You won’t find a single person on Earth that gets excited about answering telemarketers or answering the call of an ex you want no business with. And it seems carriers agree because they give the nifty option to block numbers with a few simple taps on your screen. There’s only one problem: voicemail can still get through.
It’s a waste of your time to listen to a voicemail from someone you don’t know, don’t want to talk to, nor would you want to hear their voice. That’s a few seconds of your life you can’t get back and they start to add up, especially if the blocked individual gets obsessive.
So, is there a solution? Yes. Is it easy to implement? Yes it is. Choose the steps that match your manufacturer and block the numbers. Afterwards, consider the apps below that have the power to block a call from leaving a voicemail.
Important: If you’ve done everything in your power to cut someone off and they won’t take the hint, contact your local police or emergency services.
Block a Number
Blocking a number is simple enough, but it depends entirely on your device. Different Android manufacturers have to block under different names and require different steps. If you’re using your Android device’s default calling app, this is what you do:
ZTE Android Devices
1. Head into your Contacts.
2. Select the number you wish to block.
3. Open the menu. It’s the three vertical dots located in the top-right corner of the screen. This will prompt a drop-down menu. In the drop-down menu, checkmark the box All Calls to Voicemail.
Any phone calls will go straight to voicemail. However, this solution doesn’t work for numbers that aren’t in your Contacts. Instead, add them to your Contacts first, then block their number. And here’s how you do it with the default Phone app:
1. Open your default Phone app.
2. Select the clock icon. These are your recent calls, both received and sent. Select the number you’d like to block.
3. Tap Add to Contact. Afterwards, select Create New Contact. Give them a name. “Blocked” works well.
4. Select the checkmark icon when you’re finished.
5. Repeat the steps to send all calls to voicemail.
Samsung Android Device
1. Open your default Phone app.
2. Tap the number you’d like to block. In their call details, select More. It’s the three vertical dots located in the top-right corner of the screen. This will prompt a drop-down menu.
3. Tap Add to Auto-Reject List.
LG Android Devices
1. Open the default Phone app.
2. Open the in-app settings. It’s the three vertical dots located in the top-right corner of the screen. This will prompt a drop-down menu.
3. Tap Call Settings and then Reject Calls.
4. Press the “+” icon to add a number you’d like to block.
HTC Android Devices
1. Open the default Phone app.
2. Find the number you’d like to block. Tap and hold the phone number. This will prompt a window.
3. Tap Block Contact from the options.
4. Confirm the block by pressing OK.
Unblocking a Number
Accidents happen and you accidentally block your best friend or you’re back on good terms with a certain individual. It happens to the best and it’s easy to rectify. Follow the steps you normally would, with your matching manufacturer, but unlock instead.
How to Stop Blocked Numbers Leaving Voicemail
Can a Blocked Number Leave a Voicemail?
Unfortunately, blocking a number doesn’t block the individual from leaving a voicemail. All is not lost. Instead, you can use apps to take care of the voicemails. The apps are mostly third-party apps, and they can label blocked numbers as spam so they can’t send you voicemails.
1. Google Voice
Technically, Google Voice doesn’t “block” voicemails from blocked numbers. What it does do is, somehow, a little more satisfying than actually blocking the voicemail outright. Google Voice has a handy way of taking any text messages, calls and voicemails from a blocked number and labeling them as “spam.”
You aren’t notified that they’re there or warned about them. They just sit there; messages in a bottle left in the spam folder where they should be.
1. Open the Google Voice app.
2. You can select the number you’d like to block from any of Google Voice’s tabs: Messages, Calls or Voicemail.
3. In the caller’s details, open More. It’s the three vertical dots located near the top. It will prompt a menu.
4. Select Block Number. Tap Block once again to confirm your decision.
Once a number is blocked, they’re considered “spam.” Any and all they send you–calls, text messages and voicemails will be sent to spam, but it needs to be enabled first. Here’s what you do:
1. Open the Google Voice app.
2. Open the Menu. It’s the three horizontal lines located in the top-left corner of the screen.
3. In the menu, located Security. Under Security, turn Filter Spam ON. Tap the slider to the right to turn it ON. It should turn blue.
2. No More Voicemail
If you haven’t guess it already, No More Voicemail does exactly what its name implies: it blocks your voicemail. The downside is you’ll have to do some testing to make sure it’s blocking numbers right. If you test it and you end up getting your voicemail, then the app was set up incorrectly. They offer some handy codes that can disable No More Voicemail if you’ve made a mistake.
3. Contact Your Service Provider
Many people don’t realize that you can have your service provider block numbers or disable your voicemail completely. To be frank, voicemail is reaching its end in viability considering any callback information can be left with a text message, an email or the person simply waits until later to get ahold of you.
If you’re absolutely desperate to get someone off your back, even after you’ve blocked them, Google Voice is your best bet. It’s free to use and it’s, arguably, satisfying knowing the blocked individual is wasting their efforts when all of their calls and texts are going straight to spam.
If that isn’t enough for you, then move forward with No More Voicemail or contacting your carrier to have their number blacklisted.
4. Using CallApp
CallApp is a smartphone application that provides caller identification, call barring, and call recording features. Using the user’s community-generated material and social networking sites permits you to view information about who is receiving or sending a call and when they are doing so.
To ban a phone number on a Samsung device, follow these steps:
- CallApp may be obtained via the Google Play Store.
- Upon completion of the download, launch CallApp on your smartphone. It will prompt you to make it your default phone app; select “Make this my default phone app.”
- You will next need to grant it access to your phone’s files, which you should do by clicking Allow. You will be asked whether you wish to cease optimizing the battery usage; click Allow.
- Having given the app access, you may now use it. To set up your account, write your phone number. You will receive an SMS to validate your account after receiving the SMS.
