> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.harshkohli.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to Block Spam Calls on Android and iPhone (2026) - URL: https://blog.harshkohli.com/block-spam-calls-android-iphone/ - Published: 2026-10-29T15:35:14.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-11T09:32:24.000Z - Description: Exact settings to filter and screen spam calls on iPhone, Pixel and Samsung, plus carrier blockers and do-not-call lists that actually help. - Author: Harsh Kohli - Tags: How-To, Phones, Guides *Updated 29 October 2026\. Menu paths checked against Apple, Google, Samsung and carrier support pages this week.* The short version: on an iPhone, go to **Settings > Apps > Phone** and set **Screen Unknown Callers** to **Ask Reason for Calling**, then turn on the spam filter under Call Filtering. On Android, open the Phone app, go to **Settings > Caller ID and spam** (Google Phone) or **Caller ID and spam protection** (Samsung) and switch on spam filtering. After that, switch on your carrier's free blocker and add your number to your country's do-not-call list. That combination won't get you to zero, nothing does, but it cuts the junk down to a trickle. Below is every step in order, with the exact menus, what each setting actually does and the catches nobody mentions, like the one that quietly sends your delivery driver to voicemail. **Jump to:** - [Step 1: Turn on the built-in spam filter](#step-1-turn-on-the-built-in-spam-filter) - [Step 2: Screen or silence unknown callers](#step-2-screen-or-silence-unknown-callers) - [Step 3: Block a specific number](#step-3-block-a-specific-number) - [Step 4: Switch on your carrier's free blocker](#step-4-switch-on-your-carriers-free-blocker) - [Step 5: Join your country's do-not-call list](#step-5-join-your-countrys-do-not-call-list) - [Step 6: Add a caller ID app (optional)](#step-6-add-a-caller-id-app-optional) - [Step 7: Report scam calls](#step-7-report-scam-calls) - [Which tool does what (table)](#which-tool-does-what) - [FAQ](#faq) ## Step 1: Turn on the built-in spam filter Both iPhone and Android already ship with spam detection. On a lot of phones it's half switched on, so start here before you install anything. ### iPhone 1. Open **Settings > Apps > Phone**. 2. Scroll to **Call Filtering** and turn on **Spam**. Calls your carrier flags as spam get silenced, go straight to voicemail and land in a separate Spam list instead of your main call history. 3. In the same section you'll see an **Unknown Callers** toggle. It moves calls from numbers that aren't in your contacts into their own Unknown Callers list. Useful if you want a clean Recents screen. To check what got filtered, open the Phone app and tap the **Filter** button in Recents (or Calls, if you use the newer unified layout). Glance at it once a week for the first month. Carrier spam labels are good, but not perfect. ### Android with the Google Phone app (Pixel, Motorola, OnePlus, Nothing and others) 1. Open the **Phone** app and tap **More options** (three dots) > **Settings**. 2. Tap **Caller ID and spam** (on newer Pixels it's called **Spam and Call Screen**). 3. Make sure **See caller ID & spam** is on. It's on by default. 4. Turn on **Filter spam calls**. Suspected spam won't ring or notify you, but it still shows up in call history and voicemail, so you can check it. One gotcha: if your Pixel supports automatic Call Screen, you won't see *Filter spam calls* at all. Google folds it into the protection levels in Step 2 instead, so don't go hunting for a toggle that isn't there. ### Samsung Galaxy 1. Open the **Phone** app and tap the three dots > **Settings**. 2. Tap **Caller ID and spam protection** and accept the terms if asked. 3. Tap **Block spam and scam calls** and pick either **Block all spam and scam calls** or **Only block high-risk scam calls**. I'd start with "all". If something you need goes missing, step down to high-risk only. Samsung's version also has a **Scam detection** toggle on recent models, which warns you during a call if it looks like a scam. Leave that on. ## Step 2: Screen or silence unknown callers The filter in Step 1 only catches numbers someone has already reported. Fresh scam numbers slip through every day. Screening handles those, because it makes the caller explain themselves before your phone rings. ![iPhone lock screen showing a Screening Call notification where iPhone asks the caller for their name and why they are calling](https://blog.harshkohli.com/content/images/2026/10/iphone-call-screening.webp) iPhone Call Screening asking an unknown caller for their name and reason. Image: Apple ### iPhone: Screen Unknown Callers Go to **Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers**. You get three choices: - **Never**: every call rings as normal. - **Ask Reason for Calling**: your iPhone answers unknown numbers silently, asks for the caller's name and reason, and then rings you with a transcript so you can decide. This is Call Screening, added in iOS 26. - **Silence**: unknown callers go to voicemail without ringing. Numbers in your contacts, recent outgoing calls and Siri Suggestions still ring. My pick is Ask Reason for Calling. Robocallers almost never respond to the prompt, while a courier or a new doctor's office will say who they are and you get to pick up. Silence is stricter, but that's the setting that eats delivery calls and one-time verification calls from banks. Two exceptions from Apple's own documentation: calls aren't screened while you're roaming internationally, and if you call emergency services, screening switches off for the next 24 hours so a callback can reach you. If you use FaceTime a lot, there's a separate **Silence Unknown Callers** switch under Settings > Apps > FaceTime. ### Pixel: Call Screen ![Phone by Google app screenshot showing Screen unknown calls with a transcript of the caller explaining the reason for the call](https://blog.harshkohli.com/content/images/2026/10/google-phone-screen-unknown-calls.webp) Call