How to Block Spam Calls With the Nuclear Option (and As Little Consequences As Possible)
We are all fighting robots . Chances are, you’ve tried various carrier apps, settings, and services to stop or at least mitigate the endless stream of scams and spam, and some of them even work pretty well, at least for a while. Unfortunately, new anti-spam methods are emerging all the time, and it is likely that a few calls will cost even the best spam blocking apps.
However, there are “nuclear” options on Android and iOS that will block these stragglers forever.
How to block all spam calls
IPhone users running iOS 13 or later can block all calls from unknown numbers in Settings> Phone > Mute Unknown Callers. This relatively obscure environment has gained attention thanks to viral TikTok posts showcasing it.
The options for Android users will differ depending on the device, but most should have some level of spam blocking. For example, the stock Pixel Caller app has built-in filters. Tap the three-dot icon in the upper right corner of the screen, then go to Settings> Spam & Call Screen . You can also try looking for similar options in your phone’s settings app. Admittedly, these built-in settings are not exactly the “core” option that some Android users might want. To do this, we recommend using the Google Assistant Call Check feature, which you can set up to automatically check incoming calls from unknown numbers.
But while these settings can finally stop (at least most) those annoying spam calls, it comes with repercussions – like missing important calls from numbers you haven’t saved on your phone.
If you do not want to completely block all unknown calls (or do not have this option), try using the custom Do Not Disturb mode instead. While this does not stop spammers from calling you in the first place, your phone will not ring and you will not receive a missed call notification while Do Not Disturb is enabled.
However, you might not want to keep Do Not Disturb on all the time, as it goes beyond just blocking calls and filters out everything . As long as it’s on, you won’t receive notifications for messages, apps, or voicemail, the alarm won’t ring, and your phone won’t ring on incoming calls – at least not with the most restrictive Do Not Disturb settings. Both Apple and Google have recognized this and allow you to customize Do Not Disturb so you can still receive important calls and text messages.
Android users can go to Settings> Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls> Do Not Disturb and choose to skip certain contacts, apps, and other notifications.
IPhone users can set similar permissions under Settings> Do Not Disturb , including the ability to receive phone calls if someone calls again. And the upcoming iOS 15 will add even more options, including scheduling certain notifications throughout the day.
With these settings, you could actually turn on Do Not Disturb quite often — even most of the time. You need to turn off Do Not Disturb to check your notifications, and should be turned off if you’re expecting an important phone call from an unknown number, but this setting is easy to turn on and off on Android and iOS and will stop those annoying spam calls while it’s on.