To unblock a number on iPhone running iOS 26 or later, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Blocked Contacts, tap Edit, tap the Remove button beside the entry, then tap Unblock. If the number is unsaved, open the Unknown group first and then tap Edit.
The short version
- On iOS 26 or later, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Blocked Contacts to remove saved contacts and unsaved numbers.
- On iOS 18 or earlier, use Phone settings to reach the blocked list.
- If calls stay silent, check unknown caller screening and Focus.
- Restore wanted texts from Spam separately.
- Check Hiya, Signal or your carrier if you blocked the person there.
| Method | What it does | Time | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocked Contacts | Removes an Apple block | Under a minute | A saved or unsaved number is blocked |
| Phone settings | Opens the blocked list | Under a minute | Your iPhone runs iOS 18 or earlier, or you prefer Phone settings |
| Unknown caller settings | Allows unsaved callers to ring | Under a minute | The number is unblocked but silent |
| Focus settings | Allows calls during a Focus | A few minutes | A Focus silences the caller |
| Messages Spam folder | Restores a filtered conversation | Under a minute | A wanted text is in Spam |
| Hiya block list | Removes a Hiya block | Under a minute | You blocked the number in Hiya |
| Signal blocked list | Allows Signal calls and messages | Under a minute | The block is inside Signal |
| Google Fi blocked list | Removes a Fi service block | A few minutes | You blocked the number through Fi |
Remove the number from Blocked Contacts
On iOS 26 or later, start with the blocked list in Settings > Privacy & Security > Blocked Contacts. For a saved entry, tap Edit, tap the Remove button beside the person you want to allow, then tap Unblock. On older versions, use the Phone settings route below.
You can also open a saved contact directly from this list. Select the contact, scroll to the bottom of their information and tap Unblock Contact. This gives you another way to remove the block without using the list's editing controls.
For an unsaved number, open the group shown as [number] Unknown, then tap Edit. Tap the Remove button beside the number and tap Unblock. Or swipe left on the number and tap Unblock. You can remove the number here without saving it as a new contact first.
Use Phone settings instead
Open Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts if you prefer to start with Phone settings. On iOS 18, use this same route; on iOS 17 or earlier, use Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. Tap Edit, tap the Remove button beside the entry, then tap Unblock. You do not need to repeat both routes.
Unblocking through an Apple app also removes the block across Phone, FaceTime, Messages and Mail. If someone still cannot reach you, move on to the control that matches the problem below. A silent call, a filtered text and a block inside another service need different checks.
Let unsaved callers ring again
If calls stay silent after you remove the block, open Settings > Apps > Phone. On iOS 26 or later, choose Never under Screen Unknown Callers to let calls from unsaved numbers ring. On earlier versions, turn off Silence Unknown Callers in Phone settings, reached through Settings > Apps > Phone on iOS 18 or Settings > Phone on iOS 17 or earlier.
Consider adding an expected caller to Contacts instead if you want to keep screening other numbers. On iOS 26 or later, Ask Reason for Calling asks an unknown caller for information before your phone rings. You can set up call screening on iPhone if you want to keep that check.
On iOS 18 or later, for silent FaceTime calls from unknown numbers, open Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn off Silence Unknown Callers. These settings change how unknown calls are handled, so remove any explicit block separately.
Allow calls through Focus
A Focus can silence notifications from people you have already unblocked. Open Settings > Focus and select the Focus you use when the calls go quiet. Tap People or Choose People, choose Allow Notifications From, tap the Add People button and select the contact. Save an unsaved number as a contact before adding that person.
If the Focus uses Silence Notifications From, remove the person from that list, or turn on Allow Calls From Silenced People to let calls from everyone on it ring. Check which option the Focus uses before changing its people list.
To stop using the Focus for now, open Control Center, tap Focus, then tap the Focus that is on to turn it off. If you can't find the Focus control, follow the steps to turn off Focus on iPhone. Remove an explicit blocked entry separately before expecting calls from that number.
Recover a conversation filtered as spam
On iOS 26 or later, if a wanted text conversation is in Spam, open Messages and tap the Filter button in the conversation list. Choose Spam, open the message, tap Not Spam, then tap Move to Messages. The conversation moves back to your main conversation list.
If texts from an unsaved number are missing, tap the Filter button and check Unknown Senders too. Open the conversation and tap Mark as Known, or add the sender to Contacts, to bring their messages into your conversation list.
Restoring a filtered conversation and removing a blocked contact are separate actions. Check Blocked Contacts as well if you previously blocked the sender.
Remove a block in Hiya
If you blocked the number in Hiya Spam Blocker, open Hiya's Blocking screen and view your Block list. Find the number and tap Unblock to remove it. Change the list in the service where you originally added the block.
Check the iPhone's Blocked Contacts separately if you also blocked the same number there. Removing the Hiya entry handles the block you created inside that app, so review both lists when you used both controls.
Remove a block in Signal
For a Signal block, open Signal Settings > Privacy > Blocked. Select the contact you want to allow, then confirm with Unblock. Use these controls when the problem is a call or message inside Signal.
Signal does not resend messages sent while the contact was blocked. Ask the person to send anything you still need again. If ordinary phone calls are also affected, check the Apple blocked list as well as Signal's list.
Remove a carrier block in Google Fi
If you use Google Fi and blocked the number through its service, open the Google Fi app or account website. In Account, go to Privacy & security. Under Spam and contact settings, choose Block phone numbers, select Remove beside the number and confirm with Unblock.
This list manages the numbers you blocked through Google Fi. Review it even after you remove an Apple block. If you use another carrier's blocking service, use that carrier's own support instructions to locate and change the block.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I unblock someone from another Apple device?
Yes. On another iPhone or iPad running iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 or later, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Blocked Contacts. Select the contact, scroll down and tap Unblock Contact. Apple blocks apply across devices signed in to the same Apple Account, so check the entry on your iPhone after changing it.
Can I unblock someone directly in FaceTime?
Yes, open FaceTime, tap the call in your call history and tap Unblock Contact. For a Group FaceTime call, tap the caller's contact information first.
Do I need to install anything to unblock a number?
No, you can remove the Apple block through your iPhone's Settings app. Use the existing Hiya or Signal app only if you also blocked the person inside that service.
Why are calls still silent after I unblock the number?
Check unknown caller screening and the Focus you are using. On iOS 26 or later, choose Never under Screen Unknown Callers; on earlier versions, turn off Silence Unknown Callers in Phone settings. For a Focus, allow the contact or turn the Focus off. Check Hiya or your carrier's blocked list if you used either service to block the number.
Can a blocked caller still leave voicemail?
Yes, a blocked caller can still leave voicemail. A voicemail from that number does not prove that the caller has been removed from your blocked list.