How to Block and Unblock Contacts on iPhone? [4 Effective Methods]

Few instances when we wanted to block someone but could not find the means to do it. Otherwise, blocked some important contacts, and regretted it soon after? Let’s see how to block and unblock contacts on iPhone 14 or iPhone 13.

I have had to block quite a few contacts in the past. They were both known and unknown contacts. And the reasons could vary from spamming to losing touch with the person. But the catch here is that I also had to unblock some contacts later on.

Although, it became quite difficult to search for the unblock feature on my iPhone. Indeed, after much exploration, I found the exact functions needed to unblock any contact on our iPhone.

Note: For screenshot purposes, I have used iPhone 13. However, the same guidelines will be applicable on iPhone 14 as well as they aren’t much different from on another.

For starters, four applications can be directly configured within the settings on iPhone. Such as phone, messages, email, and FaceTime. Let’s have a look at this.

How to block and unblock contacts in iPhone Messages
How to block and unblock contacts in iPhone
How to block and unblock emails on iPhone
How to block and unblock contacts on iPhone FaceTime

Table of Contents

1. Block and Unblock Contacts in iPhone Messages

First and foremost, I would like to show you how to block and unblock messages on your iPhone. With prominent images and steps, I hope it will be easy for you to follow.

iPhone Messages App

Let’s see how to block messages directly from the iPhone messages app first.

Block Messages:

Open Messages app and tap on a message that needs to be blocked.

Now, tap on the profile image icon on top of the message on our iPhone.
A new page will open. Click on info.

Next, the option Block this caller will be visible to us. Press on that to block the messages of that particular contact on the iPhone.

Unblock Messages:

Go to the Messages app. Tap on a message that needs to be unblocked on iPhone.

Now, tap on the profile image icon on top of the message.
A new page will open. Click on info.

Next, the option Unblock this caller will be visible to us. Press on that to unblock the messages of that particular contact.

Doing this will prevent the messages from getting delivered to our iPhones. Or rather we’ll start receiving the messages again.

iOS Messages Settings in iPhone

Another way to block or unblock messages is changing from the iOS settings on iPhone.

Block Messages:

Open Settings > Messages.

Now, scroll to find Blocked Contacts. Tap on it.
On the next page, we can now see that we have the option to Add New contacts to the block list on iPhone. Click on it.

block messages in iPhone 13 pro settings

Next, select the contact to be added to the block list. It’ll be added and seen as a picture below on our iPhone.

Unblock Messages:

Open Settings > Messages.

Now, scroll to find Blocked Contacts. Tap on it.
On the next page, we can see the block numbers that we have previously added on our iPhones.
Further, click on Edit.

This time tap on the red minus icon beside the contacts.
The Unblock option will emerge beside the contact. Click on it to unblock the contact on our iPhones.
Lastly, click on Done.

Filter Messages as Unknown and Spam:

Open Settings > Messages.

Again, scroll down and tap on Unknown & Spam. Few options available are:
- Filter Unknown Senders – This feature filters messages of the numbers in a separate list on our iPhones that are not saved.
- None – Will not sort messages in any category.
- SMS Filter – This option will categorize the messages into spam and normal categories. Moreover, we will not receive notifications for those spam messages as well on the iPhone.

Thus, this extra point does provide an extra step of prevention against receiving spam messages from people. So, this is how we can block and unblock messages on iPhones.

2. Block and Unblock Contacts in iPhone

In addition to this, we also receive calls such as spam calls and calls from the wrong numbers on iPhone. And this leads to disturbance and annoyance. So, this topic will lead to clearing out the doubts on how to block contacts on iPhone.

Moreover, certain times we also end up blocking someone that we didn’t want to in the first place. For that, I’ve also explained the steps to unblock a number.

Using Phone App on iPhone

Moving on, these steps can be implemented directly on the phone app on iPhone.

Block Contacts Through Recents:

Meanwhile, we sometimes forget to save few contacts, so we get worried if we’ll be able to block that number. But we can block both saved and unsaved numbers from recents in phone app on our iPhones. Read on to know.

Open Phone app on iPhone. Go to Recents.
Now, click on the “i” icon beside the number that needs to be blocked. It can be a saved contact or an unknown number as well on our iPhones.

Again, scroll down and tap on the Block this Caller option.

Unblock Contacts Through Recents:

Open the Phone app on iPhone. Go to Recents.
Now, click on the “i” icon beside the saved or unsaved number that needs to be unblocked in an iPhone.

Further, scroll down and press the Unblock this Caller option.

Block Through Contacts:

Here, the user can only block saved contact in iPhone.

Open the Phone app on iPhone. Go to Contacts.

Scroll and tap open the contact detail that needs blocking in an iPhone.
Again, scroll down and tap on the Block this Caller option. Thus, the caller gets blocked.

