Spam calls are a modern nuisance, but your iPhone 14 has several built-in tools to shut them down. Blocking a number stops all calls, texts, and FaceTime requests from that contact. Let's walk through the different methods, from blocking a single number to silencing all unknown callers.
Block a Number from Your Recent Calls List
Open the Phone app and tap Recents. Find the spam number in your list and tap the small (i) info icon next to it. Scroll down on the next screen and tap Block this Caller. Confirm by tapping Block Contact.
That's all it takes. Once blocked, their calls go straight to voicemail and their texts won't appear in your Messages app. This works for any number that has called you, whether it's saved or not.
Block Someone Directly from a Text Message
If the spam is coming via SMS or iMessage, open the conversation thread. Tap the contact name or phone number at the very top of the screen, then tap the (i) info button. Scroll down and you'll find the Block this Caller option. Tap it to confirm.
This instantly blocks all future communication from that sender. I've found this to be the quickest way to deal with persistent text spam.
Block a Contact You Have Saved
To block someone whose number is already in your address book, open the Contacts app. Find and tap their name to open their full contact card. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the card and tap Block this Caller.
This action blocks every phone number and email address listed on that contact card. It's a comprehensive block, so use it when you need to cut off all avenues of contact.
Review and Edit Your Blocked List
To see who you've blocked or to unblock someone, go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. You'll see a complete list. To remove a number, swipe left on it and tap Unblock.
You can also tap Edit in the top corner to unblock multiple people at once. This list is universal, so any number here is blocked for calls, messages, and FaceTime on your iPhone 14.
Silence All Calls from Unknown Numbers
For a more aggressive approach, you can silence every call from numbers not in your contacts. Go to Settings > Phone and scroll down to Silence Unknown Callers. Toggle this switch on.
When this is enabled, unknown calls are silenced and sent directly to voicemail. Your phone won't ring. You'll still see the missed call notification and can check any voicemail they leave. This is incredibly effective for stopping robocalls, but be aware it will also silence calls from businesses, delivery services, or new contacts.
Report Junk Texts and Filter Unknown Senders
When you get a spam text, you can report it directly to Apple and your carrier. Open the message and look for the Report Junk link below the text bubble. Tapping it reports the number and blocks it automatically.
You can also organize your messages to separate known and unknown senders. Go to Settings > Messages and turn on Filter Unknown Senders. This creates a separate tab in your Messages app for all communications from people not in your contacts, keeping your main inbox cleaner.
What a Blocked Caller Experiences
From the blocked person's perspective, their call will ring once or twice before going to your voicemail. They can still leave a message, but it gets filed in a special "Blocked Messages" section at the very bottom of your voicemail list.
For texts and iMessages, the messages are simply not delivered to your device. The sender won't receive a failure notification, so they won't have definitive proof they've been blocked. It's a silent, effective cutoff.
Block Unwanted Email Senders in Mail
If spam is hitting your inbox, you can block email addresses, too. In the Mail app, open an email from the sender. Tap the sender's name at the top of the message, then tap it again in the pop-up window. Select Block this Contact.
Future emails from that address will go straight to your Trash. You can manage your entire list of blocked email senders by going to Settings > Mail > Blocked.
