How to block spam texts on iPhone and Android (UK settings that work in 2026)

Block, filter, report or 7726: what each one does

iPhone: screen and filter unknown senders

Apple notes that text filtering doesn't apply to a sender you've replied to three times or more, so report or block those senders instead. You can look through the Unknown Senders folder at any time and mark a sender as known.

iPhone: report spam and block a number

• Report: on a text you haven't opened, swipe left, tap Delete, then Delete and Report Spam. In a text from an unknown sender that you have opened, tap Report Spam at the bottom, then Delete and Report Spam. Apple says that, depending on your network, reporting an SMS, MMS or RCS text shares it with your network.
• Reply first, report never: Apple's guide is plain about this: “You can’t report a message after you’ve replied to it.”
• Block: open the conversation, tap the sender's icon at the top, tap Info, scroll down and tap Block Contact. Apple says the sender doesn't know their messages are blocked.
• No report option for normal texts? Apple says to contact your network.

Android (Google Messages): spam protection, report and block

Google says that reporting a conversation as spam also blocks the sender and moves it to your Spam and blocked folder, that the sender can't see your report, and that a report can create a separate Spam reporting conversation that sends the number and the latest text to your mobile network.

Other Android messages apps

Some phones come with their maker's own messages app instead of Google Messages. Look for block and spam settings in its menu, or check the maker's help pages. We only describe Google Messages here, because its help pages are the ones we checked.

Why blocking never stops all spam texts

Blocking works one number at a time, and spammers switch numbers. The ICO says the numbers sending these messages often change, so your network can't guarantee to stop all spam. Premium-rate charges are the other gap: Ofcom says blocking the texts doesn't stop the charges, and may only mean you stop getting the information about them (how to stop premium-rate charges and ask for a refund). Why the texts reach you in the first place: how scammers get your number.

Block and report: 7726 and the ICO

• Forward scam texts to 7726. The ICO says it uses complaints to 7726 to investigate companies breaking the law and take action, and Ofcom says the networks use the reports to update their protections.
• For marketing texts from a company that won't stop, report them to the ICO.
• How many people report, and whether it works: UK scam text statistics. Keep getting loan texts? Why loan texts keep coming.

Sources

• Apple, screen and filter texts (iOS 27): Apple, iPhone User Guide (iOS 27), 'Screen and filter text messages on iPhone': "Their messages are filtered into another folder, and you don’t get notified about them unless you want to be." Short quote; the rest is summarised in our own words. — https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph203ab0be4/ios, read on 2026-10-02
• Apple, report spam and block senders (iOS 27): Apple, iPhone User Guide (iOS 27), 'Report spam and block senders in Messages on iPhone': "You can’t report a message after you’ve replied to it." Short quote; the rest is summarised in our own words. — https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3f94d910d/ios, read on 2026-10-02
• Google Messages, spam protection: Google Messages Help, 'How Google protects your privacy with spam detection' (Android): "Spam protection is turned on automatically and you'll be notified when this happens." Short quote; the rest is summarised in our own words. — https://support.google.com/messages/answer/9327903?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid, read on 2026-10-02
• Google Messages, report spam: Google Messages Help, 'Report spam in Google Messages' (Android): "When you report a conversation as spam, you also block the sender and move the message to your 'Spam and blocked' folder." Short quote; the rest is summarised in our own words. — https://support.google.com/messages/answer/9061432?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid, read on 2026-10-02
• Ofcom, blocking and premium-rate charges: Ofcom, 'Top tips to stay in control of your phone charges' (published 31 January 2025, last updated 23 June 2025; checked on 2 October 2026 against the Internet Archive copy of 14 November 2025, as the live site blocks automated access): "You can text the company to stop the charges; you can text 'STOP ALL' to the number which they have given you in the text message. Please note, this may not be the same number as the number the message came from. If you’re getting several texts from the same number, you may assume it’s spam. If you block the number, you will still be charged if the texts are for a premium rate service. Blocking the texts do not stop the charges but may mean that you won’t get any information about them." Ofcom copyright. — https://www.ofcom.org.uk/make-a-complaint/complain-about-premium-rate-services/top-tips-to-stay-in-control-of-your-phone-charges, read on 2026-10-02
• ICO, marketing texts you want to stop: ICO, 'I keep receiving marketing text messages (spam), but I want them to stop': "You should follow any opt-out instructions within the message. This usually involves replying to the message with the word ‘STOP’. Be careful about replying to any messages if you don’t recognise who has sent them to you. ... Unfortunately, the numbers sending these messages often change, so your network provider can’t guarantee to stop all spam messages." Information Commission's Office, 'I keep receiving marketing text messages (spam), but I want them to stop', page read 2 October 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence. — https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/texts/, read on 2026-10-02
• ICO, advice in the June 2026 fine notice: ICO, 'Manchester firm fined £300,000 for bombarding people in debt with over 5.5 million unlawful texts' (23 June 2026): "This led to more than 60,000 complaints being made to us and Mobile UK’s 7726 spam reporting service. ... If you receive a marketing text from an unfamiliar company, do not reply or click any links. Responding confirms your number is active and may lead to more messages. ... ICO uses complaints to this service to investigate companies breaking the law and take action." Information Commission's Office, 'Manchester firm fined £300,000 for bombarding people in debt with over 5.5 million unlawful texts', 23 June 2026, licensed under the Open Government Licence. — https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/06/manchester-firm-fined-300-000-for-bombarding-people-in-debt-with-over-55-million-unlawful-texts/, read on 2026-10-02
• Ofcom statement, 7726 reports (para 3.21 and footnote 9): Ofcom, 'Combatting mobile messaging scams: New rules and guidance', statement published 15 July 2026 (checked on 2 October 2026 against the Internet Archive copy of 29 September 2026, as the live site blocks automated access; footnote numbers left out), paragraph 3.21 and footnote 9: "The 7726 service allows consumers to report unwanted or suspicious messages or calls received on their mobile devices, which operators can use to monitor scam activity and update their network protections accordingly. The number of messages reported to mobile operators as suspicious via this service exceeded 100 million in the year to March 2025. This figure does not include 7726 reporting to thick MVNOs, which accounted for approximately 7% of the UK mobile market in 2025. ... with an average of over 10 million per month between December 2024 and March 2025, driven by further implementation of one-click 7726 reporting by mobile network operators on Apple iOS devices." Ofcom copyright. — https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/category-3-4-weeks/consultation-combatting-mobile-messaging-scams/main-document/statement-combatting-mobile-messaging-scams.pdf?v=423155, read on 2026-10-02
• NCSC, forwarding to 7726: NCSC, Report a scam text: "Most phone providers are part of a scheme that allows customers to report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726. If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it's found to be malicious." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message, read on 2026-09-29
• ICO reporting: ICO, Report spam texts and nuisance sales calls: "You can report nuisance calls and spam texts to the ICO here. ... We don't respond to complaints individually." — https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/nuisance-calls-and-messages/spam-texts-and-nuisance-calls/, read on 2026-09-29

Quotes from GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, mygov.scot, the NCSC, the ICO and NHS England are used under the Open Government Licence v3.0; material from Ofcom is Ofcom copyright. Other pages are summarised in our own words or quoted briefly, with a link. How we check.