Message blocking stops texts and calls from reaching you, and how you disable it depends on whether your phone, your carrier, or an app is doing the blocking
Message blocking can happen at three different levels: your phone's built-in settings, your carrier's network, or a third-party app. The steps to turn it off are different for each one. Start by figuring out which type of blocking is active — usually by checking whether the blocked messages appear in a folder, whether your carrier sent you a notice, or whether you installed a filtering app yourself.
Most people find the problem is their phone's own settings or a carrier service they forgot about. Fewer often realize an app they installed months ago is still filtering messages in the background.
Key Takeaways
- Check your phone's native blocking settings first — on iPhone this is in Settings > Messages, and on Android it is usually in the Messages app itself or in Settings > Apps.
- Your carrier may have a separate blocking service active on your account that you can turn off through their website, app, or by calling customer service.
- Third-party apps like Google Messages, Samsung Messages, or spam-filtering apps can block messages independently of your phone's settings.
- If you do not know which level is blocking the messages, check whether they appear in a spam or blocked folder — that tells you where to look.
Disabling blocking on iPhone
On iPhone, message blocking lives in Settings. Open Settings, tap Messages, and look for a section called Blocked Contacts or Filter Unknown Senders. If you see a list of blocked numbers, tap Edit and remove the contact you want to unblock. If you have turned on "Filter Unknown Senders," that setting will send texts from people not in your contacts to a separate tab — turning it off sends all messages to your main inbox.
You can also block or unblock a specific contact directly from a conversation. Open the thread, tap the contact name at the top, scroll down, and tap Unblock this Caller. This works faster if you know exactly which number or contact is blocked.
If messages are disappearing into a folder you did not create, check whether you have a carrier-level filter active. Call your carrier's customer service line — the number is on your bill or on their website — and ask whether they have message filtering turned on for your account.
Disabling blocking on Android
Android blocking is usually in your default messaging app. Open Messages (or whatever app you use to text), tap the three-line menu icon, go to Settings, and look for Blocked Numbers or Blocked Contacts. You will see a list of any numbers you have manually blocked. Tap the number and select Unblock.
Some Android phones also have blocking in the system settings. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages (or your messaging app), tap Permissions, and check whether blocking or spam filtering is turned on there. The exact path varies by phone manufacturer — Samsung, Google Pixel, and other brands organize this differently.
Like iPhone, your carrier may also have a separate blocking service. Contact your carrier directly to ask whether they have network-level filtering active on your line.
Checking carrier-level blocking
Your phone company can block messages at the network level, before they reach your phone. This usually happens through services like AT&T Call Protect, Verizon Call Filter, or T-Mobile Scam Shield. These services are often turned on by default, especially if you have a newer phone or a recent plan.
To turn off carrier blocking, log into your carrier's website or app with your account credentials. Look for a section called Call Protection, Spam Filter, Message Filter, or Safety Tools. You should see an option to turn off filtering or to adjust which types of messages get blocked. If you cannot find it online, call your carrier's customer service number — it is on your bill — and ask them to disable message filtering on your account.
Some carriers charge a small monthly fee for these services, and turning them off is free. Others include them at no extra cost. Either way, you can disable them without penalty.
Turning off third-party app blocking
If you installed Google Messages, Samsung Messages, or another texting app, it may have its own blocking and filtering settings separate from your phone's native settings. Open the app, go to Settings, and look for Blocked Numbers, Spam Filter, or Message Filtering. Unblock any numbers you want to receive messages from.
Some apps like RoboKiller, TrueCaller, or other spam-filtering apps run in the background and block messages without showing you a blocked list. If you have one of these installed, open the app and look for a Blocked Messages or Filtered Messages section. You can usually whitelist a number there so it comes through in the future. If you do not want the app filtering messages at all, you can uninstall it or turn off its permissions in your phone's Settings > Apps.
Check your phone's app list to see what messaging or filtering apps you have. If you do not recognize one, it may be blocking messages without your knowledge.
Finding messages that were blocked
Blocked messages often go to a folder instead of disappearing entirely. On iPhone, check the Messages app for a separate tab or folder — some filtering systems create a Junk or Blocked folder. On Android, open your messaging app and look for a Spam, Blocked, or Archived folder. Your carrier may also store blocked messages in their own system, which you can sometimes view through their website or app.
If you cannot find the messages anywhere, they may have been deleted automatically after a certain number of days. Most systems keep blocked messages for 30 days before removing them.
What to do if you still cannot receive messages
If you have checked all three levels — your phone's settings, your carrier's settings, and any third-party apps — and messages are still not coming through, the problem may be on the sender's end. Ask the person trying to reach you to check whether they have you blocked, or have them try sending from a different phone or number.
It is also possible your phone number is on a carrier blacklist due to a billing issue or account problem. Call your carrier's customer service to ask whether your number has any restrictions on incoming or outgoing messages. They can remove restrictions if they find any.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block messages from one person but not others?
Yes. On both iPhone and Android, you can block individual contacts while leaving messaging open for everyone else. Open the conversation with that person, tap their name or number, and select Block. You can unblock them the same way. This does not affect your overall message filtering settings.
If I unblock someone, will I see the messages they sent while they were blocked?
Usually not. Most phones and carriers delete blocked messages after a set time, often 30 days. Some systems keep them in a separate folder you can view, but this varies by phone and carrier. Check your Spam or Blocked folder before unblocking to see if older messages are stored there.
Does turning off carrier message filtering affect spam protection?
Yes. Carrier-level filters like AT&T Call Protect and Verizon Call Filter block spam and scam messages along with any manually blocked numbers. Turning off the filter means more spam may reach your inbox. You can usually adjust the filter level instead of turning it off completely — for example, blocking only known scams while allowing everything else through.
Why is my carrier filtering messages I did not ask them to block?
Carrier filters are often turned on by default for new accounts or new phones. They use algorithms to identify spam and scam messages, so legitimate messages sometimes get caught by mistake. Log into your carrier's website or app to check the filter settings, or call customer service to ask them to adjust or disable it.
Can I block messages from unknown numbers without blocking known contacts?
Yes. On iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and turn on Filter Unknown Senders — this sends texts from people not in your contacts to a separate tab while keeping messages from known contacts in your main inbox. On Android, most messaging apps have a similar setting in their spam or filter options. This is different from blocking specific numbers.