Whether it's a friend or stranger you don't want to hear from, knowing how to block a number on an Android phone is pretty useful.
Many of best phones available use Google's Android operating system, including many of our picks of the best android phones, so if you're thinking of shifting over to a non-Apple smartphone for the first time and want to master some of the basics, you're in the right spot.
If you're wanting to learn how to prevent a number from spam-texting or calling you, there are two methods you can follow, depending on if you've saved a number to your Contacts or not, and we've listed both of these methods below to help. It's worth noting different Android phones vary slightly in how the user interface is laid out, so don't be concerned if it doesn't look exactly the same – the steps here should still help you.
Not an Android user? We've also put together a guide on how to block a number on an iPhone.
Steps for how to block a number on Android
- Find the number or contact you want to block
- Open the contact or long-press the number in your call log
- Tap to Block the number
Step-by-step guide: Blocking the number from Contacts
1. Go to Contacts in your Phone app
From your home screen, find and open your Phone app. The location of this will vary depending on which Android phone you're using but should be fairly easy to find.
Once you're in the app, tap Contacts to see your full list of saved numbers.
2. Open the Contact card
Scroll or search through your contacts to find the saved number you want to block and then tap the contact to open up their contact card.
3. Block the number
Tap the three dots (or the encircled 'i' button on some devices), which will bring up a list of options. From this menu, tap 'Block numbers'.
A boxout will then appear offering you the option to 'Report as spam' with a checkbox, which you can select if you feel it necessary. Finally, tap the block button to add this number to your block list.
Step-by-step guide: Blocking the number from recent calls
1. Go to Recents in your Phone app
From your home screen, find and open your Phone app. The location of this will vary depending on which Android phone you're using but should be fairly easy to find.
Once you're in the app, tap 'Recents' to pull up your call log.
2. Open the quick actions menu
Find the number you want to block from calling and texting you, and then long-press this number. This will pull up a menu with various actions.
On Samsung devices, you'll instead want to tap the number and then tap the encircled 'i' symbol.
From this menu you'll see an option to 'Block/report spam' – tap this. On non-Samsung Android devices, a boxout will pop up, from which you can opt to report the call as spam, by checking the box. Tap Block and the number will now be on your phone's block list.
FAQs
How do I unblock a blocked Contact or number?
If you've decided to unblock a contact or unsaved number, simply open the settings in the phone app, tap blocked numbers or block numbers and select the details of the caller you want to unblock.
Final thoughts
There you have it – you've successfully blocked the intrusive number calling and texting your phone.
It's pretty easy for bad actors – and even known Contacts – to misuse mobile phone numbers nowadays, so knowing how to stop them in their tracks is key. Plus, if you're moving to Android from an Apple device, it's fairly easy to switch from iPhone to Android and transfer contact details.
