The short answer: open the Phone app, tap the three dots (More options), then Settings. On Google’s Phone app (Pixel and many other Android phones), tap Caller ID & spam and turn on Filter spam calls (Google). On a Samsung Galaxy, tap Caller ID and spam protection and turn it on (Samsung). Your phone’s menus may look slightly different, but the steps are close.
Which Phone app do you have?
Samsung Galaxy phones use Samsung’s own Phone app. Pixel phones and many other Android phones use Google’s Phone app. Open the Phone app and tap the three dots. If you see Caller ID & spam, follow the Google steps. If you see Block numbers and Caller ID and spam protection, follow the Samsung steps.
Google Phone app
- Open Phone and tap More options (three dots), then Settings.
- Tap Caller ID & spam.
- Turn on See caller & spam ID, then turn on Filter spam calls to stop suspected spam from ringing (Google).
On phones where Call Screen answers suspected spam for you automatically, you may not see the Filter spam calls switch. That’s normal (Google).
Samsung Galaxy
- Open Phone, tap More options (three dots), then Settings.
- Tap Caller ID and spam protection and turn on the switch at the top. You can then choose how strictly to block spam and scam calls (Samsung).
- To stop all calls from numbers that aren’t in your contacts, go back to Settings, tap Block numbers, and turn on Block calls from unknown numbers (Samsung). This is strong protection, but you’ll also miss calls from doctors or delivery drivers you haven’t saved, so add important numbers to your Contacts first.
Samsung notes that Smart Call (its caller ID and spam service) isn’t available on every carrier or model (Samsung).
Block one specific number
- Samsung: in the Phone app, tap Recents, tap the number, tap the menu below it, then tap Block and confirm. Or go to Settings > Block numbers, type the number and tap the plus sign (Samsung).
- Google Phone app: in your recent calls, touch and hold the number and choose the option to block or report it as spam.
Scammers change numbers constantly, so spam filtering does more good than blocking numbers one at a time.
Use your carrier’s free tools
Most wireless companies offer free call-blocking or spam-labeling services, and call-blocking apps are another option (FTC). Ask your carrier what’s included with your plan.
Good habits that stop the rest
- Don’t press any numbers on a robocall, even “press 1 to be removed” (FTC).
- Caller ID can be faked to look like a local number or your bank. Hang up and call back on a number you know.
- The Do Not Call Registry won’t stop scammers, but you can report illegal calls at DoNotCall.gov (FTC).
