How to Block Spam Calls on iPhone and Android in 2026

The fastest way to block spam calls is to turn on your phone's built-in spam filter: on iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers and choose "Silence," then scroll down to Call Filtering and switch on the spam filter; on Android, open the Phone app > More options > Settings > Caller ID & spam and turn on "Filter spam calls." Both take under a minute and work without installing anything. Everything below covers what each setting actually does, how Samsung's version differs from stock Android, and which free carrier tools are worth adding on top.

Why You're Getting So Many Spam Calls

Most of the calls clogging your phone aren't coming from real people dialing your number by hand. Scammers and robocallers use auto-dialers that can fake, or "spoof," any caller ID they want, including local numbers or ones that look like your own area code, which is why a call from what appears to be your neighbor is so often a warranty or crypto scam. The FCC's consumer guide on robocalls and texts notes that unwanted and illegal robocalls remain the agency's top consumer complaint, and that no single setting stops all of them — which is exactly why it's worth stacking your phone's built-in filter, a carrier tool, and the Do Not Call registry rather than relying on just one. The FTC's own guidance on unwanted calls (consumer.ftc.gov) makes a similar point: blocking tools cut down the volume, but reporting the numbers you can't stop to the FTC or donotcall.gov helps regulators trace patterns back to the callers behind them.

iPhone: Every Call-Blocking Setting That Works (iOS 27)

On iOS 27, Apple's call-management tools live in one place: Settings > Apps > Phone. According to Apple's own support page on managing unknown callers, there are three separate controls worth understanding, plus a fourth for voicemail.

Screen Unknown Callers. This replaced the older "Silence Unknown Callers" toggle and gives you three choices: Never (unsaved numbers ring normally), Ask Reason for Calling (the caller has to state why they're calling before your phone rings), and Silence (calls from numbers not in your contacts, Mail, or Messages go straight to voicemail without ringing). Apple's guide is explicit that numbers you've called recently are treated as known, so legitimate callbacks from a pharmacy or delivery driver still get through. Picking Silence is the closest thing to a universal spam blocker, though it will also silence any new, legitimate number that hasn't contacted you before — appointment confirmations, interview callbacks, and so on — so Ask Reason for Calling is a gentler middle ground for anyone expecting unknown calls.

Call Filtering. Further down the same Phone settings screen, Call Filtering can route calls and voicemails from numbers not in your contacts into a separate "Unknown Callers" list, and — this is the one that matters most for spam — it can automatically filter calls your carrier has flagged as likely spam into a separate Spam list so they don't ring through or clutter Recents. Both lists are reachable by tapping the Filter button inside the Phone app.

Call Blocking & Identification. This is where iPhone hands control to outside identification sources. Per Apple's support documentation, the Phone app can identify incoming calls using information from Apple Business Connect, your carrier, or any supported third-party call-identification app (Hiya, RoboKiller, and similar apps all plug in here). You can toggle each app on or off, and manage numbers you've personally blocked from Recents or Contacts in the same screen.

Live Voicemail. For calls that do get through, Live Voicemail transcribes what the caller is saying in real time as they leave a message, so you can glance at the screen and decide to pick up, let it finish, or ignore it — useful for the gray area of calls that aren't flagged as spam but also aren't clearly legitimate. If you've just updated your phone, it's worth checking what changed in the latest iOS 27.2 update, since Apple has continued tuning call-screening behavior release to release.

Blocking a Specific Number on iPhone

For a one-off caller you want gone for good: open the Phone app, go to Recents (or Calls), tap the blue "i" next to the number, scroll down, and tap "Block this Caller." Blocked numbers go into the same Call Blocking & Identification screen, where you can review or unblock them later.

Android: Turn On Caller ID & Spam Protection

Android's version of this lives inside the Google Phone app, which ships as the default dialer on Pixel and many other Android phones. Per Google's support documentation, caller ID and spam protection is on by default, but it's worth confirming and tightening it: open the Phone app > More (three dots) > Settings > Caller ID & spam, make sure "See caller ID & spam" is switched on, and then turn on "Filter spam calls." Filtered calls still show up in your call history, but you won't get a ring, a notification, or a missed-call alert for them. Google's page also notes that when an unknown number calls you — or you call one — that number is sent to Google to check it against spam reports and look up a business caller ID; Google says it doesn't use your personal contacts for this.

