How to Stop Spam Calls on Your iPhone

Spam calls can interrupt dinner, interrupt your day, or make you hesitate before answering a number you do not recognize. If you want to stop spam calls on your iPhone, there are several settings that can help.

You do not need to change everything at once. Start with the iPhone’s built-in call screening and spam filters, then block any numbers that keep bothering you. The exact options depend on your iOS version and, for some spam filtering, your phone carrier.

Step 1: Choose how your iPhone handles unknown callers

An unknown caller is someone whose number is not saved in your Contacts. Your iPhone can screen these calls before your phone rings, or send them straight to voicemail.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps, then Phone.
3. Find Screen Unknown Callers.
4. Choose the option that suits you:
   • Ask Reason for Calling asks an unknown caller for their name and reason for calling before your iPhone rings. You can then decide whether to answer.
   • Silence sends calls from unsaved numbers to voicemail without making your phone ring.
   • Never lets calls from unsaved numbers ring normally.

For many people, Ask Reason for Calling is a useful middle ground. It can screen unfamiliar callers while giving genuine callers a chance to explain why they are calling.

Tip: Before silencing unknown callers, save important numbers in Contacts. Add your doctor’s office, pharmacy, school, workplace, family members, and any service providers you expect to call you.

Careful: If you choose Silence, you may miss a legitimate call from a new number, such as a delivery driver, a repair technician, or a medical office. Check voicemail and your call history regularly.

Step 2: Turn on the iPhone’s spam call filter

The spam filter is different from the unknown-caller setting. It can silence calls that your carrier identifies as potential spam or fraud.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps, then Phone.
3. Scroll to Call Filtering.
4. Turn on Spam, if that option is available.

Calls identified by your carrier as spam are silenced, sent to voicemail, and moved to the Spam list. Your carrier helps identify these calls, so the filter may not catch every unwanted call.

Good to know: The Spam option may not appear on every iPhone or with every carrier. If you cannot find it, your carrier may not support this particular iPhone filter. Ask your carrier whether it offers its own spam-call protection.

Step 3: Find calls that were filtered

A filtered call has not necessarily disappeared. You can review calls placed in the Unknown Callers or Spam list in the Phone app.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Open Calls if your Phone app uses the Unified layout. If it uses the Classic layout, tap Recents instead.
3. Tap the Filter button.
4. Choose Unknown Callers or Spam to review that list.

If you find a legitimate caller in Unknown Callers, open the relevant call details and choose Mark as Known, if that option appears. This helps your iPhone treat that number as known in future.

Step 4: Block a number that keeps calling

Filtering can help with broad groups of calls. Blocking is useful when the same number keeps contacting you.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Find the number in Calls or Recents.
3. Tap the information button next to the number.
4. Scroll down and tap Block Caller or Block Contact, depending on how the caller is shown.
5. Confirm the choice if your iPhone asks.

You can also block someone from your Contacts list. Open Contacts, select the contact, and tap Block Contact.

A blocked number cannot call, message, or FaceTime you in the usual way using that number. Blocking one number will not stop a caller who switches to a different number.

Tip: If you block someone by mistake, you can undo it. Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts, tap Edit, then use the remove control beside the number and choose Unblock.

Step 5: Check your carrier’s spam protection

Your mobile carrier may offer extra tools to identify or block suspected spam calls. A carrier is the company that provides your mobile phone service, such as AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, EE, O2, or Vodafone.

1. Open your carrier’s official app or website, or call the customer service number on your bill.
2. Look for a service described as call filtering, spam protection, or scam call blocking.
3. Check whether the service is included with your plan or costs extra.
4. Ask whether it works with your iPhone and whether you need to switch it on.

Some carriers label suspected spam calls on your screen. Others offer an optional service that can silence or block certain calls. The names and availability vary by carrier and country.

You can also check whether a caller identification app you already use is supported by your iPhone. On compatible versions of iOS, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification and review the available options. Only enable an app you trust and understand.

Troubleshooting: If spam calls are still getting through

I cannot find the same settings. Check that your iPhone is updated: open Settings > General > Software Update. Menu names and available features can vary by iOS version. On older versions, you may find Phone settings directly under Settings rather than under Settings > Apps.

The Spam switch is missing. Spam filtering depends on carrier support and iOS availability. Contact your carrier and ask what spam-call protection it offers for iPhone.

I am worried about missing important calls. Choose Ask Reason for Calling instead of Silence, and make sure important people and organizations are saved in Contacts. Check your voicemail when you are expecting a call from someone new.

The caller keeps using different numbers. Blocking works on the number you select, so it may not stop callers who change numbers. Use the unknown-caller screening option and ask your carrier about network-level spam protection.

A caller claims to be from a bank or government office. Do not share passwords, verification codes, or payment details during an unexpected call. Hang up and contact the organization using a phone number from its official website, app, or a statement you already trust.

Enjoy a quieter phone

You can make a real difference by turning on call screening, enabling the spam filter if your carrier supports it, and blocking repeat callers. Start with the setting that feels comfortable, then adjust it if you find you are missing calls you want to receive.

For Apple’s current instructions, see Manage unknown callers on iPhone and Screen and block calls on iPhone.