How to block a number from landline phone

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Telemarketers or harassing calls are just two reasons why a person might need to block incoming calls. Telemarketers, for example, are forbidden by law to mask their phone numbers to try and get around call blocking or caller ID. While call blocking is readily accessible on cell phones, you can also easily block calls on a land line.

Contact your service provider. Before doing anything else, you should contact your phone service provider by phone or email to ask about its available options. Many companies have call blocking services available for subscribers. Ask if anything is available on your plan and also make your sure you inquire about any additional charges before activating a blocking option.

Press a code. Many companies, including Verizon, use the code 67 to activate call blocking. Other providers, such as AT&T, use 60.

Input the number you wish to block. Some carriers will also block a given number for your line specifically if you contact the service provider yourself.

Learn how many numbers you're allowed to block. Some carriers restrict how many phone numbers you can block on your land line. AT&T, for example, allows a person to block up to six numbers on a land line.

References

Tips

• Remember to wait for a dial tone before pressing a code such as *67.
• Some carriers, such as AT&T, also allow call blocking on anonymous numbers.

Writer Bio

Frances Todd has been a writer since 1998. Her works have appeared in "Women's World" and online at WebMD. She has written online instructional articles since 2008. Todd has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Science in history, both from the University of Iowa, and currently works in criminal law.

There are all sorts of reasons to block a number: an ex who can't take a hint, relentless telemarketers, or those scammers who love spoofing. When your phone has buzzed one more time than you can take, it's time to block that number. But how? Here are the steps to take depending on your OS and carrier.

Do Not Call List

The first way to reduce the number of unwanted calls coming to your phone is to ditch telemarketers by putting your number into the National Do Not Call Registry. On DoNotCall.gov(Opens in a new window), you can register up to three numbers at once and check if your digits are already there(Opens in a new window). You'll need to include an email address to confirm your registration. Or call 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236) from the phone you want to register.

According to the FTC, which runs the registry, your phone number will be added to the registry within 24 hours, but it will likely take up to 31 days for sales calls to stop. If telemarketers persist in calling, file a complaint(Opens in a new window).

Apps like RoboKiller and Nomorobo also block telemarketers and robocallers (and even deploy answer bots that pester them). And apps such as Do Not Respond handle text spammers, too.

Don't expect this to end unwanted calls, though. Robocalls remain rampant, although the FCC has taken measures to cut down on them(Opens in a new window). While you wait for real results, here are some other steps you can take to reduce your phone ringing off the hook.

Operating Systems

Silence Unknown Callers and Filter Unknown Senders on iOS

iOS

In iOS 13 and above, you can silence calls from unknown callers by going into Settings > Phone and turning on Silence Unknown Callers. Any caller who is not in your contacts list, Siri Suggestions, or recent outgoing calls is automatically directed to voicemail. You'll get a notification of the call afterward.

You can also funnel text messages from numbers that are not in your contacts to a separate list. Go to Settings > Messages and turn on Filter Unknown Senders.

To block a number that called you, open the Phone app and tap Recent. Find the number and tap the Info icon (it looks like a lowercase letter ”i” in a circle). Scroll down and tap Block this Caller. Confirm and that number will automatically go to voicemail if it calls again.

To block someone in your Contacts lists, go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. Scroll to the bottom and tap Add New. That will bring up your Contacts list; select those you want to block. You can also get there via Settings > Messages > Blocked Contacts > Add New.

To block someone from a text, tap the number or name on the top of the screen, which will produce a drop-down menu with three options: audio, FaceTime, and Info. Tap Info. Tap Info again, scroll down, and tap Block this Caller.

If you think they'll sneak a peek at you with FaceTime, go to that app, find the last FaceTime conversation you had with them, and click the Info icon. You'll get a screen with information about the call and actions to take; scroll down to Block this Caller. If it's someone in your Contacts, go to Settings > FaceTime > Blocked Contacts. Scroll to the bottom, tap Add New, and select the name or names to block.

In related news: If you think you've been blocked, signs include being sent directly to voicemail for calls, never seeing the Delivered message appear under your messages, and having your text turn green (as opposed to blue) when you're messaging other iOS users. (These things can also happen if the person you're trying to contact does not have a connection, so don't freak out right away. But if it's been a while and you're still not getting through, well...)

Android

Android allows phone makers some freedom when it comes to customization, so the process for blocking a number might vary from device to device.

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In general, you should be able to tap the phone number and either scroll to the bottom to block the call, or tap the ellipsis icon and select Block Number to add a number.

Some Android phones have a feature called Call Screen, which enables Google Assistant to screen calls from anyone not in your contacts. Go to Settings > Spam > Call Screen. Select Call Screen and under Unknown Call Settings, select which types of callers you’d like to screen (spam, possible fake numbers, and so on). Google Assistant tells any callers in those categories that you're using a call screener and asks them why they're calling. You'll be sent a real-time transcript of the chat and can decide whether to pick it up or not.

Carrier Options

Wireless carriers have apps that can be used to block calls. AT&T has Call Protect for iOS(Opens in a new window) and Android(Opens in a new window) (available from the AT&T Mobile Security app, as well). You can pay $3.99 a month for a Plus version that has even more security, including a VPN, a personal ID monitor, and theft alerts (if you use an Android device).

Verizon has a few options(Opens in a new window) that let you block possible scammers as well as specific numbers, all for a price. T-Mobile has a Scam Shield app(Opens in a new window) (it used to be called Name ID) that lets you block and report scam calls; a premium version is $4 per line per month.

All the carriers (and even landline providers) are now required by the FCC to be part of an authentication system for real calls called the STIR/SHAKEN protocols(Opens in a new window). That system should already be cutting way down on the number of legit-looking spoofed calls, but it won't make them go away entirely.

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