Between corporate spam and unwelcome messages from who-knows-where, having a conversational kill switch in your digital tool kit is probably a good idea. Malicious texts can often hold threats to digital safety and security. As a result, many are beginning to search for ways to deal with excessive spam.
The good news is that a lot of the best Android phones have built-in spam blocking capabilities. Beyond that, it’s fairly simple to block spam calls and texts using Android’s default apps. Some additional texting tools are also worth considering if you want to ward off those unpleasant intrusions.
Identifying problematic text messages
Sometimes it’s tough to sort out what is spam and what isn’t. Aim to block unknown numbers that send texts decorated with corporate advertising or political controversy. The most important messages to avoid are ones that individually urge you to click on a link. This can expose your phone to malware or other online threats.
How to block a phone number using Google Messages
Google Messages, simply titled Messages on your phone, is the default texting tool that comes pre-installed on most Android devices. This app creates an intuitive experience that offers neat features such as birthday reminders and Google Assistant integration. Still, it isn’t immune to unsolicited contact. Follow these steps if you need to block a phone number in Messages.
- Open the Messages app.
- Tap the conversation of interest.
- Tap the triple dots in the top right.
- Tap Details.
- Select Block & report spam.
- Choose whether you want to report the number as spam, then press OK.
You won’t receive any more texts or calls from that phone number. Blocked conversations can be viewed/unblocked by navigating to the Spam & blocked folder, which you can find by pressing the triple dots in the top right.
How to block a phone number using Phone
You can block a phone number through the Phone app instead if you prefer. Phone comes pre-installed on all Android phones and functions as the primary calling tool. There are two primary ways to block numbers using the Phone app, and we’ll briefly cover both.
Blocking numbers using the Recents page
- Open the Phone app.
- Select Recents near the bottom left.
- Press and hold the relevant contact name (or display name/phone number).
- Tap Block & report spam.
- Choose whether you want to report the number as spam, then press Block.
Blocking numbers using the Contacts page
- Open the Phone app.
- Select Contacts near the bottom right.
- Tap the relevant contact name.
- Tap the triple dots in the top right.
- Tap Block numbers.
- Choose whether you want to report the number as spam, then press Block.
Either method will result in a successfully blocked number. Also, if you have a text conversation in Messages, it will be moved to the Spam & blocked folder. You can unblock numbers in Phone by navigating to Settings > Blocked numbers.
Other texting apps to consider
We’ve got some tips for you if you’re thinking about using other texting apps. Remember that third-party options sometimes incur greater costs and security risks. These suggestions are meant for Android devices, so you’ll need to read on elsewhere if you have questions about blocked texts in iMessage.
Samsung Messages
Most Android devices sold by Samsung come with Samsung Messages pre-installed in addition to Google Messages. The two apps are comparable in many ways (including spam detection), but it’s clear that some users prefer Samsung’s texting tool. Though Google Messages gets our gold medal for its integration across apps and platforms, we wouldn’t fault anyone for looking into Samsung Messages and its nifty features.
Signal
Another option that might pique your interest is Signal. This is a lesser-known app that touts end-to-end encryption. It’s great for security and controlling who can contact you, but both ends of the conversation need to have Signal to use its security features. This one might work better as a group chat tool rather than a complete texting replacement.
Don’t hesitate to set digital boundaries
Setting boundaries for digital contact is essential in an age where nefarious cyber activity is all-too-common. Google is working with carriers to implement improved messaging standards, but it may be time to pull the plug on RCS Chat.
