Free guides · checked October 18, 2026
How to stop spam calls
The exact switches on today’s phones, in the order that works, and an honest word on what each one can’t do. Pick your phone:
Checked on iOS 27, Android 17 (Google Phone app) and Samsung One UI 9, October 2026
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Works on
- Every phone
- Stops
- Most spam calls
The 10-minute plan
Five things, in this order
Layer three free defenses: turn on your phone’s call screening and spam filter, turn on your carrier’s free spam blocking, and register at donotcall.gov. Then don’t answer, call back or press keys for numbers you don’t know. No single setting stops every spam call, but together they stop most.
Turn on call screening on your phone
iPhone: Screen Unknown Callers > Ask Reason for Calling. Pixel: Spam and Call Screen. Samsung: Call screening. Your phone asks unknown callers who they are before it rings.
- Settings
- Apps
- Phone
- Screen Unknown Callers
Turn on the spam filter
iPhone: Spam under Call Filtering. Android: Caller ID and spam. Samsung: Caller ID and spam protection. Flagged calls never ring.
Turn on your carrier’s free blocking
Verizon Call Filter, AT&T ActiveArmor or T-Mobile Scam Shield (dial #662#) stop known spam on the network, before it reaches your phone.
Register at donotcall.gov
Free and permanent; it stops law-abiding telemarketers within 31 days. (Scammers ignore it, which is why the steps above come first.)
Don’t engage
Don’t answer numbers you don’t know, don’t call back, and never press a key to "be removed". Report scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov; the FTC passes reported numbers to carriers every business day.
Know the limits
What each defense catches, and what it misses
No single free setting stops every spam call. Here is what each one really does, so you can layer them, and where a service that answers for you fits in.
| Defense | Known spam numbers | New or faked numbers | Legal telemarketers | Your doctor still gets through | A known scam pitch from a new number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free settings and services | |||||
| Call screeningAsks unknown callers who they are | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Silence unknown callersUnknown numbers go to voicemail | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Partly |
| Spam filter on your phoneFlagged numbers don’t ring | Yes | No | Partly | Yes | No |
| Carrier spam blockingStopped on the network | Yes | Partly | Partly | Yes | No |
| Do Not Call RegistryTelemarketers must check it | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Blocking a numberOne number at a time | Partly | No | Partly | Yes | No |
| A service that answers first · by the makers of this guide · paid | |||||
| PhoneShieldRefuses known scams before your phone rings, asks strangers who they are, and remembers scam scripts. Works on any phone that can forward calls. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Screening asks every unknown caller to explain, but it can’t check whether they’re telling the truth. Spam lists only know numbers already reported. Silencing is quiet, at the cost of every new caller you actually wanted. PhoneShield is our own service; its row describes what it is built to do, as stated on phoneshield.ai.
From the makers of this guide
The calls screened, the people you know straight through
PhoneShield answers your calls first. Known scam numbers are refused before your phone rings, the people you know ring straight through, and everyone else is asked who they are and why they’re calling, so your doctor and the delivery driver still reach you.
Every guide
Step by step, for your phone
Each guide shows the exact screens, the path to each switch, and where it falls short.
Turn on Call Screening, the Spam filter and blocking on iPhone, with the exact Settings paths for iOS 27 and iOS 26, and what each one can’t do.
iPhone call screeningHow to use the iPhone call screeneriPhone’s built-in call screener (iOS 26 and 27) answers unknown numbers and asks who is calling and why. How to turn it on, how it works, and its limits.
Silence unknown callersHow to silence unknown callers on iPhoneStop unknown calls on iPhone: where Silence Unknown Callers is on iOS 27, 26, 18 and 17, what it does, and why your doctor might end up in voicemail.
AndroidHow to stop spam calls on AndroidTurn on spam filtering, Call Screen and blocking in the Google Phone app (Pixel and most Android phones), step by step, with what each setting can’t do.
Block calls on AndroidHow to block spam calls on AndroidBlock spam and scam calls automatically on Android, block a single number, and block hidden numbers, on Google Phone and Samsung Galaxy phones.
Samsung GalaxyHow to stop spam calls on a Samsung GalaxyTurn on Caller ID and spam protection, call screening, scam detection and blocking on a Samsung Galaxy phone, step by step for One UI 8.5 and 9.
CarriersTurn on your carrier’s free spam call blockingVerizon Call Filter, AT&T ActiveArmor and T-Mobile Scam Shield block or label spam calls for free on the network. How to turn each one on, and what the paid upgrades add.
LandlineHow to stop spam calls on a landlineStop spam calls on a home phone: Anonymous Call Rejection (*77), call block (*60), your provider’s free spam filter, the Do Not Call Registry and call-blocking devices.
Do Not Call RegistryDoes the Do Not Call Registry stop spam calls?What the National Do Not Call Registry stops and what it doesn’t, how to register (free, never expires), and where to report calls that ignore it.
Spam textsHow to stop spam textsFilter and report spam texts on iPhone (Screen Unknown Senders, iOS 26 and 27) and Android (Google Messages spam protection), and forward them to 7726.
Withheld numbersNo Caller ID calls, explained and stoppedNo Caller ID means the caller deliberately hid their number. Here is who does it, why your phone cannot show you, and the three settings that stop the calls reaching you.
Unknown callersUnknown callers, and why your phone can’t name themUnknown, Private, Restricted and No Caller ID are four different things. Here is what each one means, which can be blocked, and the settings that stop them ringing you.
Blocking withheld numbersHow to block No Caller ID callsYou cannot block a withheld number one by one — there is no number to block. Here are the three settings that work instead, on iPhone and Android, and what each one costs you.
What actually worksSpam call blockers, honestly comparedBuilt-in filters, carrier tools, blocker apps and call screening all stop different things and cost very different amounts. Here is what each actually blocks, and where each one fails.
Why it happensWhy you suddenly get so many spam callsYour number is on a list that gets resold, calls cost almost nothing to place, and answering once marks you as live. Here is how that happens and what actually reduces the volume.
ReportingHow to report a spam callWhere to report spam and scam calls to the FTC and FCC, what each one does with the report, and how long it takes to make any difference.
Got a specific number?
Check who’s been reporting it
See how often people reported a number to the FTC, what the calls were about, and what to do, at isthisnumberascam.com.
Questions
What people ask
How do I stop spam calls for good?
Nothing stops them all for good, because scammers fake new numbers constantly. Screening unknown callers on your phone, your carrier’s spam blocking and the Do Not Call Registry together stop most of them.
What is the best free way to stop spam calls?
Your phone’s built-in call screening (iPhone on iOS 26+, Pixel, Samsung on One UI 8.5+), because it handles new numbers that spam lists don’t know yet. Add your carrier’s free filter for known spam.
Does the Do Not Call Registry stop spam calls?
It stops sales calls from companies that follow the law. Scammers ignore it, so it helps less than people expect, but it’s free and never expires.
Why am I getting so many spam calls all of a sudden?
Your number may have been leaked or sold, or you answered or called back a spam call, which marks a number as live. Don’t answer unknown numbers and turn on screening so callers get no response.
Should I answer a spam call to tell them to stop?
No. Answering, talking or pressing keys confirms your number is in use and can bring more calls. Let unknown calls go to voicemail or screening.
Sources