How to Block Spam Calls on iPhones and Android

Who among us does not love receiving call after call that looks like it’s coming from somewhere important but is actually just spam about an extended car warranty? So fun! Dealing with spam calls is kind of like playing whack-a-mole, but until we figure out how to put the companies behind them out of business, there are ways to manage them on your Android phone or iPhone.

On iPhones running iOS 13 or later, you can stop spam calls in your Settings: Scroll down to Phone, then toggle on Silence Unknown Callers. This will also affect calls that could be important, but those folks can leave you a voicemail to return once you’ve vetted that they’re real.

On Android, you can also filter out spam calls in your phone’s Settings—just tap on Caller ID & Spam and enable everything.

Third-party apps will also help: Wideprotect lets you block entire area codes, and Hiya is a paid option that offers more advanced spam-blocking features. Check to see what your wireless carrier offers in terms of spam solutions, because they know how annoyed you are by these calls.

You don’t have to pay to reduce spam, but you may still have to deal with a pesky call here and there if you stick with a free option.

Check out the video above for more tips.