Android: Block Text Messages From Specific Person

Mitch Bartlett Comments (23)
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You can block text messages from a specific number or contact on your Android device with a third-party solution. Just follow these steps.

Blocking Text Messages

Option 1

Note: These steps are for the stock “Messages” app included with Android 7. Some carriers may include a different app for messaging.

  1. Open “Messages“.
  2. Press the “Menu”  icon located at the upper-right corner.
  3. Select “Blocked contacts“.
  4. Tap “Add a number” to add a number you wish to block.
  5. If you ever wish to remove a number from the blacklist, return to the Blocked contacts screen, and select the “X” next to the number.

Owners of the numbers you have blocked will not receive any type of notification that they have been blocked. You would have to use an app like SwiftReply, mentioned below.

Option 2

If your messaging app does not offer a Blacklist option, use Handcent.

  1. Download and install Handcent SMS for your text messaging needs. It’s available in the Google Play store.
  2. Since you’ll be using Handcent for text messaging, disable the notifications for your current text messaging app. Otherwise, you’ll get double notifications for text messages.
  3. Open Handcent then select the menu at the upper left corner of the screen, and switch from “Inbox” to “More“.
  4. Choose “Settings“.
  5. Scroll down and select “Manage blacklist“.
  6. Tap the plus (+) icon to add the phone number you wish to block. You can choose one from your contacts, call logs, or input the number directly.

Now all of the text messages from that person will be blocked and not visible in the Handcent app. You won’t get notifications you’ve received a message from the person either. If you ever want to unblock the person, return to the “Manage blacklist” screen, tap it, then select “Unblacklist“.

Some users have reported that the app “Private Space” works well for them.

Sending an Automatic Reply Using SwiftReply

If you want to let a person know they have been blocked, you will need to download an app that will automatically reply to text messages. I recommend SMS Auto Reply. The app will allow you to setup an auto reply for specific Contacts.

Author Mitch Bartlett

Through my career that spans over 20 years I have become an expert in Microsoft Systems Administration, Android, and macOS. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful knowledgebase for everyone.

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Comments

  1. what about someone texting from an email account. No phone number to select. When I try to add the email address, the phone tells me the “number” is not valid…

  2. I blocked someone then deleted the number ompletely from my phone includeing block list then got the number again . I can recieve there calls ok but cannot get any txt msgs from them. there is no setting for unblocking txts msgs in my phone. ive called o2 twice and both times they have cut me off. also cant get into email address either

  3. I need to know how to block a phone number from texting me and calling me but don’t want the text message I have to be deleted what should I do I have a Cricket LG fortune 3 phone any suggestions

  4. I receive massages from betway and other companies to my dislike. The goe with just the name there is no phone number .
    How can I bolck these massages

  6. Tried all options from fellow users (thanks).But simply can’t block a certain bloody nuisance messager..Sick of trying.!!!

  9. i have a scammer who keep texting from 2 different numbers. i was able to block but not the other. anh idea? i do not have the block or black list option.

  10. Is there a way to block just picture message and phone calls. But still receive regular text me6

  11. On messenger someone has added me to a list, the origin of the list is from an smary2383@gmail at the bottom of the list…there are mechanisms to block the phone numbers on this list but not the email address …what can I use to block this email address from messenger

  14. Ridiculous that Android does not have a simple way to block texts but not calls from a specific contact. This single issue is about to cause me to change to apple. Its just dumb and there is no plausible reason for it.

  15. Some web driven SMS can’t be blocked
    There must be way out

  16. Seems like on Android there is no way to block only texts and still allow calls from a specific number. Third party apps either suck or are sketchy. Really frustrating, why is this so difficult? I don’t want to recieve texts from my ex but I need to recieve calls in case of an emergency with our child.

  17. I want to block self or specific people from a group text chat I am in, but not everyone I want to block in the group chat text

  20. there are bars to the top left of screen with a menu but no blocking selection. It is very easy to block calls but not texts

  22. Nope it didn’t help. The reason it didn’t help is, it did not address the issue of being on a group text. As far as I can tell, when you are included on a group text, in the Handcent app, you can not Blacklist just one of the numbers in the group text. Maybe this is design problem with the app itself or no one ever had this issue.

  23. I can’t receive messages from my chorus. I can receive individual messages just not group messages. I am using a Samsung galaxy 8. I have checked spam filters.and blocked texts. Nothing in there. Any suggestions of where to look? Thank you, Sandi

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