How to block a phone number
Let's go straight to the heart of the article by seeing how to block a phone number. Below you will find explained how to do it for “traditional” calls on Android and iPhone, and also how to do the same for a WhatsApp contact.
How to block a number on Android
Let's start by seeing how to block a number on android. As already mentioned, the operating system of the "green robot" allows you to block calls using the features included "standard" in almost all smartphones, without necessarily having to resort to the many third-party apps useful for this purpose.
To proceed, start the app Contacts and create a new contact (maybe you can call him "Spam numbers") containing all the numbers to be blocked: just press the button capacitor positive (+) lead, fill in the form proposed on the screen and save the contact using the appropriate entry.
When the operation is complete, select the contact you just created (or any other contact to block) and first press the icon of pencil located at the top right and then on the button on the button depicting i three dots. Then activate the option All calls to voicemail And that's it.
From now on, all calls from the selected numbers will be redirected to the voicemail. If you don't have any active answering service on your smartphone, your calls will simply be "silenced" and whoever is on the other side will hear the busy signal.
On some smartphones, call blocking can also be activated by opening the dialer (the screen for dialing telephone numbers), by pressing the button Menu / Other che si trova in alto a destra e selecionando la voce Settings from the menu that opens. Then you have to go to the menu Other settings and select items Call barring> Voice call to block unwanted contacts.
If you use a smartphone SamsungFor example, you can block a number by starting the app Telephonepigging your pulse Other located at the top right and selecting the item Settings from the menu that appears. After that you need to move up Reject calls> Blocked list and you have to choose whether to manually type the telephone number to block or whether to select a number from Address book or from Call log (therefore from the list of recent calls).
Furthermore, I would like to point out that on Android 6.0 and above you can also block numbers by opening the call history, keeping your finger pressed on a contact and selecting the lock option from the box that opens.
In case of second thoughts, to delete a contact from the blacklist just go back to the Android settings and remove the option "All calls to voicemail" or the lock function for the selected number.
How to block a number on iPhone
Also 'iPhone Apple includes a "blacklist" for blocking unwanted calls, and now we will find out together how to make the most of it. There is also no shortage of apps for identifying "annoyances", but due to the restrictions of iOS they are less complete (and less numerous) than those for Android.
To block one or more numbers on iPhone, go to the app Contacts and create a new contact containing all the numbers you want to block: just press the button capacitor positive (+) lead located at the top right and fill in the form proposed on the screen with the name of the contact (eg. "Spam numbers") and the numbers of your interest. After that, open the app Settings, by tapping on the gray icon with gears located on the home screen or in the app library, select the items Telephone e Contacts blocked in the screen opened and presses on the item Add.
At this point, select the contact with the numbers to block you created earlier (or any other contact to block) and that's it. All calls, FaceTime conversations, SMS and emails from blocked contacts will be stopped in the bud.
Do you want to block a number that is not in your contacts? No problem, you can do this too. Go to the dialer (the screen where phone numbers are dialed), by opening the app Telephone, select the scheda Recent found in the latter and presses the icon (I) placed next to the number to block. Then press on the wording Block contact located at the bottom, confirm this by pressing the button Block contact in the menu that appeared on the screen and the number will be blocked instantly.
In case of second thoughts (almost needless to say) go back to the menu Settings> Phone> Blocked contacts iOS, press the button Modification located at the top right and remove the contacts you want to unblock from the blacklist by pressing the symbol first (-) and on the red button Unlock. When you're done, tap the item end (in alto to destra).
How to block a number on WhatsApp
If you want block a number on WhatsApp, to prevent a certain person from contacting you via the famous instant messaging platform, know that succeeding is disarming simplicity. Find out how to do it right below.
- Your Android - open WhatsApp, tap on the card Chat, press the icon of three dots (top right) and select the items Settings> Accounts> Privacy> Blocked contacts from the menu that opens. Then press the icon oflittle man with the symbol (+) at the top right, select the name of the person you want to block and that's it. In case of second thoughts, you can unblock the user in question by going back to the section Settings> Accounts> Privacy> Blocked contacts and tapping on the first contact name and on the wording Unblock [name].
