How to Block Unwanted Calls and Messages on iPhone: Step-by-Step Guide
Have you ever received unwanted calls or messages on your iPhone that you wanted to block? If you find yourself in a similar situation, you have landed in the right place. This detailed tutorial will show you how to use native iOS features to block calls and messages from unwanted numbers.
Use the 'Blocked' Feature on iOS to Block Contacts
iOS's “Blocked” feature is one of the simplest and most straightforward for blocking calls, messages, and even FaceTime from unwanted numbers. Here's how to use it:
- Go to your iPhone's Home screen and tap the Settings icon (the gray icon with gears).
- Scroll down and select “Phone.”
- Tap on “Blocked Contacts” and then “Add.”
- Choose the contact you want to block from your address book.
Once you complete these steps, the selected contact will no longer be able to reach you. If you want to unblock a contact, repeat the first three steps and swipe left on the contact you want to unblock, then tap “Unblock.”
Block Unwanted Messages Using the 'Blocked' Feature
If you only want to block messages from a particular contact:
- Go back to Settings and tap “Messages.”
- Scroll down and tap “Blocked Contacts,” then “Add.”
- Select the contact to block.
Full Immersion: The Ultimate Solution to Distractions
If you want to take it a step further, you can use the “Full Immersion” feature present on iOS 15 and later. This option allows you to silence all notifications, including calls and messages.
- Open “Settings” and select “Full Immersion.”
- Choose a mode that best suits your needs (e.g. Do Not Disturb, Work, Personal, etc.).
- Tap “Edit” to customize notifications and add contacts to mute.
In this mode, anyone who tries to contact you will hear a pre-recorded voice, just as if your phone were turned off or unreachable.
How to Activate and Customize Full Immersion
You can also customize when Full Immersion mode should activate:
- Tap “Smart Activation” and turn on the switch.
- Let the operating system automatically decide when to activate this feature.
To quickly activate or deactivate Full Immersion, you can use the iOS Control Center, accessing it with a swipe from top to bottom starting from the top right corner of the screen.
Block Numbers with Native iPhone Features
How to Use the “Blocked” Feature on iPhone
iPhone offers a very useful native function for blocking unwanted numbers. This feature is called “Blocked” and is available starting from the iOS 7 version. It allows you to block incoming calls, SMS messages and even communications via FaceTime and iMessage.
To activate this feature, open the “Settings” app and go to “Phone”. From there, select “Blocked Contacts” and add the number you want to block from your address book. The great thing is that you can add more numbers without any limit.
Unblock a Number on iPhone
Changed my mind? No problem. To unblock a number, go back to “Settings”, then to “Phone” and finally to “Blocked Contacts”. Swipe on the contact you want to unblock and press "Unblock". That's it, you have removed the block on the number.
How to Block Messages from Unwanted Numbers
Do you no longer want to receive messages from a specific number? Follow these steps:
- Open “Settings”.
- Go to “Messages”.
- Tap “Blocked Contacts”.
- Add the contact from whom you no longer want to receive messages.
The Full Immersion Function on iPhone
With iOS 15 and later, Apple introduced the “Full Immersion” feature. This option blocks all notifications, including messages and calls, when enabled. To activate Full Immersion, open “Settings” and select “Full Immersion”. From here, you can customize settings to suit your needs, such as silencing notifications from specific contacts or apps.
Use Truecaller to Block Unwanted Calls
If you are looking for a more advanced method to identify and block unwanted calls, Truecaller is an app that might be right for you. This app recognizes telemarketing numbers and other unwanted calls, allowing you to block them easily. However, using Truecaller requires sharing your number in their public database, so carefully consider the trade-off between convenience and privacy.
