enforcement track down the people behind the calls.

Using your answering machine or voicemail to screen calls

If you do not want to block calls permanently, you can let them go to voicemail and listen to the message later. This way, you can hear what the caller wants before you decide whether to call them back. If it is a spam call, you can delete the message and then block the number if you want.

Some answering machines let you set a screening mode where you hear the caller's message while they are leaving it, and you can pick up if you recognize their voice. This is useful if you are expecting a call from someone but do not want to answer for unknown numbers. Check your answering machine's manual to see if it has this feature.

If you have voicemail through your phone company instead of a separate answering machine, you can usually listen to messages from your phone or from a website. Some phone companies let you delete voicemails without listening to them, which saves time if you get many spam calls.

Blocking calls on cordless phones and multi-handset systems

If you have a cordless phone system with multiple handsets, blocking works differently depending on your model. Some systems let you block numbers on each handset separately, while others block across all handsets at once. Check your phone's manual to see which type you have.

For systems that block on each handset, you will need to block the number on every handset if you want to block it everywhere in your home. This is more work but gives you control — you could block a number on your bedroom phone but not your kitchen phone, for example. For systems that block across all handsets, you only block the number once and it is blocked everywhere.

If your cordless phone system is connected to your phone company's network through a base station, you may also be able to use your phone company's network-level blocking in addition to your phone's built-in blocking. Using both methods together gives you the strongest protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block calls from a specific area code?

Your phone probably cannot block an entire area code, but your phone company can. Call them and ask if they offer area code blocking. Some companies will do this for free if you explain that you are being harassed by calls from that area. Others charge a small monthly fee.

What happens if I block a number and then the caller texts me instead?

Blocking a phone number usually blocks calls only, not text messages. If you want to block texts from the same number, you may need to block it in a separate way through your phone company or use your phone's text message blocking feature if it has one. Check your phone's manual for text blocking options.

Will the blocked caller know they have been blocked?

If you block them on your phone, they will not know — the call will just go to voicemail as usual. If your phone company blocks them at the network level, they may hear a message saying the call cannot go through, or the call may just fail silently. Either way, they will not get a notification that you blocked them.

Can I block calls from my own phone number?

You cannot block your own number, but if someone is spoofing your number and calling you, you can report it to your phone company and the FTC. Spoofing is illegal, and law enforcement can investigate if enough people report it.

Do I need to pay for call blocking?

Blocking on your phone itself is free. Your phone company's network-level blocking usually offers a free tier with a limited number of blocks. If you need to block more numbers, they may charge a monthly fee, usually $3 to $5. Ask your company what is included for free before you agree to pay.