How to Block Spam Calls on iPhone: Every Built-In Option (iOS 26)

To block spam calls on iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Phone and either set Screen Unknown Callers to Ask Reason for Calling (iOS 26) or Silence, and turn on your carrier’s spam filtering under Call Blocking & Identification. To stop one specific number, open Recents in the Phone app, tap the info button next to the call, and choose Block Caller.

That’s the short version. Below is what each option actually does, how they differ, and which combination we’d use. Menu names here reflect iOS 26 as of October 2026; Apple renames and moves settings between releases, so labels on your phone may differ slightly.

Your options at a glance

Option 1: Turn on Call Screening (iOS 26)

Call Screening is the headline anti-spam feature in iOS 26. When a number that isn’t in your contacts calls, your iPhone answers silently and asks the caller for their name and reason for calling. Your phone then rings and shows a transcript of their answer, so you can decide whether to pick up, according to BGR and TechRadar. Robocallers usually don’t respond, so the call never reaches you.

To turn it on:

1. Make sure you’re running iOS 26 (Settings > General > Software Update).
2. Open Settings > Apps > Phone.
3. Tap Screen Unknown Callers.
4. Choose Ask Reason for Calling.

The same menu has two other choices: Never (unknown calls ring as normal) and Silence (unknown calls go straight to voicemail, covered below).

A few things worth knowing:

• Coverage says the feature works on iPhone 11 and later, the same devices that run iOS 26.
• Some reviewers found the option missing right after updating; restarting the phone, or in one columnist’s case checking the region setting, made it appear. If you don’t see it, it may not be offered in your region or language yet.
• Reliability reports are mixed. Some users say important calls didn’t get through, so keep an eye on your voicemail and recent calls for the first week or two.
• Screening only applies to unknown numbers. Your saved contacts ring normally.

Option 2: Silence Unknown Callers

If you’d rather not hear from any unknown number at all, choose Silence under Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers (on older iOS versions this was a simple Silence Unknown Callers switch in the Phone settings).

Per Apple’s support page on unknown callers, silenced calls go to voicemail instead of ringing. You still get calls from:

• People saved in your contacts
• Numbers you’ve recently called
• Numbers that appear in Siri Suggestions (for example, a number found in an email or text)

This is the bluntest tool Apple offers. It’s effective, but it’s also the one most likely to cost you a call from a pharmacy, school, or courier calling from an unfamiliar number. We’d only use it if Call Screening isn’t available to you or spam volume is truly overwhelming.

Option 3: Turn on your carrier’s spam filtering

Your mobile carrier sees call traffic before your phone does and can flag likely spam. Apple surfaces this in Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification, according to Apple’s iPhone User Guide. The relevant options include:

• Silence Junk Callers: silences calls your carrier identifies as possible spam or fraud. Apple notes it’s only available with certain carriers, so you may not see it.
• Business Call Identification: shows verified business details (from Apple Business Connect or your carrier) so you can tell a real bank or airline call apart from an impostor.

Turn on whatever your carrier supports here. It runs in the background and pairs well with Call Screening. Many carriers also offer their own spam apps or account-level filtering; check your carrier’s official site or app for what’s included with your plan.

Option 4: Block a specific number

When the same number keeps calling, block it directly. Apple’s blocking guide describes the steps:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Go to Recents (you can also do this from Voicemail or Favorites).
3. Tap the info button (the “i”) next to the number.
4. Scroll down and tap Block Caller, then confirm.

You can also add a number manually: Apple lists the route as Settings > Privacy & Security > Blocked Contacts > Add Blocked Contact in iOS 26 (older versions put this under the Phone settings). To unblock, return to that list, tap Edit, and remove the entry.

What blocking does, per Apple: the blocked caller can still leave a voicemail, but you won’t be notified; their messages aren’t delivered; and they aren’t told they’ve been blocked. Blocking works across the Phone, FaceTime, and Messages apps.

Be realistic about this one. Spam operations rotate and spoof numbers constantly, so blocking individual numbers mostly helps with a persistent single caller, not with robocall waves.

Option 5: Add a call identification app

Apple lets third-party apps plug into the Phone app to identify and block spam. After you install one from the App Store, its switch appears under Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification, and you need to turn it on there before it works. Some apps add several switches.

Before installing one, weigh the trade-offs the FTC points out: some call-blocking apps are free while others charge a monthly fee, and they may ask for access to your contacts. From a privacy standpoint, read the app’s privacy label in the App Store and only grant the permissions it genuinely needs.

Beyond your iPhone: register and report

Phone settings handle the calls; these steps reduce and report them (US-focused):

• National Do Not Call Registry: registering at DoNotCall.gov is free and should cut legitimate telemarketing calls. The FTC is clear that scammers ignore it, which is why call blocking and labeling remain your main defense.
• Report unwanted calls: you can report them at DoNotCall.gov even if you didn’t lose money. Include the number that was called, the caller ID shown, any callback number, and the date and time.

What we’d actually set up

For most people on iOS 26, this combination strikes the right balance:

1. Screen Unknown Callers > Ask Reason for Calling. Real callers can explain themselves; robocalls usually hang up.
2. Silence Junk Callers (if your carrier supports it) under Call Blocking & Identification.
3. Block Caller for any persistent number that gets through.
4. Check Recents and Voicemail now and then during the first couple of weeks to make sure nothing important is slipping past.

Switch to Silence only if screening isn’t available on your phone or the volume is unbearable, and add a third-party app only if spam still gets through after that.

One last safety note: no feature catches everything. If a caller claims to be your bank, a government agency, or Apple and asks for codes, passwords, or payment, hang up and call back using a number from the organization’s official website or your card.