How to Stop Spam Calls on iPhone and Android (2026 Guide)

If you feel like spam calls have gotten worse, you are not wrong. The FTC received over 4.5 million complaints about unwanted calls in 2024, and the real volume is far higher — most people never report the calls they ignore. Robocallers now use automated systems that can blast millions of calls per day at nearly zero cost, spoofing local area codes so you are more likely to pick up.

The good news is that both iPhone and Android have significantly improved their built-in defenses, and third-party apps have gotten better at catching what slips through. This guide covers every layer of protection available to you — from built-in settings to carrier tools to third-party spam call blockers — so you can stack them for maximum coverage.

Last updated: March 2026

Why Am I Getting So Many Spam Calls?

The short answer: your phone number is in databases you did not sign up for, and the economics of robocalling favor the spammers.

Every time you enter your phone number on a website, sign up for a loyalty card, register a warranty, download an app that requests your contacts, or list it on a social media profile, that number enters the data broker ecosystem. Brokers aggregate, package, and resell this data. Legitimate marketers buy it for targeted advertising. Less scrupulous operators buy it for cold-calling campaigns. Scammers obtain it from data breaches, leaked databases, or the same brokers.

The cost side makes it worse. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology lets anyone rent thousands of phone numbers for pennies and place calls over the internet at near-zero marginal cost. A scammer can blast 100,000 spoofed calls in a few hours from a laptop anywhere in the world. Even if only 0.1% of recipients engage, that is still 100 potential victims. The math works in the caller's favor, which is why the volume keeps increasing.

Understanding this helps set expectations: no single solution will stop 100% of spam calls. The goal is to layer multiple defenses so the volume drops from "constant" to "rare."

Built-In Spam Blocking on iPhone (Silence Unknown Callers)

Apple's most effective built-in feature is Silence Unknown Callers, available on iOS 13 and later.

How to enable it: Go to Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown Callers → toggle on.

What it does: When enabled, any call from a number not in your Contacts, Recents, or Siri Suggestions goes directly to voicemail without ringing your phone. The call still appears in your Recents list, and the caller can leave a voicemail — you just are not interrupted.

What it catches: This is highly effective against robocalls and spam because those numbers are almost never in your contact list. It also catches scam calls that spoof local numbers.

The trade-off: Legitimate first-time callers also get silenced. If you are expecting a call from a new doctor, a delivery driver, a recruiter, or anyone else not in your contacts, they will go to voicemail. For people who receive important calls from unknown numbers regularly, this setting can be more disruptive than helpful. One workaround: temporarily disable it when you are expecting a specific call.

Additional iPhone settings:

Go to Settings → Phone → Call Blocking & Identification. If you have a third-party spam app installed, this is where you enable it to screen calls. iOS allows multiple call identification apps to run simultaneously, layering their databases.

You can also block individual numbers: open Phone → Recents → tap the "i" next to the number → Block This Caller. This is useful for repeat offenders but impractical for the volume of unique numbers used in spam campaigns.

Built-In Spam Blocking on Android

Android's approach varies by manufacturer, but the Google Phone app (standard on Pixel, available as a download on most Android devices) offers the most comprehensive built-in protection.

How to enable spam filtering: Open the Phone app → tap the three-dot menu → Settings → Caller ID & Spam → toggle on "See caller and spam ID" and "Filter spam calls."

What it does: Google maintains a large database of known spam numbers and updates it continuously. When "Filter spam calls" is enabled, calls identified as spam are silently rejected — they do not ring, and in most cases, no notification appears. Suspected spam calls that are not blocked outright are labeled "Suspected spam" on the incoming call screen.

Samsung-specific options: Samsung's Phone app includes its own spam filter powered by Hiya's database. Go to Phone → Settings → Caller ID and Spam Protection → toggle on. This works alongside the Google filter if you have both the Samsung and Google Phone apps installed.

Block unknown numbers: In the Google Phone app, go to Settings → Blocked Numbers → toggle on "Unknown." This blocks all calls that do not transmit a caller ID number. It is the Android equivalent of iPhone's Silence Unknown Callers but more aggressive — blocked calls do not go to voicemail; they are outright rejected.