Unblock Through Contacts:

Now, go to Phone app on iPhone.
Tap on Contacts. Scroll and click open the contact detail that needs to be unblocked on iPhone.

Again, scroll down and press the Unblock this Caller option. Thus, the caller gets unblocked.

Sometimes blocking certain numbers means a loss for us. So, we also have the option to unblock them on iPhones.

iOS Phone Settings in iPhone

Conversely, there’s another way to block and unblock contacts on iPhone.

Block Contacts:

First, open Settings > Phone.

Scroll down and open Blocked Contacts on an iPhone.
On the next page, we can notice the Add New alternative. Click on that.
Select the contacts from the contact list to be added. This allows us to add the contacts to the block list.

Unblock Contacts:

Likewise, open Settings > Phone.

Again, scroll down and open Blocked Contacts.
On the next page, we can notice the blocked contact list on iPhone.
Further, tap on Edit.

A red minus sign will appear beside the contact list.
Tap on the red sign for the contacts that need unblocking on your iPhones.
An unblock sign will emerge for respective contacts. Press on it.
Finally, click on Done after eliminating the preferred numbers from the block list.

Therefore, eventually, we unblock the chosen contacts with these steps.

3. Block and Unblock Emails on iPhone

Coincidentally, emails are an additional path for people to hinder our perfect social presence by spamming our inboxes with unnecessary emails. Fortunately, there is a way to stop this on our iPhones. It gets evident after reading the guidelines below.

Using Mail App on iPhone

Firstly, we’ll try to block and unblock emails through the email app on iPhone.

Block Using Mail App:

For starters, open the Mail app.
Now, open any email which we would want to block on iPhone.

Moving on, click on the sender’s email ID and it’ll move to a new page.
Here, a list of functions will pop up. Click on Block this Contact.

block email using mail app in iPhone 13 pro max

The email ID will immediately get blocked on iPhone.

Unblock Using Mail App:

Similarly, open the Mail app on your iPhone.

Now, open a previously blocked email ID to be unblocked.
Moving on, click on the sender’s email ID and it’ll move to a new page.
Here, a list of functions will pop up. Click on Unblock this Contact.

The email-ID will immediately get unblocked on iPhone.

iOS Mail Settings on iPhone

Additionally, we can configure this through the iOS settings as well. Moreover, there is an added point about a feature that lets us decide what to do with the blocked emails in iPhone settings.

Block Email-ID:

At the beginning, open Settings > Mail.

Now, scroll down and tap open Blocked.
Then click on Add New and choose the contact whose emails you don’t want to receive any longer on your iPhones.

Unblock Email-ID:

In the beginning, open Settings > Mail.

Now, scroll down and tap open Blocked.
Then click on Edit and choose the contact whose emails you don’t want to receive any longer on your iPhone.

A red minus sign will appear beside the contact list.
Tap on the red sign for all the contacts that need unblocking in an iPhone.
An unblock sign will emerge for respective contacts. Press on it.
Finally, click on Done after eliminating the preferred numbers from the block list.

Blocked Sender Options:

Click on Blocked Sender Options in the settings of Mail on iPhone. The available are as follows:
- Mark Blocked Senders – The blocked email IDs will be marked as blocked for user visibility on iPhone.
- Leave in Inbox – If this is chosen then the blocked emails remain in the inbox section of the Mail app on iPhone.
- Move to Bin – This ensures that emails from the blocked contacts are added to the bin in the Mail app.

Apart from the usual features, the blocked sender option does give us the freedom to do as we wish with the blocked email ID on our iPhone.

4. Block and Unblock Contacts on iPhone FaceTime

Lastly, the user also has the chance to block contacts on FaceTime. Once this is done you won’t receive video calls on your iPhone from that specific contact anymore.

Block Contacts on FaceTime:

First, open Settings > FaceTime.

Again, browse through the settings and find Blocked Contacts.
Further, click on Blocked Contacts.
Then click on Add New. A contact list will pop up on the iPhone.

block contact on FaceTime settings on iPhone 13

Choose the contact whose video calls you don’t want to receive any longer.
Thus, those contacts will finally get added to the block list.

Unblock Contacts on FaceTime:

Similarly, Go to Settings > FaceTime.

Glance at the functions and open Blocked Contacts.
A list of blocked contacts will be visible on your iPhone.

Click on Edit on the top right side of the iPhone.
Now, a red minus sign will appear beside the entire list.
Click on the sign beside the contacts you want to remove from the block list.
Once the signs are tapped, an unblock option slides up. Press that.
Then click Done on your iPhones.

The contacts are immediately removed from the block list.

Summing Up

As predicted, to unblock a contact we need to first block them on iPhone. And this article demonstrates the exact steps to follow. With a few additional tips this article might just make your lives easier.

Starting from calls to emails, everything is well explained with elaborated guidelines. Coming to end, hope this article helps you figure out the settings to block and unblock contacts on iPhone.