How To Block Restricted Calls On Android And iPhone

block restricted calls on android

Almost every mobile phone user would have received a restricted phone call. Unwanted calls can clog up a phone line. On top of that, some unwanted calls can be harassment or a scam. 

If you have also been receiving some restricted calls lately, this article will help you. In this article, you will learn how to block restricted calls.

Solutions to Block Restricted Calls on Android and iPhone

How to Block Restricted Calls on Android?

  1. Block Calls on Pixel
  2. Block Calls on Samsung
  3. Block Calls on Xiaomi
  4. Third-Party Apps for Blocking Restricted Calls

How to Block Restricted Calls on iPhone?

  1. Silence Unknown Calls
  2. Block Restricted Calls With Do Not Disturb
  3. Block Restricted Calls From Phone App

Other Solutions

  1. Contact the National Do Not Call Registry
  2. Contact Mobile Phone Provider

What Are Restricted Calls?

A restricted call is an incoming call whose caller ID is hidden; therefore, you can’t identify them. In a restricted call, Unknown/Private/Restricted is usually displayed in the place of the caller’s name.

Most of the time, these calls come from scammers. They use a restricted number because you cannot call them back or get any information about them. Government agencies sometimes also use a restricted number for the same reason.

How to Block Restricted Calls on Android?

The process for blocking Unknown and Restricted calls on Android is mostly the same for all Android devices. However, you might see some slight changes in steps depending on the manufacturer and the cell phone model you’re using.

1. Block Calls on Samsung

If you own a Samsung phone, you can follow the below-mentioned steps to block restricted calls on your phone. 

  • Launch the Phone app on your phone from the home screen.
  • Press the three dots (A menu will open with multiple options).
  • Tap on Settings.
Phone settings
  • Select the Block numbers option.
  • Tap the toggle switch in front of Block unknown/private numbers to block restricted calls.
Block Unknown numbers

2. Block Calls on Pixel

If you have a google pixel phone, the process for blocking restricted calls is straightforward. If you have a google phone app installed on your phone, you can also use the same process. Here are the steps you need to follow:

  • Open the Phone app by tapping the phone icon on your Home Screen.
  • Press the three dots at the top-right corner and select Settings from the options displayed.
  • Tap on Blocked Numbers.
  • Enable the Unknown option.

Now your device will automatically prevent any restricted call from appearing on your device.

3. Block Calls on Xiaomi

If you have a Xiaomi smartphone, you can follow these steps:

  • Open the Phone app by pressing the phone icon on the home screen.
  • Tap on the three dots to open the phone options.
  • Select Settings from those options.
  • Press on Blocked Numbers.
  • Tap the Unknown option to flip the toggle button in front of it.

4. Third-Party Applications for Blocking Restricted Calls

If for some reason, you cannot use the official method, you can also use some third-party apps to block restricted numbers.

Truecaller

This is one of the most popular blocking apps in the world with caller ID; what it does is that it shows you the caller ID for every call that you receive, whether you have the number saved or not. You can also use it to block restricted calls, so you never receive them again. To block restricted calls on Truecaller, here are the steps you need to follow:

  • Install the Truecaller app on your phone.
  • Open the app.
  • Press on the three horizontal lines on the top-left corner of the screen to open the menu.
  • Tap on Settings.
  • Now select Block.
  • Enable the toggle in front of Block hidden numbers.

Hiya Caller Blocker App

Hiya caller is an excellent third-party app for blocking Restricted calls. Follow these steps to block restricted calls with Hiya Caller Blocker App:

  • Install the Hiya caller Blocker app on your phone 
  • Once the installation process is complete, launch the app.
  • After allowing the app the permissions it needs, go to settings in the bottom right corner of the main menu.
Call settings
  • Then go to call settings.
Calls from a private number
Block calls
  • You can even block a specific number by heading towards the block list on the bottom left and adding the number you want to block there.

Verizon Smart Family App

If you have the Verizon Smart Family plan, you can use the app to block restricted phone calls. Follow these steps to block calls on the Verizon smart family app:

  • Log in to your account.
  • Tap on the Account button.
  • Now press on Apps & add-ons.
  • Select Family.
  • Choose the phone number you want to block.
  • Select Limits & Controls.
  • Tap on Contact.
  • After this, open the Blocked Contacts tab.
  • Checkmark the Block restricted, unavailable, and private numbers option.

No doubt this is an excellent method for blocking restricted calls, but it should only be considered if you already have a Verizon smart family plan.

