What blocking a call actually does

When you block a call, your phone stops that number from reaching you. The blocked caller will not hear a ring on their end — instead, they typically hear a message saying the call cannot go through, or the call goes straight to voicemail. You will not see the call appear on your screen, and no notification will reach you.

Blocking is different from ignoring a call (where you see it ring and choose not to answer) or silencing your phone (where calls still come through but make no sound). A blocked number cannot contact you through regular calls, though text messages and other apps may still work depending on your phone type and settings.

The blocked caller does not receive a message saying "you are blocked." They straightforward experience a failed call, the same way they would if your phone were off or you had no service.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking a call prevents that number from reaching your phone and typically sends the caller to a message saying the call cannot go through.
  • On iPhone, open the recent call, tap the info icon, and select "Block this Caller"; on Android, long-press the number in your call log and tap "Block."
  • You can block a number before it ever calls you by creating a contact and using that contact's block option, or by blocking directly from a text message.
  • Blocked numbers still appear in your call log on most phones, so you can unblock them later if you change your mind.
  • Blocking only stops regular calls and voicemail — text messages, email, and social media messages from that number may still reach you.

How to block a call on iPhone

Open the Phone app and go to the Recents tab at the bottom. Find the number you want to block, tap the circle with an "i" next to it, then scroll down and tap "Block this Caller." Confirm by tapping "Block Contact" in the popup that appears.

If you want to block a number that has not called you yet, open Contacts, create a new contact with that number, then open the contact and tap "Block this Caller" at the bottom of the screen. You can also block directly from a text message by opening the conversation, tapping the contact name at the top, scrolling down, and selecting "Block this Caller."

To see your blocked list or unblock someone, open Settings, tap Phone, then tap Blocked Contacts. You will see every number you have blocked. Tap "Edit" in the top left, then tap the red minus sign next to any number to unblock it.

How to block a call on Android

Open the Phone app and go to the Recents or Call Log tab. Long-press (hold your finger on) the number you want to block until a menu appears, then tap "Block number" or "Block contact." Some Android phones say "Add to reject list" instead. Confirm the action if prompted.

To block a number that has not called you, open Contacts, find or create the contact, tap the three dots or menu icon at the top right, and select "Block number." You can also block from a text message by opening the conversation, tapping the contact name at the top, and selecting "Block" or "Block contact."

To see blocked numbers or unblock someone, open the Phone app, tap the three dots or menu icon, select "Settings," then tap "Blocked numbers" or "Blocked contacts." Tap the X or minus sign next to any number to unblock it. On some Android phones, this setting is in the Messages app instead of the Phone app.

What happens when you block someone

The blocked person will not know they are blocked in the technical sense — they will straightforward see that their call did not go through. On their phone, they may see a message like "Call failed," "The person you are trying to reach is not available," or "This call cannot be completed." Some carriers route blocked calls to a special message, while others make it seem like a normal failed call.

If the blocked person tries to call you repeatedly, each call will fail the same way. They cannot tell the difference between a blocked call and a call that failed for other reasons. However, if they text you, that message will usually still arrive unless you have also blocked text messages in your phone's settings (a separate step on most phones).

The blocked number will still appear in your call log and voicemail, so you can see that they tried to reach you. You can unblock them at any time, and once unblocked, they will be able to call you normally again.

Blocking calls from unknown or spam numbers

Most phones have a setting to filter calls from numbers not in your contacts. On iPhone, open Settings, tap Phone, then turn on "Silence Unknown Callers." These calls will go straight to voicemail and will not appear in your Recents list, though you can still see them in Voicemail.

On Android, open the Phone app, tap the three dots, go to Settings, then look for "Spam and abuse" or "Call screening." Turn on "Filter spam calls" or "Filter unknown calls." The exact name varies by phone maker and Android version.

For repeated spam or robocalls, you can block the specific number using the steps above, or you can report the number to your carrier. Most carriers have a spam-reporting system built into the Phone app — look for a "Report spam" or "Report as spam" option when you long-press a recent call.

When blocking does not work the way you expect

Blocking stops regular calls and voicemail, but it does not stop text messages, email, FaceTime, WhatsApp, or other messaging apps. If you need to block someone completely, you may need to block them separately in each app they use to contact you. For example, blocking a number in your Phone app does not block them on WhatsApp — you have to open WhatsApp, find the contact, and block them there too.

Some people use different numbers to call you, so blocking one number may not stop all contact from that person. If someone is harassing you from multiple numbers, you may need to block each one individually, or you may want to contact your carrier or local police for help.

If you block someone and they call from a different number, you will see that new call come through normally. Blocking is tied to the specific phone number, not to the person behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a blocked person still leave me a voicemail?

On most phones, blocked callers cannot leave voicemail — their call goes to a message saying the call cannot be completed. However, some carriers and phone settings allow blocked callers to leave voicemail anyway. Check your carrier's policy if this matters to you, or test it by having someone block your number and trying to leave a message.

Will the person I blocked know I blocked them?

No. They will see that their call failed, but they cannot tell whether you blocked them, your phone is off, you have no service, or the call failed for another reason. There is no notification that tells them they are blocked.

Can I block a call before the person calls me?

Yes. Create a contact with that number, then use the block option in that contact. You can also block a number from a text message before they ever call. The blocked number will not be able to reach you by phone once you block it, even if they have never called before.

What if I block someone by mistake?

You can unblock them anytime. On iPhone, go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts and tap Edit, then tap the minus sign next to their name. On Android, open the Phone app, go to Settings > Blocked numbers, and tap the X next to their name. Once unblocked, they can call you normally again.

Does blocking stop text messages?

Usually not. Blocking a number in your Phone app stops calls and voicemail, but text messages from that number will usually still arrive. To block text messages, you may need to block the number in your Messages app separately, or use a third-party texting app that has its own block feature.