What happens when you block a number on iPhone? [Updated]

If you’ve had enough of the constant calls and text messages from an unknown number and you are ready to hit the block button but you’re unsure how that works on an iPhone, don’t panic. Blocking a number on an iPhone is a fairly straightforward process. It’s easier than most people think and can be done in just a few steps. Not only that but it can also be reversed if you ever change your mind down the line. In this article, we’ll look at everything you need to know about blocking a number on an iPhone including how it works and what happens when you do it. Let’s get started!

How to Block a Number on an iPhone?

If you ever find yourself in the position of needing to block someone’s phone number on your iPhone, it’s straightforward to do. You can either go through your Phone app or the Settings app, and each process only takes a few seconds.

To start blocking a number on your iPhone: 

• Open the Phone app and tap on “Recents.” 
• From here, locate the number you’d like to block and tap on the “i” icon. 
• Next, scroll down and select “Block this Caller.”
• Confirm that you want to block this contact.

Alternatively, if you want to block multiple numbers at once:

• Open the Settings app and select “Phone” then “Blocked Contacts.” 
• Here you can enter all of the numbers that you’d like to block and they’ll all be added to your blocked list at once.

What Happens When You Block a Number on iPhone?

Call and Message Restrictions

When you block a number on your iPhone, several changes occur immediately. Incoming calls from the blocked number will be automatically sent to voicemail without ringing your device. However, these voicemails are stored separately in a “Blocked Messages” folder, which you can access if needed. Text messages from blocked numbers won’t be delivered to your inbox, effectively disappearing into the digital void.

FaceTime and iMessage Limitations

Blocking extends beyond traditional communication methods. FaceTime calls from blocked contacts won’t connect, and they won’t be able to leave you FaceTime messages. Similarly, iMessages from blocked numbers won’t be delivered to your device. The sender may see a “Delivered” status, but the message won’t actually reach you.

Contact Visibility and Notifications

Your iPhone maintains a level of discretion when dealing with blocked numbers. The blocked contact won’t receive any notification that they’ve been blocked, preserving your privacy. However, it’s important to note that blocking someone doesn’t remove them from your contacts list. You’ll need to delete their contact information separately if desired.

Remember, while blocking offers a powerful tool for managing unwanted communication, it’s not foolproof. Blocked individuals can still leave voicemails, and in some cases, may be able to contact you through third-party apps that don’t integrate with iOS’s blocking feature.

Calls Go Straight to Voicemail

When you block a number on your iPhone, one of the most noticeable effects is that incoming calls from that blocked contact will be automatically directed to your voicemail. This feature provides a seamless way to avoid unwanted communication without alerting the caller to their blocked status.

Silent Rejection

Your iPhone handles blocked calls discreetly. When a blocked number attempts to reach you, your device doesn’t ring, vibrate, or display any notification. Instead, it silently redirects the call to voicemail, maintaining your peace and privacy.

Voicemail Access

Interestingly, while the call goes to voicemail, the blocked caller can still leave a message. However, these messages won’t appear in your regular voicemail inbox. They’re segregated into a separate “Blocked Messages” folder, allowing you to review them at your discretion without cluttering your main voicemail.

Caller Experience

From the blocked caller’s perspective, the experience is similar to reaching someone whose phone is turned off or out of service range. They’ll hear a few rings before being directed to leave a voicemail, unaware that their number has been blocked. This approach maintains your privacy while avoiding potential confrontation or awkwardness.

By utilizing this feature, your iPhone effectively filters unwanted calls, ensuring that blocked numbers can’t disrupt your day-to-day activities while still preserving a record of their attempts to contact you.

Texts and FaceTime Blocked

When you block a number on your iPhone, you effectively cut off all communication channels through Apple’s native messaging and calling services. This means the blocked contact can no longer reach you via text messages, iMessages, or FaceTime calls.

Text Messages and iMessages

Once a number is blocked, any text messages or iMessages sent from that contact will not be delivered to your device. Instead, they’ll be silently intercepted and discarded by Apple’s servers. You won’t receive any notifications, and the messages won’t appear in your inbox. It’s important to note that the sender won’t be notified that their message was blocked or undelivered.

FaceTime Calls

Similarly, FaceTime calls from blocked numbers are automatically rejected. Your phone won’t ring, and you won’t see any missed call notifications. From the caller’s perspective, the call will appear to ring normally before going to voicemail, giving no indication that they’ve been blocked.

By implementing these measures, iPhone’s blocking feature ensures a comprehensive barrier against unwanted communication, maintaining your privacy and peace of mind.

When You Block Someone on iPhone, Can They Still Text or Call You?

If you block someone on your iPhone, you may wonder if they can still text or call you. The good news is that no, they cannot. When you block someone from your iPhone, all incoming calls, texts, and FaceTime calls from that person will be blocked. This means the person will not hear a ringtone or receive any notification for incoming messages sent to you because the messages simply won’t be delivered. Additionally, no matter how often the blocked contact tries to call or message you, the calls will never go through to your phone.

How to Tell if Someone Has Blocked Your Number on iPhone?

