block a number on samsung galaxy
Spam phone calls are never fun, whether you’re getting calls from scammers, your ex, that annoying coworker from your previous job, or unknown callers.
In fact, even one unwanted call can be too many. Fortunately, the Android operating system provides a variety of call blocking methods. For Galaxy phones, Samsung also offers its own solutions.
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Early on, smartphone makers like Samsung, LG, and HTC started coming up with ways to make it easier to block phone numbers.
Samsung provides several methods to let you quickly add numbers to an auto reject list or a block list, although the specifics depend on the Galaxy phone you’re using.
Consistency is evolving.
In general, the call blocking features on Galaxy phones have evolved over the years to improve their elegance, flexibility, and consistency with the call blocking capabilities on other Galaxy and non-Galaxy models.
However, standardization of these features across all Galaxy phone models, from all carriers, has not happened.
Certain features appear on some Galaxy phones, but not all. You will also find variations in the terminology and icons that appear in the menus.
For example, what was once known as the auto reject list on Galaxy phones is now typically called the block list. Instead, unknown callers may be referred to as anonymous callers or Contacts without numbers.
However, here are some very general guidelines on how to block phone calls, from the Galaxy S5 to the Galaxy S9.
How to block a number on the Galaxy S5
From the Phone app, you can find your auto reject list in Menu > Settings > Call > Call rejection > Auto reject list .
To add a number to your auto reject list:
Tap plus (+) .
Enter the number.
Press Save .
To block a number on the AT&T edition of the Galaxy S5, remove a number from your auto reject list by doing the following:
Touch Delete.
Touch the box next to the desired phone number,
Tap Delete again.
Meanwhile, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon have implemented a two-tier approach for their S5 models. Under this strategy, you can permanently remove a number from the auto reject list by selecting and holding the number or contact, then tapping the Trash.
Alternatively, you can temporarily allow calls from the number while keeping the number on the reject list.
To do so, uncheck the checkbox next to the number or contact, then via the checkbox, disable the number in the auto reject list.
If you want to block or unblock all unknown calls, use the Unknown checkbox.
How to block a number on the Galaxy S6
From the Phone application , select Menu > Settings > Block numbers or Block list.
Enter the number you want to block or tap Contacts and add the number there.
To unblock a caller, tap Remove or Minus (-) next to the number.
To block and unblock all unknown calls, turn on the Block unknown calls switch.
How to block a number on Galaxy S7, S8 and S9
On the Galaxy S7, S8, and S9 series of smartphones, the lock and unlock numbers are essentially the same as the Galaxy S6.
However, you can now block calls directly through Phone > Contacts instead of going to the Block List first. Also, many Galaxy phones now offer you a third way to block numbers:
Go to Phone > Recent Calls.
Select the phone number from Recents, then tap Details.
Tap Menu > Block .
Advice : On select recent Galaxy phones, you can now choose to reject a number Always or Only once. Some recent models will also prevent a blocked number from contacting you via text and phone.
Reasons for the differences.
For starters, call blocking capabilities are partially dictated by the version of Android that’s installed on your phone.
From the Galaxy S5 to the S9 alone, Samsung moved from Android 4.4 KitKat to Android 8.0 Oreo, with wireless carriers adopting these versions at their own pace.
In its online documentation for the Galaxy S6, for example, T-Mobile describes two different techniques for blocking phone numbers; one method is for a Galaxy S6 running Android 5.0 Lollipop, while the other is for Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
If you’ve upgraded from an older Galaxy model to a newer version of Android, your call blocking features may have changed as well.
To further complicate matters, wireless carriers like to differentiate their phones through the feature sets they offer; Despite being the same phone, a T-Mobile Galaxy S9 may differ from a Galaxy S9 sold by Verizon or AT&T.
What else can you do?
If these methods and their variations don’t work for you, search online for vendors’ product manuals for their own editions of various Galaxy series.
Alternatively, contact your carrier for specific information on how to block phone numbers on your specific Galaxy phone model.
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