Screen in the Phone by Google app shows a live transcript before you answer. Image: Google Open **Phone > Settings > Spam and Call Screen > Call Screen**. Google offers three protection levels: - **Maximum**: screens spam, possibly faked numbers and first-time callers. - **Medium**: screens spam and suspected faked numbers. - **Basic**: just declines known spam. Where it works matters. According to Google's help page, automatic screening runs on Pixel phones in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK and the US. Manual screening, where you tap *Screen call* yourself while it rings, also works in France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain. In India, manual Call Screen is limited to the Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 families. It doesn't run while roaming or with call forwarding on, and the screening happens on the phone rather than in the cloud. ### Samsung: Call screening and unknown numbers Galaxy phones on One UI 8.5 or later (the Galaxy S26 series and phones updated to it) have their own **Call screening** page in the Phone app's settings, with an **Auto screen calls** option. On older Galaxy phones, the blunt option is **Phone > Settings > Block numbers > Block calls from unknown numbers**. Be careful with that one: it blocks hidden and private numbers, which some hospitals and banks still use. ## Step 3: Block a specific number Blocking individual numbers is the least effective tool on this list, because scammers rotate numbers constantly. It's still worth doing for the persistent ones, like the loan agent who calls from the same line every Tuesday. - **iPhone:** Phone app > Recents > tap the info button next to the number > **Block Caller**. To undo it: Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts > Edit. - **Google Phone:** tap the call in your history > **Block** or **Report spam**. Reporting helps everyone else, since it feeds Google's spam database. If you flag something by mistake, tap **Not spam**. - **Samsung:** Recents > tap the number > info > **Block**, or add numbers by hand under Settings > Block numbers. Blocking a number on iPhone also blocks texts and FaceTime from that contact. For text spam, iPhone has **Settings > Apps > Messages > Screen Unknown Senders**, which pushes messages from unknown numbers into a separate folder. ## Step 4: Switch on your carrier's free blocker Carriers see call traffic before your phone does, so their filters can kill a call before it reaches you. Most big carriers include a free tier. Plenty of people never turn it on. - **Verizon (US):** Call Filter is free on standard monthly and prepaid plans and is managed in the Verizon Protect app. Call Filter Plus adds caller ID, a personal block list and category blocking for $3.99/month (about ₹380), or $10.99/month for three or more lines. - **AT&T (US):** ActiveArmor's call protection is free. The paid Advanced tier went from $3.99 to $7 per line per month (about ₹670) on 18 February 2026. - **T-Mobile (US):** ScamShield is built into the network for free and labels calls as Scam Likely. To actually block them, dial **#662#** to turn on Scam Block, or toggle it in the T-Life app. ScamShield Premium adds category blocking and reverse number lookup. - **Airtel (India):** AI spam detection is free and automatic. Suspected spam shows up with a spam warning label on the incoming call screen. There's nothing to install. - **Jio, Vi and every Indian operator:** use DND (Step 5). On Vi you can also SMS **FULLY BLOCK** to 1909. Outside these networks, search your carrier's site for "spam call blocking". In the UK and Europe most operators filter at network level already, and the extra toggles live in their own apps. If your Wi-Fi Calling has been flaky since you changed settings, that's usually unrelated, but my [Wi-Fi Calling fix guide](https://blog.harshkohli.com/wifi-calling-not-working/) covers it. ## Step 5: Join your country's do-not-call list Do-not-call registries stop legitimate telemarketers, the companies that actually follow the law. They do nothing about scammers, who ignore the rules anyway. Still, removing the legal sales calls makes the illegal ones much easier to spot. - **United States:** register at [donotcall.gov](https://www.donotcall.gov/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com) or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register. It's free and never expires. Sales calls can take up to 31 days to stop. Political calls, charities, surveys and debt collectors are still allowed. - **United Kingdom:** the Telephone Preference Service at [tpsonline.org.uk](https://www.tpsonline.org.uk/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com) is free, takes up to 28 days to kick in and doesn't expire. - **India:** install TRAI's **DND** app from the Play Store or App Store, verify with an OTP and choose **Fully blocked**, or block only the categories you don't want. You can also send **FULLY BLOCK** by SMS to 1909\. Operators are supposed to apply it within about 24 hours. The app is also where you file complaints against registered telemarketers who keep calling. Most other countries run something similar (Canada's National DNCL, Australia's Do Not Call Register). It takes two minutes. Do it. ## Step 6: Add a caller ID app (optional) Apps like Truecaller and Hiya keep their own huge spam databases built from user reports. In countries where the carrier labels are weak, they catch a lot more. Truecaller in particular is close to essential in India for many people, because the community data on Indian numbers is so large. How to connect one on iPhone: install the app, then go to **Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification** and switch it on. On Android, the app usually asks to become your default caller ID and spam app during setup. Truecaller's basic caller ID is free. Premium removes ads and adds extra features; App Store listings this week show it at ₹99 a month in India and $9.99 a month in the