- Your iPhone - open WhatsApp, tap on the card Settings (bottom right), go to the menu Account> Privacy> Blocked and, after having pressed on the wording Add, tap on name of the person that you intend to block. In case of second thoughts, to unlock the user, go to the menu Settings> Accounts> Privacy> Blocked, swipe from right to left on the name of the person you want to unblock and press on the wording Unlock.
- Your pc - log in to WhatsApp, click on the symbol of three dots (top left) and click on the items Settings> Blocked. Then click on the button Add contact to block and click on name of the person that you intend to block. If you have second thoughts, click on (X) corresponding to the name of the blocked contact and click the button Unlock appeared on the screen.
For more information on how to block a number on WhatsApp, I refer you to reading the in-depth study that I have dedicated entirely to the topic.
How to block a private number
Would you block a private number? Well, the thing is feasible by taking advantage of the functions of Android and iOS that I told you about in the previous lines, but to do this you should first be able to trace the number that is hidden behind the private number.
How you do it? By using Whooming, a service available in the form of an app for Android (also on alternative stores) and iOS / iPadOS, which allows you to identify the numbers of those who call anonymously using the call forwarding.
Basically, when a call is received from a private number, it hangs up and it is automatically redirected to the Whooming number, which identifies the sender of the call.
Whooming can be used free of charge, but to know the entire private number in clear text, you need to take out a subscription starting from 12,99 euros for three months. If you want to use it, take a look at the guide in which I explain how to discover a private number and, when you have identified who is behind it, you can block it using the functions available on Android and iPhone.
However, if you use the app on Android Google phone, know that you can take advantage of a special function to block calls from unknown numbers in the bud. To activate it, open the app Telephone, press the three dots icon (top right) and go to the menu Settings> Blocked numbers. Then move up ON the switch lever next to the item Unknown And that's it.
How to block an unknown number
Are you going to block an unknown number, that is a number that is not present in the address book of your mobile phone? Let me tell you how to proceed on both Android and iPhone.
Android
I begin by telling you immediately that up Android there are no ad hoc functions to block numbers not saved in the phonebook. However, one thing you can do is to block the numbers in question via the report / spam feature available in the app Google phone.
To do this, after receiving a call from a number not saved in the phonebook, open the app Telephone, go to the section Recent, by pressing on the appropriate form at the bottom and identify the number of your interest.
Then make a long tap on it, select the voice Block / Report spam and touch the wording Block. In this way, you will no longer receive calls from the number in question. In other cases, if the number is not in your address book and it is a possible annoyance, it is the app itself that asks you whether to block the number or not: just tap on the appropriate wording to consent and that's it.
And if you are willing to install third-party apps, you can try Should I Answer, which allows you to block calls from known annoyances (eg call centers) and also those of numbers not stored in contacts: I explained how it works in this tutorial.
iPhone
Su iPhoneon the other hand, there is an ad hoc function for the preventive blocking of numbers not in the phone book, which can be activated from the system settings.
To use this, open the app Settings, by tapping on the gray icon with gears located on the home screen, presses on the items Phone> Silence unknown numbers and move up ON the switch located in correspondence with the wording Silence unknown numbers present in the new screen that opened.
From now on, calls from people not saved in your contacts will be blocked (unless you turn off the setting in question by going back to the menu Settings> Phone> Silence unknown numbers and moving on OFF the appropriate switch).
How to block a number on your landline
I conclude this guide by explaining to you how to block a number on your desk phone. The most modern landlines and cordless phones, both current and a few years ago, usually integrate functions that allow you to block calls.
The procedure for activating the function in question may vary from one phone to another, so I can't give you many instructions on this. However, usually you just need to go to the phone book settings or general phone settings and locate the lock function, if available. I strongly suggest you read what is indicated in the user manual of the phone: there you will find all the relevant information.
Also, know that you can block a number by reporting it to your landline operator, especially if your phone does not have the call blocking feature. For more information about the function in question and any costs to be incurred to activate it (since it may not be free), contact your operator (eg TIM, Vodafone, WINDTRE or Fastweb).
How to block a number