How to block a number on Android

Smartphones may keep us more connected than ever, but that isn’t always a good thing. Whether it’s call centres or annoying friends, unwanted phone calls can be an annoying and potentially stressful experience. Luckily, Google’s Android system has an easy way of blocking specific telephone numbers, so your phone will ignore nuisance calls but ring for everyone else. Here’s how to do it:

How to bar a number on an Android smartphone?

Blocking a number with a vanilla Android device is simple, and Google gives you a few different ways to do it. These two steps work for phones with a standard installation of Android, and we’ll be updating this tutorial for those with Samsung LG, and HTC handsets soon.

From the call log

If you’ve been repeatedly called by the same number, it’s possible to block a number from the call log. After finding the offending phone number, simply hit the menu button often shown as three dots in the corner of the screen and click “Add to reject list”. Your phone will no longer notify you, or ring if you receive calls from that number.

Create a blacklist

If you’ve just bought a new Android smartphone and want to block certain numbers straight away, it’s worth creating an auto reject list. Essentially a blacklist full of numbers you don’t want to hear from, an auto reject list is simple to make and can save hassle.

To make one, go to Calls | Settings | Call | Call Rejection. From there, you need to select “Auto reject list”, and navigate to “Create”. After that, you’ll just need to add undesirable numbers to the list and you’re sorted. You won’t receive any calls or texts from the numbers on the list.