Call Screen on Pixel. Pixel phones add a second layer on top of the filter. According to Google's Call Screen support page, you can set it to screen calls automatically or manually from Phone app > More > Settings > Spam and Call Screen (or Call Screen), then pick a protection level — Maximum, Medium, or Basic on Pixel 6 and newer, or choose specific caller types (spam, possibly faked numbers, first-time callers) on Pixel 7 and later. When a call comes in, the assistant answers, asks the caller to state their reason, and shows you a live transcript so you can pick up, decline, or let it go to voicemail — similar in spirit to Ask Reason for Calling on iPhone, but automated end to end. Automatic screening is limited to a handful of countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, so availability depends on where your SIM is from.

Samsung Galaxy: Smart Call Spam Blocking

Samsung's One UI uses its own tool, Smart Call, layered over (or in place of) the Google Phone app depending on model and carrier. Per Samsung's support page, you turn it on from the Phone app: tap More options > Settings > Caller ID and spam protection, switch it on, accept the terms (the feature is powered by Hiya's spam database), then turn on "Block spam and scam calls" and choose between blocking every flagged call or only the highest-risk scam calls. You can also block or report a number straight from an incoming call screen or Recents by tapping "Block/Report number." Samsung notes Smart Call availability can vary by carrier and model, and that blocking voicemails from a specific caller has to be handled through your carrier rather than the phone's settings.

Carrier-Level Free Tools Worth Turning On Too

Phone-level filters only see calls after they've reached your device. Carriers can block some calls at the network level before they ever ring through, so it's worth stacking one on top of your phone's settings rather than picking just one.

AT&T Call Protect. AT&T's own support page describes the service as free automatic fraud blocking plus a "Suspected Spam" label (broken down by type: telemarketer, robocaller, survey, and so on) on caller ID for eligible postpaid lines. The paid tier, Call Protect Plus, adds reverse number lookup, custom block lists by category, and enhanced caller ID. It's managed through the myAT&T app or the standalone AT&T Call Protect app.

T-Mobile Scam Shield. Per T-Mobile's Scam Shield page, Scam ID is automatically on for every T-Mobile customer and labels suspected scam calls on caller ID. Scam Block goes a step further and rejects those calls before they ring — T-Mobile says you can turn it on by dialing #662# from your phone, or through the T-Life app. Both are free, including on prepaid lines.

Verizon Call Filter. According to Verizon's Call Filter FAQ, the free tier includes spam detection, a spam filter, a blocked-call log, an allow list, and the ability to report spam, plus a "Neighborhood Filter" that can block up to five area codes or prefixes. Call Filter Plus ($3.99/month for one line, $10.99/month for three or more) adds proper caller ID, a spam-risk lookup tool, a personal block list, and category-based blocking. It runs through the Verizon Protect app, which comes preloaded on most Android phones and is available for iOS 16.6 and later.

What These Tools Won't Catch

None of this is foolproof, and it's worth knowing where the gaps are so you're not caught off guard. Spoofed numbers that haven't been reported yet can slip past spam databases the first time they're used — detection improves as more people report the same number, which is part of why reporting matters as much as blocking. Calls with no caller ID at all are treated differently by each tool: some filters silence them by default, others let them through unless you've specifically blocked "No Caller ID" or unknown numbers. And if you're roaming internationally, both Apple's and the carriers' documentation note that call screening and filtering generally don't apply, since the carrier flagging that powers them is network-dependent. Spam calls are also increasingly just one channel scammers use alongside texts and QR codes; if you've gotten a suspicious text with a link or code attached, it's worth reading up on how QR code scams work and how to spot them, since the same "urgent action required" pressure tactics show up across all three.

Bottom Line: What to Do Next

Do three things and you'll block the overwhelming majority of spam calls without any paid app. First, turn on your phone's built-in filter — Screen Unknown Callers and Call Filtering on iPhone, or Caller ID & Spam on Android — since that's free, instant, and already sitting on your device. Second, turn on your carrier's free spam-blocking service (Call Protect, Scam Shield, or Call Filter), since it catches some calls at the network level before your phone ever sees them. Third, report numbers that get through using your phone's "Report" option or the carrier app, since that's what improves detection for everyone, including you, the next time that number calls. If you're still getting an unusual volume of calls after all three are on, it's worth checking that you're not accidentally on an older iOS version with weaker screening behavior — Apple has refined these settings across recent updates, so keeping your phone current is part of the fix, not just a side benefit.

Written byNadia Osei

Nadia Osei covers mobile and consumer gadgets for Pandromeda: smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, earbuds and smart-home devices. She tracks launches, software updates and pricing across Apple, Google, Samsung and the rest, and builds comparisons from the manufacturers' published specifications.

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