- After your account has been established and authenticated, you will see the following interface, demonstrating the functionalities of CallApp.
- You’ll need to visit the Spam and Block List if you wish to find out how to prevent specific phone numbers from leaving voicemails on your phone. To accomplish this, click on the Spam symbol, which may get found at the bottom.
- The Spam List will not show anything for the time being because you have only just made your account; however, you’ll be able to see the next robocall on the Spam List.
5. Using The Calls Blacklist App
Calls Blacklist is a free program that lets you prevent calls and SMS messages from persons you don’t know from reaching you. It is accomplished by simply inputting the individual’s phone number from whom you do not wish to receive a call or SMS. Once the phone number has been entered, you may choose the time you desire to restrict calls and SMS messages, and the program will keep them blocked until you unblock them.
Additionally, you may block calls and SMS messages from several numbers simultaneously using the app. It’s effortless to use and completely free to use. Alternatively, if you do not wish to ban calls and SMS messages from a specific number, you can enter that number in the program and click the red button to unblock the calls and SMS messages. All banned numbers will be listed in the program, and you will have the option to unblock any that you desire at any time.
6. Using Call Blocker
Call Blocker is a smartphone application or program that allows users to block calls that they do not want to answer. The Call Blocker application lets users reject calls that they do not want to answer. It rejects calls that have been put on the blacklist by the user because they are undesired. It either rings the phone or does not tell the user when a call is received. As a result, it assists users in avoiding unwanted calls, such as those from telemarketing companies. Nowadays, the phone itself contains an option that permits you to block specific phone numbers.
Call Blocker is effective for preventing unwanted phone calls. Different modes are available, also a blacklist and a whitelist, which the user may use to identify the callers in the program. Specific phone calls merely ring the phone for the sake of ringing the phone. Spam calls are discovered and blocked from using a spam filter on the phone. In the same way, messages are stopped from being sent. Messages might be inconvenient since they arrive and quickly fill the message box. These messages are blocked and designated spam in the phone’s message queue.
7. Call Control App
Call Control is the clear victor because of its ability to terminate blocked calls quickly, rather than ringing once and sending the call to voicemail. It is pointless to stop a call if it continues to ring and you are forced to go to your voicemail box and manually remove it later. If you’re concerned about false positives, you may choose to have banned calls go to voicemail instead of being answered. Unfortunately for iPhone users, due to restrictions in the iOS operating system, the iOS version of the program cannot prevent calls from being routed to your voice mailbox. On the other hand, spam calls are sent to a “blocked messages” folder to control them more manageable. The number of spoofing attempts that Apple consumers can block is restricted to one per area code and exchange of their iOS device.
8. Call Blocking on T-Mobile (and Sprint)
Additionally, T-Mobile has developed its remedy for spam calls, the Scam Shield app. A free app that provides security against scam callers is available from the App Store. It gives free features like Scam ID with more features available for purchase in the premium version.
Having Scam Shield premium installed and enabled is required to block particular numbers and modify your block list.
- The Scam Shield app is available for download from the Google Play Store.
- Open the Scam Shield app and select the Manage tab from the drop-down menu.
- The Manage tab will appear once you’ve selected Block, Allow, or Send to Voicemail from the menu bar. Select Block from the drop-down menu to see the contacts on that list.
- Press the + sign to add a new contact to your block list, and then tap OK to finish entering your information in the field.
9. Call Blocking on Verizon
Verizon gives you the option to block numbers, but just for 90 days and only up to 5 digits for free. After this period, these blocks must be re-applied after that time. The Verizon Smart Family Plan, which allows you to ban more numbers for a more extended period, is required if you wish to do so.
Verizon Smart Family costs $4.99. Depending on your preferences, you can block messages and calls from up to 20 different numbers, both international and domestic. You can also ban numbers that are secret or restricted. Depending on your preferences, data, messages, and calls can all be limited at specific periods.
It is how to prevent a phone number from leaving a voicemail on a Samsung phone connected to Verizon:
- Log in to your My Verizon account using a web browser on your computer.
- Click on the account then My Plan followed by Blocks to view your blocked list configurations from the home screen.
- Please select the desired phone number by clicking on it.
- After that, choose Block calls and texts and enter the mobile number you wish to block in the number field that appears.
If you desire to track why you banned a phone number, make a note in the Memo section. In addition, you have the option of applying the Block to all eligible lines on this account, which will prohibit it from calling you with another number on the same account.
When you’re finished, click the Save button to close the window. You have now successfully prevented a phone number from leaving a voicemail message using Verizon.
10. Call Blocking on AT&T
It is possible to get call protection services through the AT&T Call Protect app, which is free (with a premium option available). A Spam Risk function detects and automatically stops calls considered spam risk to automatically send calls to the voicemail from folks not in your address book.
Using AT&T Call Protect, you can prevent a certain number from leaving a voicemail on your Samsung phone. Here’s how:
1. The AT&T Call Protect app is available for download from the Google Play Store.
2. Open the app and select Block from the drop-down menu.
3. To add or remove items from your My Block List, select +/Add from the drop-down menu.
4. Once you’ve completed this, you’ll get presented with several options:
- Enter a phone number.
- Choose from a list of contacts.
- Choose from your Call Protect call history.
5. Select “input a number” from the drop-down menu, enter the phone number you wish to block, and then touch OK.
As a result of utilizing AT&T Call Protect, you have successfully banned a phone number.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, a blocked phone number can leave a voicemail message on your phone. All is not lost, though. Instead of dealing with voicemails manually, you may utilize applications to do so. The applications are usually third-party programs, and they can mark banned phone numbers as spam, preventing them from sending you voicemails. Many individuals are unaware that you may request that your service provider deny specific phone numbers or silence your voicemail.