blocking

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Block phone numbers, contacts, and emails on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

You can block phone numbers, contacts, and emails on your device. You can also filter iMessages from unknown senders and report iMessages that look like spam or junk.

Block a phone number, contact, or email

There are a few ways that you can block phone numbers, contacts, and emails.

Phone

If you're in the Phone app under Recents, tap  next to the phone number or contact that you want to block. Scroll to the bottom of your screen, then tap Block this Caller.

FaceTime

If you're in the FaceTime app, tap  next to the phone number, contact, or email address that you want to block. Scroll to the bottom of your screen, then tap Block this Caller.

Messages

If you're in Messages, open the conversation, tap the contact at the top of the conversation, then tap . Tap the name, phone number or email address, scroll to the bottom of the screen, then tap Block this Caller.

 

Mail

If you're in the Mail app, open the email that has the contact that you want to block, then tap the contact at the top. Tap Block this Contact.

When you block a phone number or contact, they can still leave a voicemail, but you won't get a notification. Messages that are sent or received won't be delivered. Also, the contact won't get a notification that the call or message was blocked. When you block an email address from Mail, it goes to the trash folder. Email blocking works across all your Apple devices.

You can also enable settings to block spam phone calls.


Manage your blocked phone numbers, contacts, and emails

To see the phone numbers, contacts, and email addresses that you've blocked from Phone, FaceTime, Messages, or Mail:

Phone

Go to Settings > Phone. Under Call Silencing and Blocked Contacts, tap Blocked Contacts to see the list.

FaceTime

Go to Settings > FaceTime. Under Calls, tap Blocked Contacts.

Messages

Go to Settings > Messages. Under SMS/MMS, tap Blocked Contacts.

Mail 

Go to Settings > Mail. Under Threading, tap Blocked.


From these screens, you can add or remove blocked phone numbers, contacts, or email addresses.

To add a contact from Phone, go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts scroll to the bottom of the screen, then tap Add New. Then tap the contact that you want to block. To add a contact from Messages or FaceTime, go to Settings > Messages or Settings > FaceTime, tap Blocked Contacts. Then scroll down, tap Add New, then select the contact that you want to block. To add a contact from Mail, go to Settings > Mail, then tap Blocked. Scroll down, tap Add New, then enter the contact you want to block. To unblock a phone number, contact, or email address, swipe left over the entry, then tap Unblock.


Filter iMessages from unknown senders

You can filter iMessages from people who aren't saved in your Contacts.

To filter iMessages, go to Settings > Messages and turn on Filter Unknown Senders.

In Messages, you'll see a new tab for Unknown Senders but you won't get notifications for these iMessages.


Report spam or junk in the Messages app

You can report iMessages that look like spam or junk from the Messages app. If you get an iMessage from someone who's not saved in your Contacts, you'll see a Report Junk link under the message.

Tap Report Junk, then tap Delete and Report Junk. Messages will forward the sender's information and the message to Apple, as well as delete the message from your device. You can't undo deleting a message.

Reporting junk doesn't block the sender from being able to send another message. If you don't want to receive these messages, you need to block the contact.

To report SMS and MMS messages, contact your carrier.


Learn more

Compare AppleWatches

44mm Series4/5 vs 42mm Series3/2/1

44mm Series4/5 vs
42mm Series3/2/1

40mm Series4/5 vs 38mm Series3/2/1

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Apple Watch Series 5

  • 40mm or 44mm case; over 30 percent larger display8

  • Always-On Retina LTPO OLED display with Force Touch, 1000 nits

  • GPS and GPS + Cellular models

  • S5 with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip

  • Digital Crown with haptic feedback

  • Electrical heart sensor and second-generation optical heart sensor

  • High and low heart rate notifications, irregular heart rhythm notification, and ECG app1

  • International emergency calling,3 Emergency SOS,2and fall detection

  • Water resistant 50 meters4

  • LTE and UMTS,5 Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0

  • GPS/GNSS, compass, and barometric altimeter

  • 50 percent louder speaker; built-in mic

  • 32GB capacity

Apple Watch Series 4

  • 40mm or 44mm case; over 30 percent larger display8

  • Retina LTPO OLED display with Force Touch, 1000 nits

  • GPS and GPS + Cellular models

  • S4 with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip

  • Digital Crown with haptic feedback

  • Electrical heart sensor and second-generation optical heart sensor

  • High and low heart rate notifications, irregular heart rhythm notification, and ECG app1

  • Emergency SOS2 and fall detection

  • Water resistant 50 meters4

  • LTE and UMTS,5 Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0

  • GPS/GNSS and barometric altimeter

  • 50 percent louder speaker; built-in mic

  • 16GB capacity

Apple Watch Series 3

  • 38mm or 42mm case

  • Second-generation Retina OLED display with Force Touch, 1000 nits

  • GPS and GPS + Cellular models

  • S3 with dual-core processor; W2 wireless chip

  • Digital Crown

  • Optical heart sensor

  • High and low heart rate notifications and irregular heart rhythm notification

  • Emergency SOS2

  • Water resistant 50 meters4

  • LTE and UMTS,5 Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.2

  • GPS/GNSS and barometric altimeter

  • Built-in speaker and mic

  • 16GB capacity (GPS + Cellular); 8GB capacity (GPS)

Apple Watch Series 2

  • 38mm or 42mm case

  • Second-generation Retina OLED display with Force Touch

  • GPS model

  • S2 with dual-core processor

  • Digital Crown

  • Optical heart sensor

  • High and low heart rate notifications and irregular heart rhythm notification

  • Water resistant 50 meters4

  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0

  • GPS/GNSS

  • Built-in speaker and mic

  • 8GB capacity

Apple Watch Series  1

  • 38mm or 42mm case

  • Retina OLED display with Force Touch

  • S1P with dual-core processor

  • Digital Crown

  • Optical heart sensor

  • High and low heart rate notifications and irregular heart rhythm notification

  • Splash resistant9

  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0

  • Built-in speaker and mic

  • 8GB capacity

macOS App Store Account

  1. In the App Store  on your Mac, click Sign In at the bottom-left corner.

  2. Do any of the following:

    • Create an Apple ID (if you don’t already have one): Click Create Apple ID, then follow the onscreen instructions.

    • View account settings: Click your name at the bottom-left corner, then click View Information.

      Account information includes your Apple ID, billing information, and the nickname you use when you review apps. You can also view purchases that you’ve hidden.