I find it annoying when I receive unsolicited messages from unknown numbers or contacts. I am betting that, like most people I know, you do, too. Apart from the nuisance they constitute, spam messages could also pose dangerous risks for your device and data since they can be vehicles for malware.
It thus becomes necessary to find out how to block spam messages on your phone. Thankfully, achieving this is not impossible. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you the best way to put a stop to spam messages on your Android phone or iPhone. Keep reading to find out, and safeguard your phone from unwanted messages.
How Can I Block Spam Messages on my Smartphone?
The necessary steps to block spam messages depend on the smartphone you’re using (obviously!), but we’ve included the necessary instructions for both Android and iPhone devices below.
Block Spam Messages on your iPhone
It is easier to block spam messages on iPhones than on Android devices. This is because all iOS devices ship with ‘Messages’ as the default messaging app. It’s also beneficial that turning on a basic message filtering feature on iPhones can block spam messages from showing up in your main inbox.
The instructions below will help you use the message filtering feature to block spam messages on your iPhone:
- Go to Messages in the Settings app.
- Find the option labeled Filter Unknown Senders under the Messages heading and turn it on.
- Return to your Messages app now to find a number of settings that allow you to choose which messages you’d like to view. To only see texts from saved contacts or those you’ve already texted, choose Known Senders.
It’s possible to return to this menu and select the option to also display messages from unidentified senders. This tab also contains important communications such as from banks or other institutions that may send important notifications like transaction alerts or verification codes, so it’s advisable to monitor it.
On iOS, you may also block specific phone numbers to completely stop getting texts or calls from them. Here’s how to go about it:
- Find a chat with the person you wish to block first.
- Now, click on the contact at the top, tap Info, scroll down to Block this Caller, click it, and then tap Done. After blocking such numbers, you won’t be alerted when they send any unwanted text messages.
Block Spam Messages on your Android phone
It’s not as easy to block spam messages on Android phones as with iPhones. This is because Android devices tend to have customized features atop the general Android vanilla skin.
Nonetheless, it’s still possible to block spam messages on Android phones, so follow the instructions below:
- On your Android phone, first download the Google Messages app (if you’re using a Pixel device, skip this step because the app comes pre-installed).
- Open the app, select Account from the menu, then locate the Messages settings option.
- Scroll to the bottom until you see the option for Spam protection.
- Turn on Enable spam protection by clicking on it.
With the help of this option, spam emails will start getting flagged and can even be prevented from spamming you in the future. You can also report spam texts on Android if a specific number evades the system’s built-in spam filter or if you happen to receive spam messages from a particular unknown number.
Follow these steps:
- Tap and hold the spam message you want to delete in your inbox.
- Once chosen, click the three-dot icon in your screen’s top right corner
- Select the Block option from the menu.
The message will be instantly added to the “Spam and blocked” list in Google Messages, blocking it from texting or calling you afterward.
If you’d rather not use Google Messages to block spam messages, you can check out your native messaging app and look for a spam-filtering feature. For instance, you can block spam messages and spam callers in the Messages app on a Samsung Galaxy S22 operating One UI 4.1. Here’s how:
- To access a list of menu options, tap the three dots in the screen’s top-right corner of the screen.
- In the Settings menu, select Block numbers and spam to turn on Caller ID and spam protection. This feature can also be used to stop spam calls.
In summary, make sure to follow our instructions in this easy guide correctly to block spam messages on your Android or iPhone device.
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