US, but prices vary by country and promo, so check inside the app. Its AI Assistant call screening is only offered in a handful of countries, including the US, Canada and Australia. The trade-off is privacy. These apps work by collecting phone numbers and reports from their users, and some ask for access to your contacts. If that bothers you, the built-in tools in Steps 1 to 4 do most of the job without a third party. Same idea as using [Private DNS to block ads on Android](https://blog.harshkohli.com/private-dns-android-block-ads/): fix it at the system level first, add apps only if you need them. ## Step 7: Report scam calls Reporting doesn't stop the next call to you, but it's how numbers end up on the shared blocklists everyone benefits from. - **US:** report unwanted sales calls at [donotcall.gov](https://www.donotcall.gov/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com) and scams at [reportfraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com). - **India:** report suspected fraud calls and messages on **Chakshu** in the [Sanchar Saathi](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com) portal (within 30 days of the call). If you've already lost money, call **1930** or file at [cybercrime.gov.in](https://cybercrime.gov.in/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com) right away. Speed matters for getting money frozen. - **Everywhere:** hit Report spam in your phone app. It takes one tap. And the rules that matter more than any setting: never press a number to "opt out" of a robocall, never call back a missed international number you don't recognise, and never read out an OTP to anyone who calls you, whoever they say they are. ## Which tool does what | Tool | Stops | Cost | Catch | | ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | iPhone spam filter | Carrier-flagged spam | Free | Only as good as your carrier's labels | | iPhone Screen Unknown Callers | New robocall numbers | Free (iOS 26+) | Not while roaming | | Google Phone spam filter | Known spam numbers | Free | Hidden on phones with auto Call Screen | | Pixel Call Screen | Spam, faked and first-time callers | Free | Automatic only in AU, CA, IE, UK, US | | Samsung spam protection | Spam and scam calls | Free | Call screening needs One UI 8.5+ | | Carrier blocker | Spam before it reaches the phone | Free; paid tiers $3.99–$7/mo (₹380–₹670) | Depends on your network | | Do-not-call list | Legal telemarketers | Free | Ignored by scammers | | Truecaller / Hiya | Community-reported spam | Free; Premium from ₹99/mo or $9.99/mo | Shares data with a third party | If you only do three things: turn on the built-in filter, set unknown callers to screening, and switch on your carrier's free blocker. Switching phones soon? Do this again after you [move your eSIM between iPhone and Android](https://blog.harshkohli.com/transfer-esim-iphone-android/), because none of these settings come with you. *Sources:* [*Apple Support*](https://support.apple.com/en-us/111106?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*Google Phone Help: spam*](https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/3459196?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*Google Phone Help: Call Screen*](https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/9118387?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*Samsung Support*](https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10007266/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*Verizon*](https://www.verizon.com/support/call-filter-faqs/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*AT&T*](https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/000116671/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*T-Mobile*](https://www.t-mobile.com/benefits/scam-shield?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*FTC*](https://www.donotcall.gov/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*,* [*TRAI*](https://trai.gov.in/?ref=blog.harshkohli.com)*.* **Related guides:** next stop is my guide to [fixing a phone that charges slowly](https://blog.harshkohli.com/phone-charging-slowly-fix/). After that, see [moving WhatsApp chats to a new phone](https://blog.harshkohli.com/transfer-whatsapp-chats-new-phone/) and [Pixel 10a vs Pixel 9a](https://blog.harshkohli.com/pixel-10a-vs-pixel-9a/) if either matches what you're seeing. ## FAQ ### Why am I suddenly getting so many spam calls? Usually your number got into a leaked database or a marketing list, often after signing up for a loan, real estate or insurance site. Scammers also dial number ranges at random. There's no way to "unlist" a leaked number, which is why filtering and screening work better than chasing individual numbers. ### Will Silence Unknown Callers block delivery drivers and OTP calls? It can. Silence sends every unknown number to voicemail without ringing. That's why I suggest Ask Reason for Calling on iPhone, or the Maximum level on a Pixel, which screens first-time callers instead of dropping them. Real callers say who they are, and you get to answer. ### Does blocking a number also block its texts? On iPhone, yes: a blocked number can't call, message or FaceTime you. On Android, blocking in the Phone app normally covers Google Messages and Samsung Messages too, since they share the system block list. ### Can I stop spam calls completely? No. Spoofed numbers and fresh SIMs mean some calls always get through. With all the steps above, though, the ones that ring will be rare, and screening makes them easy to ignore. ### Is Truecaller safe to use? It's a legitimate, widely used app, but it builds its database from users' phone numbers and reports. If you're not comfortable with that, skip it. The built-in iPhone, Pixel and Samsung tools plus your carrier's filter cover most people well. ### Do these settings work with dual SIM? The phone's own spam filter and screening apply to calls on both lines. Carrier blockers and DND registration are per number, so set them up for each SIM separately.