We’re all fighting against robocalls. You’ve probably tried different apps, settings, and carrier services to stop or reduce the constant scams and spam calls. Some of these tools work well, at least for a while.
Unfortunately, scammers keep finding new ways to get through, so a few calls might still slip past even the best spam blockers. If this keeps happening, there are stronger “nuclear” options on Android and iOS that can block these leftover calls completely.
How to block all spam calls
If you have an iPhone with iOS 13 or higher, you can block all calls from unknown numbers. Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers to turn this on. This feature has recently gained attention thanks to viral TikTok videos.
For Android users, the options depend on your device. Most phones have some form of spam blocking. For example, on Google Pixel phones, the default caller app includes filters. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner, then go to Settings > Spam and Call Screen. You can also search your phone’s settings for similar features.
If you want a stronger solution, we recommend using Google Assistant’s call screening feature. You can set it to automatically screen all calls from unknown numbers.
Don’t want to miss important calls? Here’s a safer alternative
These settings can block most spam calls, but they come with a downside—you might miss important calls from numbers not saved in your phone.
If you don’t want to block all unknown calls (or can’t), try using a customized Do Not Disturb mode instead. This won’t stop spammers from calling, but your phone won’t ring or show missed call notifications while the mode is on.
However, you might not want to leave Do Not Disturb mode on all the time. By default, it blocks more than just calls—it also silences messages, app notifications, voicemail alerts, and alarms.
To address this, both Apple and Google let you customize Do Not Disturb mode. This way, you can still receive important calls and texts while keeping spam at bay.
Android users can customize Do Not Disturb by going to Settings > Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls > Do Not Disturb Mode. Here, you can allow certain contacts, apps, and notifications to get through.
iPhone users can do the same under Settings > Do Not Disturb. There’s also an option to allow calls from someone who calls repeatedly. With iOS 15, even more features will be added, like scheduling specific notifications at different times of the day.
With these settings, you can keep Do Not Disturb on most of the time. Just remember to turn it off when you need to check your notifications or if you’re expecting an important call from an unknown number. The feature is easy to turn on and off on both Android and iPhone, and it does a great job of blocking spam calls while it’s on.