Block a contact through the Phone app

Open the Phone app and go to the Recents tab at the bottom. Find the contact you want to block, swipe left on their name, and tap the red Block this Caller button. If you do not see the button immediately, tap More (the three dots) first, then select Block this Caller.

You can also block someone from your Contacts app. Open Contacts, find the person's name, tap Edit in the top right, scroll to the bottom, and tap Block this Caller. Confirm by tapping Block Contact in the popup that appears.

Block a contact through Messages

Open the Messages app and find the conversation with the person you want to block. Swipe left on their name or message thread, tap More (the three dots), and select Block this Caller. A confirmation popup will appear — tap Block Contact to finish.

You can also block someone while reading a message from them. Tap their name or number at the top of the conversation, then scroll down and tap Block this Caller. This method works whether the person is saved in your contacts or texted you from an unknown number.

Key Takeaways

  • You can block a contact from the Phone app's Recents tab, the Contacts app, or the Messages app by swiping left and selecting Block this Caller.
  • Blocked contacts cannot call, text, or FaceTime you, and their calls go straight to voicemail without ringing your phone.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts, finding their name, and tapping Unblock.
  • Blocking someone does not delete their contact information or your message history with them — you can still see old messages if you unblock them later.
  • Blocking in FaceTime blocks the person across all Apple services, so you do not need to block them separately in each app.

What happens when you block someone

When you block a contact, their calls go directly to voicemail without your phone ringing. Text messages from them will not arrive on your device. If they try to FaceTime you, the call will not come through. They will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if their calls always go to voicemail and messages never get a read receipt.

The blocked person can still leave voicemails, but you will not receive notifications for them. Their voicemails appear in a separate section of your voicemail list labeled Blocked Messages. You can listen to them if you choose, but you are not alerted when they arrive. This means blocking silences the interruption without completely preventing them from reaching out.

Unblock a contact

Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. You will see a list of everyone you have blocked. Swipe left on the person's name and tap Unblock, or tap Edit in the top right, select the minus sign next to their name, and tap Unblock.

Once you unblock someone, they can call and text you normally again. Any messages they sent while blocked will not suddenly appear — you will only receive new messages from them going forward. If you want to review what they sent during the blocked period, you will need to ask them to resend it or check if they left voicemails in your Blocked Messages folder.

Block a contact from FaceTime

Open the FaceTime app and find the person in your recent calls or contacts. Tap the information icon (the small i in a circle) next to their name, scroll down, and tap Block this Caller. Confirm by tapping Block Contact.

Blocking someone in FaceTime blocks them across all Apple services — they cannot call, text, or FaceTime you. You do not need to block them separately in each app. This unified blocking system makes it easier to manage unwanted contacts without having to repeat the process multiple times.

Block an unknown number or spam caller

If someone calls you from a number not in your contacts, you can still block them. In the Phone app's Recents tab, tap the information icon next to their number, scroll down, and tap Block this Caller. You can also block them directly from a missed call notification by tapping it and selecting Block this Caller.

For repeated spam calls, consider enabling Silence Unknown Callers in Settings > Phone. This sends calls from numbers not in your contacts, mail, or messages straight to voicemail without ringing your phone. It does not block them — they can still leave voicemails — but it stops the interruption. This is useful if you receive frequent spam without wanting to manually block each number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a blocked contact see that I blocked them?

No, they will not receive a notification. However, if their calls always go to voicemail and their texts never get read receipts, they may suspect you blocked them. There is no way for them to confirm it through their phone.

Will a blocked contact's old messages disappear?

No, your message history with them stays in the Messages app. You can still read old conversations. If you unblock them later, new messages will come through normally, but old messages remain unchanged.

What if I block someone by accident?

Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts, find their name, and tap Unblock. They can call and text you immediately after. If you want to be extra sure, you can send them a message to confirm they can reach you again.

Does blocking someone delete their contact information?

No, their contact card stays in your Contacts app. Blocking only prevents calls, texts, and FaceTime — it does not remove their name, phone number, or email address from your phone.

Can I block someone who is not in my contacts?

Yes, you can block any number or contact, whether they are saved in your phone or not. Use the information icon next to their number in Recents or tap the missed call notification to access the block option.