What is Blocking a Number on an iPhone?

Blocking a number on an iPhone is a feature that allows you to prevent a certain telephone number from calling, sending text messages, or FaceTime audio calls to your device. Blocked numbers can neither directly call or message you nor can they reach you using any third-party messaging services. Blocking a number is a handy tool to prevent unwanted contact from a person, but it’s useful in more ways than one.

How Blocking Works on the iPhone

To block a number on an iPhone, simply open the Phone app, go to the ‘Recents’ tab, select the number you want to block, and tap the ‘Block this Caller’ button. The number will be instantly added to the Blocked list and will no longer be able to contact you, nor will they receive any notifications when they try to do so.

If you wish to unblock a number at any point, just tap on the settings icon in the Phone app, select ‘Blocked Contacts’, and find the desired number on the list. You can also go to Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification and select the number you wish to unblock by tapping the red minus sign next to it.

What Happens When You Block a Number

At a basic level, blocking a number simply prevents them from contacting you. All calls and messages from a blocked number will be blocked automatically. Additionally, any messages sent to a blocked number will not be received. However, keep in mind that the blocked party can still leave voicemails, which may be visible in the Phone app.

The iPhone also offers a privacy setting that allows you to prevent a blocked number from seeing your current availability, such as when you’re using ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. Finally, you can prevent blocked numbers from sending you messages on FaceTime.

Conclusion

Blocking a number on an iPhone is a useful and efficient tool to prevent unwanted contact from someone. The number will be unable to call or message you and they won’t receive any notifications if they try. The settings can also be used to prevent blocked numbers from seeing your availability and sending messages on FaceTime.