Third-Party Call Blocking Apps Compared

Built-in tools are a strong baseline, but third-party apps add larger spam databases, community-sourced reporting, and features like real-time caller ID. Here is how the major options compare:

Truecaller

The largest crowd-sourced caller ID database, with over 300 million users contributing data. Truecaller identifies unknown callers in real time, flags known spam, and lets you search numbers manually. The free version includes ads and basic caller ID. The premium version ($2.99/month) removes ads and adds advanced blocking features. Truecaller's main strength is its database size — in regions with high user adoption (India, Middle East, parts of Europe), its caller identification is remarkably accurate. Its weakness is that it uploads your contact list to its servers, which raises privacy concerns for some users.

Hiya

Hiya powers the built-in spam detection on Samsung devices and AT&T phones. As a standalone app, it offers caller ID, spam detection, and call blocking. The free tier is ad-supported with basic features. Hiya Premium ($3.99/month) adds automatic spam blocking, personal number lookup, and a reverse phone lookup feature. Hiya's database is strong for North American numbers and integrates well with existing Android spam filters.

RoboKiller

RoboKiller takes a unique approach: instead of just blocking spam calls, it answers them with pre-recorded "answer bots" that waste the scammer's time. This is entertaining and has a practical benefit — it uses up the scammer's capacity, reducing their overall output. Beyond the novelty, RoboKiller's database and blocking capabilities are solid. It costs $4.99/month and is available on both iOS and Android.

ClarityCheck

ClarityCheck's phone lookup provides detailed background information on unknown numbers, including carrier type, owner identity, and associated records. It is more of an investigative tool than a real-time call blocker — best used when you want to research a specific number in depth rather than automatically filter incoming calls. It complements a real-time blocker rather than replacing one.

Which Combination Works Best?

The most effective setup layers built-in OS protection with one real-time third-party app. For iPhone: enable Silence Unknown Callers + install Truecaller or Hiya. For Android: enable Google's spam filter + install Truecaller or Hiya. Add your carrier's free spam tool (see below) for a third layer. If a specific number still gets through and you want to investigate it, use a reverse lookup tool to check who is behind it.

How to Register on the Do Not Call List

The National Do Not Call Registry, managed by the FTC, is a free service that prohibits most telemarketers from calling registered numbers.

How to register: Visit donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register. Registration is free, permanent, and takes effect within 31 days.

What it covers: Legitimate telemarketers are legally required to check the registry and stop calling registered numbers. Political campaigns, charities, surveys, and companies you have an existing business relationship with are exempt.

What it does not cover: The Do Not Call List has no effect on scammers and illegal robocallers. They are already breaking the law by calling you; a registry listing does not change their behavior. Think of the Do Not Call List as a filter for legal-but-annoying calls, not a defense against fraud.

How to report violations: If a telemarketer calls after you have been on the registry for 31 days, report them at donotcall.gov. The FTC uses these reports to build enforcement cases. Reporting is worthwhile — the FTC has collected hundreds of millions in penalties from Do Not Call violators.

What to Do When Blocking Doesn't Work

If you are still getting a high volume of spam despite layering the defenses above, a few additional steps can help:

Carrier-level blocking: All major US carriers offer free spam-filtering tools. T-Mobile's Scam Shield, AT&T's ActiveArmor, and Verizon's Call Filter all provide network-level blocking that catches calls before they reach your phone. Download your carrier's app and enable every available filter. These tools work at the network level, which means they can block calls that phone-level apps miss.

Data broker opt-outs: The most permanent solution is reducing the number of databases that contain your phone number. Services like DeleteMe, Kanary, and Privacy Duck submit opt-out requests to major data brokers on your behalf. This does not stop all spam (your number is in too many places for that), but it can noticeably reduce volume over a few months as brokers process the removals.

Stop giving out your real number: For future sign-ups, consider using a secondary number. Google Voice provides a free phone number that you can use for online forms, retail loyalty programs, and any situation where you expect the number to be sold or shared. Reserve your primary number for personal contacts, financial institutions, and other trusted relationships.

Check if your number appeared in a data breach: Use Have I Been Pwned to check whether your email (and potentially associated phone number) appeared in a known data breach. A sudden increase in spam calls often correlates with your number appearing in a freshly leaked database. Running a reverse phone lookup on your own number can also reveal what data is publicly associated with it, as we discuss in our guide to identifying phone scams.