To block a number on Android, open the Phone app, find the number in your recent calls or contacts, tap it, and choose Block or Block/report spam from the menu.
Unwanted calls and spam texts are one of the most common phone annoyances, and Android gives you several ways to shut them down. The exact taps differ a little between the Phone by Google app used on Pixels and Samsung’s own Phone app, so this guide covers both, plus automatic spam filtering that catches numbers you have never even seen.
Block a number from your call history
The quickest method blocks a caller right after they contact you, using the Phone by Google app that ships on Pixel and many other Android phones.
- Open the Phone app and tap the Recents tab.
- Tap the number or contact you want to block.
- Tap the three-dot menu or the caller’s info panel.
- Select Block or Block / report spam.
- Confirm, and optionally tick the box to report the number as spam to Google.
Reporting as spam helps improve the caller ID and spam warnings shown to everyone, so it is worth leaving that box checked when the call was clearly junk.
If a message is threatening, or you think you may need a record of harassment, it is worth capturing evidence before you block. You can save the conversation with a quick screenshot; our guide to taking a screenshot covers the same idea that applies on Android, and a saved image can be useful if you later report the sender to your carrier or the authorities.
Blocking on a Samsung Galaxy
Samsung uses its own Phone app, and the wording is slightly different. Open Phone, tap Recents, then tap the number. Tap the three-dot menu in the top corner and choose Block number, or open the contact and select Block. You can also go to the Phone app’s Settings, choose Block numbers, and type a number manually or add one from your contacts or logs. Samsung also lets you tick an option to block messages from the same number at the same time.
Block someone from the Messages app
If the problem is texts rather than calls, you can block from your messaging app instead. In Google Messages, open the conversation, tap the three-dot menu, and choose Block & report spam. In Samsung Messages, open the thread, tap the menu, and select Block number. On most phones a block applied in one app also covers the other, but if a blocked contact still slips through, apply the block in both the Phone and Messages apps to be sure.
How do I stop calls from unknown numbers?
Manually blocking works for a persistent individual, but it is hopeless against robocallers who spoof a fresh number every time. For that, use Android’s built-in filters:
- Caller ID and spam protection: In the Phone app Settings, open Caller ID & spam and turn it on. Suspected spam calls are then labeled or silenced automatically.
- Block unidentified callers: In Settings, open Blocked numbers and enable the option to block calls from unknown, private, or unregistered numbers.
- Call Screen (Pixel): Google’s Call Screen can answer suspected spam on your behalf and show you a transcript before you decide to pick up.
These layered defenses are what the US Federal Trade Commission recommends alongside registering on the national Do Not Call list. Protecting your phone from unwanted contact pairs well with broader account security habits, such as understanding what two-factor authentication is and why it matters for the accounts tied to your number.
Where blocked numbers live
| Task | Phone by Google (Pixel) | Samsung Galaxy |
|---|---|---|
| Block a caller | Recents → number → Block | Recents → number → menu → Block |
| See blocked list | Settings → Blocked numbers | Settings → Block numbers |
| Block unknown callers | Blocked numbers → Unknown | Block numbers → Block unknown/private |
| Auto spam filter | Caller ID & spam | Caller ID and spam protection |
How to unblock a number
Changed your mind? Unblocking takes seconds. Open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings, and open Blocked numbers. Tap the X or Remove next to the entry you want to restore. That number can immediately call and text you again. Samsung follows the same path under Block numbers, where each blocked entry has a minus or delete icon.
A note on what blocking does and does not do
Blocking is powerful but not absolute. A blocked caller is generally routed to voicemail or dropped after a ring, and they are not notified of the block. However, they can still leave voicemail on some phones, and determined spammers simply switch numbers. Blocking also does not stop a caller from reaching you through a different app such as a messaging service. If you switch phones later, remember that your block list may not carry over automatically, much like other settings you reconfigure when you move to a new device. Users coming from iOS can compare the process with our guide on how to block a number on iPhone, which follows a similar logic through the Phone and Messages apps.
Reporting persistent spam and scams
Blocking protects you, but reporting helps stop the caller from targeting others. In the United States you can forward spam texts to 7726 (which spells SPAM) to alert your carrier, and you can file complaints about illegal robocalls with the Federal Trade Commission. Registering your number on the national Do Not Call list does not stop scammers, who ignore the law, but it does cut down on calls from legitimate telemarketers. Treat any call demanding immediate payment, gift cards, or personal details as a scam, hang up, and block. Combining blocking, reporting, and automatic spam filtering is far more durable than relying on any single tactic, because it addresses both the specific number in front of you and the wider flood of spoofed calls behind it.
Quick recap
Open the Phone app, tap the offending number, and choose Block. Samsung buries the option one menu deeper, and the Messages app can block texters directly. For relentless spam, lean on caller ID and spam protection plus blocking unknown callers rather than chasing individual numbers. And whenever you want a caller back, the Blocked numbers list makes unblocking a one-tap job.