Call Blocker App

Call Blocker App is also an excellent solution for blocking restricted calls. Pus it also offers some additional features that can be useful. To block calls with the Call Blocker app, follow these steps:

  • Install the Call Blocker App and open it when the installation is complete.
  • Go to the settings option on the top right corner and enable Call Blocking.
  • After this, go ahead and enable Block private numbers.
Call blocking

You can even block everyone except your contacts with this app, but that isn’t recommended for emergency reasons. This app can automatically transfer blocked numbers to voice mail if you want.

How to Block Restricted Calls on iPhone?

Blocking a specific number on iPhone is very easy; however, you cannot directly block restricted numbers on iPhone. Luckily, there are some features on iPhone that you can use to prevent yourself from being disturbed by a restricted call.

Silence Unknown Calls

If you have the iOS 13 or newer version on your iPhone, you can use the silence unknown calls feature to send unknown calls directly to voice mail. This feature won’t block the unknown numbers, and you will be able to see them in the call log as well.

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap on Phone.
Phone
  • Please scroll down to Silence Unknown Callers and select it.
Silence Unknown calls
  • Tap on the toggle to enable this feature.
Silence Unknown calls enabled

Block Restricted Calls With Do Not Disturb

If you have an older version of iOS, you can use the Do Not Disturb mode to send unknown calls directly to your voice mail. Again this feature won’t block the numbers; it would just prevent them from disturbing you and ruining your day. Follow these steps to enable Do Not Disturb mode on iPhone:

  • Launch the Settings app.
  • Tap on Focus and go to the Do Not Disturb option.
Do not Disturb Option
  • Now select People.
  • Add contacts from whom you want to keep receiving calls.
Add contacts
  • Press the back button to go to the previous page and enable Do Not Disturb from the top.

You will now only receive calls from your contacts, while the rest will be transferred to voice mail.

Block Restricted Calls From Phone App

If you’re only being disturbed by a single number, you can block it to stop receiving calls from there. Follow the steps mentioned below to block a contact on your iPhone:

  • Open the app by tapping on the phone icon on your Home Screen.
  • GO to the Recents tab to see your phone’s latest incoming and outgoing calls.
  • Tap the info icon for the incoming call entry of the restricted number you’re trying to block.
Info
  • Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select Block this caller.
Block number
  • A pop-up will appear; press Block Contact to confirm your action.

Even if there are multiple numbers, you can block them using the same process.

Other Solutions

If you can’t use any of the above solutions for whatever reason, you can try the below-mentioned solutions to block a restricted phone number on your phone permanently. These solutions work for all types of phones.

Contact Mobile Phone Provider

Your Mobile phone providers can also help you block restricted phone numbers on your mobile phone. Go to their official website and contact the support manager, tell them about the situation, and ask if they can block restricted numbers on your phone. They may charge you for this service; however, your problem will be solved.

Contact the National Do Not Call Registry

The national Do Not Call Registry is an organization that protects people from annoying sales and spam calls. They will help you for free, but there is a catch. After this call, you will receive calls from political groups, charities, and other businesses that might be scams.

Conclusion

The process for blocking unknown/restricted numbers in Android and iOS is very simple. However, there are slight differences depending on the model and manufacturer of your mobile. All Android phones have a Block Unkown Numbers option. Besides this, you can also use some third-party apps to do the same.

On the other hand, iPhones have no direct way to block Unknown calls. But there are some alternative methods that you can use to send the unknown numbers to voicemail, or you can block the number from where you are receiving phone calls.

FAQs

How Do You Find Out Who Called You From A Restricted Number?

You can ask your mobile phone service company for call tracing. After this, the next time you get called by a restricted number, dial *57 after receiving it, and you will be able to access the number if it is in your local calling area.

Can You Call Back A Restricted Number?

Yes! You can call back a restricted phone number by dialing your country’s call return code which is usually *69.

Why Am I Unable To Make Calls On My Phone?

If you cannot make a phone call, it’s probably because your phone doesn’t have signals. A quick solution that works most of the time is to turn on your airplane mode for a few seconds and then turn it off again and try making a phone call.

How Can I Turn Off Call Restrictions On Android?

To turn off call restriction on your Android, follow these steps:
– Open the Phone app on your Android phone by tapping the app icon on the home screen.
– Press the three dots (A menu will drop down with multiple options).
– Select Settings.
– Tap on the Block numbers option.
– Press the toggle in front of the Block unknown/private numbers to disable it.
If you use an app to block restricted calls, you can delete it to turn off call restrictions.