Block Spam Calls and Texts: How to Silence Robocalls with New iPhone Call Screening & More

Spam calls and texts have become a daily nuisance for many smartphone users. In fact, Americans were bombarded with over 32.5 billion robocalls in just the first seven months of 2025 ^[1]. These unwanted calls and messages range from annoying telemarketers to outright scams. Fortunately, there are new tools and settings—especially on iPhones—designed to filter or silence these intrusions before your phone even rings. Here’s how you can block spam calls, silence unknown callers, and stop those pesky spam texts on both iPhone and Android, using the latest features and smart tips.

Apple’s New Call Screening Feature in iOS 26

Apple is introducing a game-changing tool in its upcoming iOS 26 update: Call Screening. This feature automatically filters spam and unknown callers before your iPhone rings, acting as a virtual gatekeeper. When an unknown number calls, your iPhone will answer on your behalf and prompt the caller to state their name and purpose, transcribing their response in real time ^[2] ^[3]. You can then decide if the call is worth answering—all without any interruption if it’s spam. This privacy-minded approach is Apple’s latest effort to give users more control over incoming calls and reduce unwanted interruptions ^[4].

An iPhone using Apple’s new Call Screening feature. The phone automatically answers unknown calls, asks the caller’s name and reason, and shows a live transcript so you can decide whether to pick up.

How to enable Call Screening on iPhone (iOS 26): This feature will be available for iPhone 11 and newer models running iOS 26 ^[5]. Once you’ve updated your iPhone, follow these steps to turn it on:

Update to iOS 26: Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest iOS 26 update ^[6].
Open Phone Settings: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone ^[7].
Find “Screen Unknown Callers”: In the Phone settings, locate the Screen Unknown Callers section. You’ll see three options:
- Never: Disable Call Screening (all calls ring through) ^[8].
- Ask Reason for Calling: Enable Call Screening. Unknown callers will be asked to identify themselves, and their response is shown as text ^[9]. (This is the setting that filters calls.)
- Silence: Send unknown calls directly to voicemail without ringing ^[10].
Select “Ask Reason for Calling”: This turns on Call Screening for unknown numbers ^[11]. From now on, spam or unfamiliar calls will trigger Apple’s screening prompt instead of disturbing you.

With Call Screening active, calls from saved contacts or recent outgoing numbers will ring normally, but unrecognized callers must announce who they are. You’ll see their spoken response transcribed live on your screen and can decide to answer or decline ^[12]. It’s like having a personal assistant vet your calls, so you avoid scams and robocalls without missing important calls.

Silence Unknown Callers on Current iPhones

If you’re not on iOS 26 yet, you can still silence robocalls using an existing iPhone feature called Silence Unknown Callers. When enabled, any call from a number not in your contacts (and not recently outgoing or Siri-suggested) will go straight to voicemail without ringing your phone ^[13]. This won’t block the calls entirely, but it keeps your phone quiet and spam calls out of sight.

How to silence unknown callers on iPhone (iOS 17/18):

Open Settings on your iPhone, scroll down and tap Phone.
Find Silence Unknown Callers and toggle it On (the switch turns green) ^[14].

That’s it—now any call from an unfamiliar number will be muted and sent to voicemail ^[15]. You won’t be interrupted by rings or vibrations, and genuine callers can still leave a voicemail. (Tip: As a side effect, many spam callers won’t bother leaving voicemails at all, as News 8’s Brian Roche found after enabling this feature ^[16] ^[17].)

Do note that while this feature silences unknown calls, it does not prevent the calls from coming in entirely ^[18] ^[19]. The calls will appear in your recent calls list and voicemail if a message is left. But for everyday use, it’s an effective way to avoid hearing the phone ring for robocalls and focus on your day.

Blocking Spam Calls on Android Phones

Android smartphones also offer built-in options to combat spam and robocalls. Many Android devices (especially those using Google’s Phone app) have a Caller ID & Spam protection setting that can automatically screen or block suspected spam calls. Here’s how to use your Android’s tools to minimize unwanted calls:

Enable Spam Call Filtering: Open your Phone app, go to Settings, and look for Caller ID & Spam. Turn on the options for caller ID and spam blocking – on some phones there are toggles like “Filter spam calls” or “Block spam and scam calls.” Enabling both will automatically identify and filter suspected spam callers before they bother you ^[20]. This means known scam numbers may be flagged or silenced by your phone’s dialer app.
Block Unknown/Hidden Numbers: Most Android phones allow blocking of calls with no caller ID (blocked or private numbers). In the Phone app settings, find the Block Numbers section and enable “Block calls from unknown callers” (or similar wording) ^[21] ^[22]. This will outright reject calls from callers with no number or those not in your contacts, which is useful if robocallers are using unlisted IDs.
Manufacturer/Carrier Tools: Some Android brands provide their own spam call detection. For example, Samsung phones have a Smart Call feature, and carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon offer free spam blocking apps or network-based filtering. Check your phone or carrier’s settings/app for spam protection and keep it on if available.

