Spam calls and unwanted messages are a universal annoyance, but your iPhone 16 running iOS 26 gives you several powerful tools to stop them. Blocking a number prevents all calls, texts, and FaceTime requests from that contact. Here's how to use every blocking feature on your device.
Block a Number from Your Recent Calls List
Open the Phone app and tap the Recents tab. Find the number you want to block and tap the small (i) info icon next to it. Scroll down to the bottom of the contact screen and tap Block this Caller. Confirm by tapping Block Contact one more time.
That's all it takes. Once blocked, calls from that number will go directly to voicemail without ringing your phone, and you won't receive any text or iMessage notifications from them.
Block Someone Directly from a Text Conversation
If the harassment is coming via Messages, open the conversation thread. Tap the contact name or phone number at the very top of the screen, then tap the (i) info button to open the details. Scroll down and you'll find the Block this Caller option. Tap it and confirm to block them.
This action blocks the sender across all Apple services. You won't get any future messages, and any new FaceTime calls from them will be automatically declined.
Block a Contact You Have Saved
To block someone whose information you've saved, 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.
Blocking a contact is comprehensive. It blocks every phone number and email address listed on that contact card, so they can't reach you through any alternate methods they have saved.
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-right corner to select and unblock multiple entries at once. This list is shared system-wide for calls, messages, and FaceTime.
Silence All Calls from Unknown Numbers
For a more aggressive approach to spam, enable the "Silence Unknown Callers" feature. Go to Settings > Phone and turn on the toggle for Silence Unknown Callers.
When this is on, any call from a number not in your Contacts, Mail, or Messages apps will be silenced and sent straight to voicemail. The call will still appear in your Recents list, and you'll get a notification if they leave a message.
I'd use this cautiously, as it will also silence calls from businesses, delivery services, or new acquaintances whose numbers you haven't saved yet.
Report and Block SMS Spam
When you get a spam text from a number not in your contacts, you can report it directly. Open the message and look for the Report Junk link that appears below the message text. Tapping it will report the number to your carrier and automatically add it to your blocked list.
You can also filter messages from unknown senders. Go to Settings > Messages and turn on Filter Unknown Senders. This creates a separate tab in the Messages app for these conversations, keeping your main inbox clean.
What a Blocked Caller Experiences
From the blocked person's perspective, a call will ring once or twice before going to your voicemail. They can still leave a message, but it will be segregated into a "Blocked Messages" folder at the bottom of your voicemail list.
For text messages and iMessages, the messages are simply not delivered to your iPhone 16. The sender won't receive a "not delivered" notification, so they have no definitive proof they've been blocked.
Block Unwanted Email Senders
If spam is coming to your Mail app, you can block email addresses too. Open an email from the sender, tap their name in the "From:" field, then tap it again to bring up a menu. Select Block this Contact.
Future emails from that address will go directly to your Trash. You can manage your list of blocked email senders in Settings > Mail > Blocked.
