Spam calls and texts have become even more of a nuisance in 2026. However, both iPhone and Android devices come equipped with powerful tools to combat this issue, and many users aren’t taking advantage of them. Here’s a straightforward guide to help you shut down telemarketers, scammers, and robocallers, no matter what phone you have.
| By The Numbers: Spam Calls in 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Spam calls received by Americans per month | ~4 billion |
| Average spam texts per U.S. user per month | 14–18 |
| Percentage of unknown calls that are spam | ~60% |
| Most common spam text type | Package delivery scams |
Why Spam Keeps Getting Through
Robocallers, which are automated systems dialing thousands of numbers every minute, have learned to spoof caller ID. They can make calls from far away appear to come from local area codes. Similarly, text spammers exploit cheap bulk SMS gateways, making their messages tough to trace. Plus, your phone number probably appears on data broker lists that collect and sell personal information. That’s why it feels like the spam follows you, even after changing your number.
Fortunately, you don’t need a paid app to put a stop to most of this. Your iPhone or Android already has the necessary tools built-in; you just need to activate them.
On iPhone: Three Layers of Protection
1. Silence Unknown Callers
Head to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers and toggle it on. Any number not saved in your contacts, recent calls, or Siri Suggestions (numbers Apple thinks you might know) will go straight to voicemail without ringing.
This method is very effective, but keep in mind you’ll miss calls from legitimate sources like your doctor’s office if you don’t have their number saved. Make sure to check your voicemail regularly if you enable this feature.
2. Filter iMessage Spam
Go to Settings > Messages > Filter Unknown Senders and turn this option on. Texts from contacts you don’t know will automatically be sorted into a separate “Unknown Senders” tab. Apple also uses on-device machine learning (a process that runs locally on your phone) to identify likely spam in iOS 17 and later.
3. Block Individual Numbers
If a spam call slips through, open your Phone app, tap the “i” next to the number in Recent calls, scroll down, and hit Block this Caller. For text messages, open the conversation, tap the number at the top, and select Block this Caller. Once blocked, those numbers go silent — no ringing or notifications.
On Android: Built-In Google Tools Do Heavy Lifting
1. Turn On Call Screen and Spam Protection
If you have a Pixel phone or most Android devices using the Google Phone app, open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings > Spam and Call Screen, and turn on See caller and spam ID and Filter spam calls. Google’s systems check incoming numbers against a constantly updated database of known spam numbers and will automatically reject them.
The “Call Screen” feature takes it further: Google Assistant answers the call for you, asks who’s calling and why, and provides a real-time transcript. You get to decide whether to answer, decline, or mark it as spam, and the caller won’t even know a human is involved.
2. Filter Spam Texts in Google Messages
Open Google Messages, tap your profile picture, go to Messages Settings > Spam protection, and make sure it’s turned on. Suspicious texts will automatically move to a Spam folder. Google’s spam detection improves over time as more users report messages.
3. Block Numbers Directly
In the Phone app, press and hold a number in your call log, then select Block/report spam. Reporting spam helps Google enhance detection for everyone.
Third-Party Apps Worth Considering
If the built-in tools aren’t enough, consider apps like Hiya, Nomorobo, and RoboKiller. These applications supplement your phone’s native features by maintaining extensive databases of known spam numbers and intercepting calls before they reach you. RoboKiller even offers an “Answer Bots” feature that keeps spammers on the line with pre-recorded conversations, effectively turning the tables on robocallers. Most of these apps cost between $3 and $5 per month after a free trial.
On iPhone, these apps use the Call Blocking and Identification extension (a framework Apple created for this purpose), allowing for seamless integration without accessing your actual calls.
Register With the Do Not Call List — But Know Its Limits
The FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov) is free and typically takes about 31 days to take effect. Legitimate telemarketers must respect it. However, scammers don’t follow the law, so the registry won’t stop the most aggressive spam. Still, it’s worth registering — it reduces the number of legitimate telemarketing calls, leading to fewer total calls.
What This Means for Everyday Users
If you do just one thing, enable Silence Unknown Callers on iPhone or Spam Protection on Android. Either option cuts down the majority of spam calls with zero ongoing effort. For texts, both platforms’ filter settings work quietly in the background once activated. Together, these free built-in tools likely handle around 80% of the problem — and you probably haven’t spent a dime on a spam app this year.
The remaining 20% involves sophisticated scammers who frequently change numbers. While they’re trickier to catch, reporting those numbers helps networks get smarter over time.
Community Reactions
“I turned on Call Screen on my Pixel two years ago, and I genuinely can’t remember the last time a spam call ruined my day. It’s the best feature on Android that nobody talks about.”
“Silence Unknown Callers felt scary at first because I thought I’d miss important calls. But voicemail exists, and I haven’t had a spam call ring through in months. I wish I’d turned it on sooner.”
Further Reading
- How to Block Spam Calls and Spam Texts on iPhone and Android — Wired
- FTC National Do Not Call Registry
What To Watch
- iOS 19 (expected fall 2026): Apple is likely to enhance its on-device spam detection, potentially adding smarter filtering for RCS messages (the newer messaging standard replacing SMS on iPhones).
- FCC rulemaking, Q3 2026: The Federal Communications Commission is actively working on regulations to combat SIM swapping and number spoofing — the two key tricks scammers use to fake caller IDs. New rules could make spoofing much harder for carriers.
- Google’s AI spam detection: Google has hinted that Gemini-based spam detection is on the way for Messages in a future Android update. This would go beyond simple number-matching to analyze the actual content of suspicious texts.
Ava Mitchell
Ava Mitchell is a digital culture journalist at Explosion.com covering social media platforms, streaming services, and the creator economy. With 4 years reporting on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and the apps that shape daily life, Ava specializes in explaining platform policy changes and their impact on everyday users. She previously managed social media strategy for a tech startup, giving her firsthand experience with the platforms she now covers.