Additionally, Google’s own Pixel phones have a feature called Call Screen (similar to Apple’s) that uses Google Assistant to ask callers why they’re calling. If you have that, you can use it to screen unknown calls in real time. The bottom line is modern Android devices come with robust options to identify or block nuisance calls, so make sure they’re enabled.

Keep in mind: Just like on iPhone, blocking or silencing unknown calls on Android ensures your phone doesn’t ring for them, but it may not stop spammers from calling. You might see the calls in your call log as blocked or missed. The goal is to give spammers no attention – if they can’t reach you, they often move on.

How to Filter and Block Spam Text Messages

Spam texts (also known as SMS spam or smishing when they carry phishing links) are another headache. These range from bogus prize notifications to phony bank alerts. Both iPhone and Android have settings to reduce junk texts, and there are additional steps you can take to stop unwanted messages:

Enable Message Filtering on iPhone: On your iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and enable “Filter Unknown Senders.” This built-in iOS feature automatically places messages from numbers not in your contacts into a separate “Unknown Senders” list ^[23]. You won’t get notifications for those, reducing distractions. It’s a simple way to hide likely spam texts while still allowing you to review them later in the Unknown Senders tab if needed.
Turn On Android’s Spam Protection: If you use Google’s Messages app on Android, it has a spam protection feature. Open the Messages app, go to its Settings > Spam protection, and turn it on. The app will then detect and flag suspicious texts (often moving them to a spam folder or warning you) using Google’s algorithms ^[24]. Many Android phone manufacturers’ messaging apps have similar settings—make sure yours is enabled so that known spam numbers or keywords get filtered out.
Never Engage with Spam Texts:Do not click any links or reply to spam messages, not even with “STOP.” Replying can confirm to spammers that your number is active, which may result in more spam ^[25]. The safest move is to delete the message. If a text claims to offer an “unsubscribe” link or asks you to reply “STOP,” treat it with skepticism – legitimate services do honor “STOP” requests, but scammers often use it to verify active numbers.
Report Spam Texts to Your Carrier: You can forward spam SMS messages to 7726 (which spells “SPAM” on a phone keypad). This universal number works for major carriers in the US and some other countries. Forwarding a spam text to 7726 alerts your carrier to investigate and block that sender ^[26]. After forwarding, your carrier may respond asking for the offending number. Reporting spam texts helps carriers improve their filters and protect other users.
Consider Third-Party Spam Blockers: For additional protection, especially if you’re inundated with spam, apps like Truecaller, RoboKiller, or Hiya can identify and block spam calls and texts using large databases of known spam numbers. These apps regularly update lists of scam callers and can automatically block or warn you about robocalls. Even carriers have their own apps (like AT&T Call Protect or Verizon Call Filter) which can label or block suspected spam. Used alongside the built-in features, these tools add another layer of defense ^[27]. Just be sure to choose reputable apps and understand the privacy implications (since they may need access to your call and text data to function).

Extra Tips to Outsmart Spam Calls and Texts

Stopping spam entirely isn’t easy, but combining these approaches will drastically cut down the interruptions:

Register on Do Not Call lists: In the US, adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry can stop legitimate telemarketers (though scammers may ignore it). Other countries have similar opt-out lists for marketing calls. It’s not a cure-all, but it filters out law-abiding sales calls over time.
Keep Your Number Private: Be cautious where you share your phone number. The more it circulates (online forms, contest entries, social media), the more likely it lands in spam databases ^[28] ^[29]. Only give your number to trusted contacts and institutions. For services that require a phone, consider using an alternate number or a VoIP number.
Stay Informed on Scam Trends: New phone scams emerge all the time (IRS imposters, fake bank fraud alerts, etc.). Knowing the common scam scripts can help you spot a spam call or text a mile away. Remember that legitimate companies or government agencies will never demand sensitive info or payments over an unsolicited call/text ^[30]. When in doubt, ignore the message and contact the company directly via official channels.

By taking advantage of these features and habits, you can significantly reduce robocalls and spam texts in your daily life. Apple’s upcoming Call Screening in iOS 26 is poised to give iPhone users an even more powerful tool to combat unknown callers ^[31], and Android users already have similar protections at their fingertips. While it may be impossible to eliminate spam calls completely, you can silence the noise and reclaim your peace of mind. With your smartphone’s settings tweaked and a healthy dose of caution, those annoying “Scam Likely” calls and bogus texts will finally get the silent treatment they deserve.

Sources: Recent news and tech guides on spam call prevention and Apple’s latest features ^[32] ^[33] ^[34] ^[35].

How To Stop All Spam Calls on iPhone

Watch this video on YouTube.

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