Tip of the Week: Take Back Your Smartphone By Blocking Problem Numbers

Have you ever received unsolicited calls from unknown numbers? Sometimes you might receive them at incredibly inconvenient times, such as while you’re home and trying to wind down after a long day’s work. While Caller ID and voicemail have allowed users to keep unwanted calls to a minimum, there are other ways that you can block a caller entirely from reaching your smartphone.

It doesn’t matter which phone you have. This week’s tip will help you learn how to block everything from telemarketers to stalkers. Even though telemarketing is completely legal, the last thing you want to do is put up with it time and again. The most effective way to deal with it is to just block them. Follow these steps to block a number and never be bothered by the pesky number again.

Android Users
For users of Android Nougat and Marshmallow, follow these steps:

• Go to the Phone application
• Select All Calls
• Choose Call from Undesired Contact 
• Select Block/Report Spam
• You will be asked if you want to report the call as spam. If you’d like to report it, select this box.

For users of Android Lollipop (on Samsung Galaxy S4, S5, S6, and Note 4 users):

• Open the Phone app and tap the Call Log
• Select the phone number that you want to block
• Tap More
• Add the number to the Auto reject list

iPhone Users
If you want to block a number on your iPhone, follow these steps: 

• Select Recents, which is found at the bottom of the screen
• Find the number of the caller that you want to block
• Tap the i icon in the right-hand side of the screen
• You’ll now see the caller’s information, along with how to create a new contact. Look at the very bottom of the screen and you’ll see the option to Block This Caller
• Select this and a message will ask if you really want to do this. Tap Block Contact and you’ll seal the deal.

In the event that you’re receiving unwanted text messages from a stranger rather than phone calls, iOS demands that you add the number to your Contacts list before actually blocking them. To create a new contact directly from your Messages app, select the phone number at the top of the screen and select Create New Contact. Once you’ve done this, follow the directions outlined above. However, if you have yet to upgrade to iOS 10, you’ll have to look for the i icon in the top-right corner of the text conversation. Once you’ve selected it, tap Block This Caller and proceed to Block Contact.

Was our guide on how to block phone numbers helpful? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog for more technology tips and tricks.