It seemed to happen overnight, but before we knew it, all those pesky telephone calls from telemarketers started making their way from landlines to smartphones. Now, it seems like you cannot catch a break from all the incoming calls that ping cell phone towers throughout the day. To make matters worse, telemarketers possess the technology to generate phone numbers with similar area codes to yours, so you could pick the phone up thinking that it’s legitimately someone you need to speak tough!
Once you’ve identified a telemarketer’s phone number, however, you are able to take some form of action, no matter how minimal. While blocking a phone number never feels like the right way to approach the situation, it can be a necessary step in ending all of those bothersome phone calls once and for all. Here’s how to block a phone number on iOS, Android, and Windows!
iOS
It’s pretty simple to block a number on an iPhone. All you have to do is visit the “Phone” app, which automatically is included on the smart device for audio and FaceTime calls. Click the information icon next to the unsaved number, and it will bring you to a screen where you can complete a number of actions, including “Block This Caller.” That’s all there is to I –no, really!
Android
For Android, it depends on which iteration of the smartphone you currently own to determine how numbers will be blocked. For Marshmallow or Nougat, open Dialer and go to your recent calls list. Then, find the offending number before hitting “Block/Report Spam. If you’re using Lollipop or below, block the caller through Call Settings > Call Rejection > Auto Reject List.
Windows
Since Windows phones have become increasingly popular in recent years, we’ll give them a shout out, as well. If you are bothered by telemarketers on this device, you can block calls and messages pretty simply. Head to “Settings” and navigate through Call, then SMS Filter. Once you accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, tap the Block Calls to “On.”
It’s always fun to learn something new! At Westmount at London Park Apartments in Houston, Texas, we love to provide you with fun, thought-provoking tidbits that will make you reflect on different aspects of life.