How to block, report, and delete spam on WhatsApp

With more than two billion monthly active users (MAU) and growing popularity among small businesses, it’s common to receive spam messages and calls on WhatsApp. Before you know it, spammers can jam the chat menu with promotional offers and advertisements. After all, the only thing anyone needs is your phone number to contact you on WhatsApp. Among these irrelevant messages, you may miss important alerts.

Being a responsible social app, WhatsApp made it easy to block and report nuisance spammers on the platform. The ability to block and report WhatsApp accounts is available on iPhone, Android, desktops, and the top Chromebooks.

Block and report WhatsApp accounts

The easiest way to prevent someone from sending you unwanted messages, spam or otherwise, is to block them from within WhatsApp. Follow the steps below to block a contact or a business account on WhatsApp.

How to block and report on WhatsApp for Android

1. Open WhatsApp on Android.
2. Select a conversation you want to block.
3. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and expand the More menu.

4. Select Block.
5. If you want to report a contact, place a checkmark next to the Report contact option and tap the Block button.

The option blocks the contact and forwards the last five messages to WhatsApp. When you block a business account on WhatsApp, the service asks you to select a reason for blocking. You can select one of the following options:

• No longer needed
• Didn’t sign up
• Spam
• Offensive messages
• Other

Tap a radio button beside a relevant reason and tap the Block button in the lower-right corner.

How to block and report on WhatsApp for iPhone

1. Launch WhatsApp on your iPhone and open a conversation you wish to block.
2. Tap the contact name at the top to open the contact info menu.
3. Scroll down and select Report contact.

4. Select Report and Block to confirm your decision, and the contact won’t spam you on the platform.

When you block a business account, WhatsApp for iPhone asks for the same reasons for blocking the account. The steps to block a WhatsApp business account remain identical to the above.

How to block and report on the WhatsApp web

Although WhatsApp web is slow at adopting new features, it’s a must-have add-on for desktop users. The WhatsApp web and desktop apps have become even better after multi-device support. Go through the steps below to report and block spam on WhatsApp web.

1. Visit WhatsApp on your preferred browser.
2. Open a conversation and click the contact name to open the contact info menu.

3. Scroll down and select Report.

4. Enable a checkmark beside Block contact and clear chat, and then select Report.

When you block a WhatsApp business account on the web, it won’t ask for any reason (like the mobile apps do) for your action.

Now that you’ve blocked (and possibly reported) the sender, you can delete the messages, so you no longer have to back up WhatsApp spam on Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iOS) and see them in your chats.

Delete spam on WhatsApp for Android

1. Open WhatsApp on Android.
2. Head to your Chats screen and long press the conversation in question.
3. Tap the trash can icon that appears in the row of buttons at the top of the screen.

4. Enable a checkmark to delete media received in the chat from the device gallery and select Delete chat.

The steps above delete messages and media files from a specific chat on WhatsApp. If you only want to remove spam images, follow the steps below.

1. Open WhatsApp on your Android phone.
2. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner.
3. Open Settings.

4. Select Storage and data.
5. Open the Manage storage menu.

6. Check your WhatsApp chats and storage space.
7. Open a WhatsApp chat and enable the checkmark beside Select all. Tap Delete.
8. Repeat the same for all spam chats and groups.

Delete spam on WhatsApp for iOS

1. Open WhatsApp on iPhone.
2. Swipe left on a conversation you want to delete.
3. Select More.

4. Tap Delete Chat.
5. Select Delete Chat to confirm your decision.

Repeat the same for all WhatsApp spam conversations on your iPhone. Similar to WhatsApp for Android, you can check individual chats and groups and remove bogus files on your iPhone.

1. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone and go to Settings.
2. Select Storage and data.

3. Tap Manage Storage.
4. Check a detailed WhatsApp storage breakdown on your phone.

5. Open any chat and select all media files.
6. Tap the delete button in the lower-right corner.

The trick is also one of the effective ways to free up space on your phone.

WhatsApp web

You can delete spam messages from WhatsApp web too. Follow the steps below.

1. Visit WhatsApp on the web or open the desktop app on Windows or Mac.
2. Select a conversation and click the down arrow beside the contact name at the top.

3. Click Delete chat.

4. Select Continue to confirm your action.

What happens when you report and block someone on WhatsApp?

When you block a contact, you can share the last five messages from your chat with WhatsApp. The blocked contact or business can’t send you a message or contact you via a voice or video call. WhatsApp won’t notify the person when you block them on social media.

Enough with the WhatsApp junk

And just like that, your WhatsApp is free of spam. You can now rest easy knowing the pesky sender has been blocked and reported. If you’re looking for other handy guides on using the ever-popular encrypted messaging service, check out our posts on using WhatsApp on your desktop or laptop and how to send disappearing messages.