Are you wondering how you can block unwanted text messages? Maybe you’re having trouble stopping a significant other from blowing your phone up with messages, or you’re getting unwanted spam messages from who knows where.
While you can’t always stop the spam messages, as they always seem to come from a different number, you can at least stop unwanted people from contacting with you. Luckily, Apple makes it really easy to block text messages on the iphone x and other Apple iPhone’s. In fact, as long as you’re on iOS 11, the process is the same across the board, including on the iPad!
How to block texts on iPhone
Like we said, blocking text messages on the iPhone X (and other Apple devices) is extremely easy, as Apple provides a native way to do it right from the Messages app.
So, the first step is to unlock your device an d open the Messages app. Next, in your list of recent messages, find the person or number that you want to block. Now, click on the (I) icon next to the contact in your Messages app. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the contact, click on Block This Caller.
A confirmation prompt will pop up where you’ll need to click on the big red Block Caller button. Congratulations! The person we just blocked won’t be contacting you anytime soon.
It’s worth noting that you cannot just stop someone from text messaging you — you’re only option is to block the person entirely. That means they won’t be calling you, texting you, or even using FaceTime video or audio to get in touch with you. So, by hitting the Block Caller button, they won’t contacting you at all.
If you ever want to unblock the number, you can repeat the process. The only thing different is that the Block This Caller button turns into an Unblock This Caller button. Click on Unblock This Caller, and the number is immediately unblocked.
Through Settings App
You can also block a caller through the Settings app. So, unlock your iPhone, and open the Settings app on your phone. Next, you’ll want to navigate to Messages > Blocked — this is a list of all of the numbers that you have blocked on your phone. This is also the area where you can add new numbers to the list.
All you have to do is click on the Add New button, and then select the contact that you want to block — if you want to get rid of a blocked contact and unblock them, simply swipe the number in this list to the left.
Block Messages From Unknown Number
Apple also provides you with a way to block messages from a phone number that you aren’t familiar with. It essentially screens the number, and then filters it out of your incoming calls and messages, so you won’t ever see any contact from them.
To enable this, open the Settings app and go to the Messages section. Now, you simply want to click on the slider that says Filter Unknown Senders. If you have this enabled, the slider will appear green. If it is disabled, the slider will be entirely white.
Stop Junk Text Messages
We all hate junk text messages. Generally, they’re just annoying and you have to ignore them. It’s usually someone trying to sell you a product, or someone looking for some data by having you take a brief survey.
Other times junk text messages can be more dangerous — some spam messages can actually contain malware that they transfer through a media file or by getting you to click on a strange link. Apple usually tries to filter these out, and so does your carrier, but there’s still a few that gets through the cracks.
You can stop them from texting you by tapping the Report Junk button under the message. Apple will help you get rid of this number afterwards, and will add it to their gigantic list of spam numbers to filter out.
Unfortunately, there’s no true way to stop spam from coming through on Messages. You could try signing up for the Federal Trade Commissions’ Do Not Call Registry, which stops telemarketers from making unsolicited calls and texts to you, but that doesn’t stop malicious messages.
Other Text Apps
You can also download other text messages apps like, say, Signal, if you’re not a big fan of iPhone Messages. Signal allows you to easily block numbers on the iPhone as well, but is most well-known for its superior end-to-end encryption when it comes to messaging back and forth.
If you’re using Signal, tap on the conversation thread with the contact or phone number that you want to block. Just like on the iPhone Messages app, tap on your contact’s name in the header area.
Then, it’s just as easy as selecting Block, and then Block this user or Block this group, depending on what conversation thread you’re in. Then, you just confirm by choosing Block. From now on, any indication of that contact or number you see in Signal should have an alert that you blocked the user.
Signal certainly makes it really easy to block texts on iPhone.
Verdict
As you can see, it’s quite easy to block a message on Apple’s iPhone X. By following the steps above, you’ve successfully stopped someone you don’t want contacting you from ever getting in touch with you again by phone.