You may be wondering how to tell if someone has blocked your number on iPhone. There are a few simple signs that can help you determine if you’ve been blocked.

1. Call Them

The most obvious and direct way to find out is by calling the person. A blocked call should go directly to their voicemail, meaning you won’t even hear a ringing before it goes to voicemail. If they don’t answer and the call goes directly to voicemail, it could be a sign that they have blocked your number.

2. Text Messages

Another indicator of a blocked number is when all of your text messages are sent but never receive a response. If your messages seem to be going through but you never get a reply, the recipient may have blocked you.

3. iMessage FaceTime

iMessage and FaceTime are two of the most popular services offered by Apple and if someone has blocked your number from contacting them through these services, you will experience some tell-tale signs. With iMessage, if the message bubble appears blue instead of the green that’s an indication that your message was delivered but not read indicating that the user may have blocked your number from receiving future messages or calls via these services.

What Happens if the Person Already Left a Voicemail?

You might wonder what happens if the blocked person has already left a voicemail on your iPhone. The good news is once you block a number, any voicemails they leave will also be blocked. The voicemail won’t even appear in your Voicemail list so it won’t take up any space on your phone or anything.

For those wondering if it’s possible to see the blocked voicemails or retrieve them later if you change your mind, the answer is sadly no. Once you block someone’s number and they leave a voicemail, that voicemail is gone forever. This means that it’s essential to think carefully before blocking anyone, because that action could mean losing out on important or time-sensitive information.

What to Do if You Accidentally Block a Number on an iPhone?

If you accidentally block a number on an iPhone, don’t fret. You can easily unblock that number later. All you need to do is:

• Go to Settings
• Tap on Phone and then tap Blocked Contacts
•  From here, you can select the contact or number you blocked and choose “Unblock this Caller” at the bottom of the page.

You should also be aware that when you block a number:

• Incoming calls from this number will appear as missed calls in your call log
• Text messages from blocked numbers will appear on your phone as blank texts
• You will not receive notifications for any missed calls or messages from blocked numbers

It’s important to note that blocking a number does not prevent the caller from leaving voicemails meaning they will still be able to leave voicemails. However, these voicemails will no longer appear in your voicemail inbox. Instead, they are redirected directly to an alternative mailbox associated with the blocked number.

Blocking a number also means that you are protecting your privacy rights. It’s estimated that 1 billion scam calls per month are blocked by phone service companies. Using a trusted VPN for iphone while browsing the web is the best way to avoid leaking your information into scammers’ hands. Astrill VPN app for iphone is the excellent app for use while browsing. The premium VPN service offers various VPN features and tools like VPN leak test, Port scan, DNS leak test and several others. You can get the subscription with just a simple sign up and ‘tap and pay’ service. 

Can Blocked Numbers Calls you or leave Facetime Messages?

If you’ve blocked that annoying caller’s number on your iPhone but what happens when they try to FaceTime or leave a message? Here’s the deal: blocking a number on your iPhone prevents the caller from being able to reach you via phone call, text message or Facetime.

FaceTime Calls

When someone tries to FaceTime you, they will automatically receive a message saying that you are not available. On the flip side, if you want to FaceTime someone and their number is blocked, their line won’t even ring. it’ll just go straight to voicemail.

Voicemails and Text Messages

If someone whose number is blocked tries to send you a text or voice message, unfortunately the messages won’t come through because when you block a number on your iPhone it blocks all communications from that person.

If you’re curious about something someone may have said in an unsent voicemail or text message before being blocked, your iPhone stores all of these messages until they are deleted manually.If you are curious whether can you text someone you blocked on iphone then only way is to unblock them.

Can You Unblock a Number on an iPhone?

You might think that once you block a number on an iPhone, the number stays blocked for good but luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way! If you decide you want to unblock the phone number, you can.

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to the “Settings” app on your iPhone
2. Tap “Phone”
3. Tap “Blocked Contacts”
4. Tap the red circle next to the name or number of the contact you want to unblock
5. Tap “Unblock” in the prompt that appears.

Voila! The number is unblocked and all communication from it will reappear in your Messages, FaceTime and Phone apps. 

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FAQs

You probably have lot of questions about what happens when you block a number on your iPhone and we’ve got some answers for you.

Q: Where Do Blocked Texts Go?

If someone texts you from a blocked number, the person will not be able to reach you. Their message will remain undelivered and no notification of the text will appear on your iPhone.

Q: When You Unblock a Number Do You Receive Old Texts?

No, you don’t automatically receive old texts when you unblock a number. The messages sent while blocked won’t reappear after unblocking the contact.

Conclusion

Blocking a number on your iPhone is an effective way to reduce the amount of spam or annoying calls you get from that particular number. It’s also a great way to protect your privacy; the blocked number won’t be able to reach you and you won’t receive any notifications from them.

Although blocking a number does a great job of reducing the amount of communication you receive from them, it doesn’t guarantee that you won’t receive any. But if you’re looking for a way to reduce nuisance calls, blocking a number on your iPhone is a great way to do it.

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