If your phone buzzes with yet another message about a package you didn’t order or a prize you didn’t win, you’re not alone. Spam texts have become as common as spam calls, and they’re just as annoying. The good news is that you don’t need to be a tech expert to make them stop.
Here’s what most people don’t realize: blocking spam texts isn’t about finding one magic solution. It’s more like locking your front door and your back door at the same time. You need to use a couple of different tools together, and they’re all pretty simple once you know where to find them.
Your phone already has built-in features that can filter out a lot of junk messages. Your cell phone carrier has tools too, and they’re often free. When you use both together, you create a much stronger shield against spam. Think of it like having both a spam filter in your email and an antivirus program on your computer. Each one catches things the other might miss.
The process usually takes about ten minutes total, maybe less if you’re quick. You’ll set up some filters on your phone, turn on protection through your carrier, and learn how to report the spam that sneaks through. Once everything is in place, most of that junk will disappear. You might still get the occasional spam text, but it’ll be rare instead of constant.
Let’s walk through exactly how to do this, step by step.
Know what kind of spam texts you’re getting
Before you can block spam texts effectively, it helps to know what you’re dealing with. Most spam messages follow a few predictable patterns. You’ll see fake delivery notifications claiming a package is waiting for you. You’ll get phony bank alerts warning that your account has been compromised. There are the classic “free gift” messages promising prizes you never entered to win. And lately, sketchy job offers and wrong-number texts that try to start a conversation are everywhere.
What do these all have in common? They create urgency. They want you to act fast without thinking. They almost always include a suspicious link or ask you to reply. The URLs often look weird, with random letters or misspelled company names. If a text is pushing you to click or respond right away, that’s your first red flag.
Not everything annoying is true spam, though. Political fundraising texts are legal and technically not spam, even if they feel like it. Messages from businesses you’ve actually used before, like appointment reminders or shipping updates, are legitimate too. The difference is whether you had some prior relationship with the sender, even if you don’t remember signing up for texts.
You might also notice that some spam comes from regular phone numbers, while others arrive from short codes (those five or six digit numbers) or even email addresses that got converted to texts. These different sources matter because you’ll need slightly different tactics to block each type. But the good news is that once you recognize the pattern, stopping them becomes much easier.
Use your phone’s built-in spam filters and blocking tools
Your phone already has tools to fight spam texts, and they’re easier to use than you might think. You don’t need to download anything new or pay for extra services. Both iPhones and Android phones let you block senders and report junk right from your messaging app.
When a spam text arrives, tap on the message to open it. Look for the sender’s name or number at the top of the conversation. On most phones, tapping that name or number brings up a menu where you can block the sender. Once blocked, they won’t be able to text or call you again. You’ll usually see an option to report the message as junk or spam at the same time, which helps your phone learn what to filter out.
Beyond blocking individual senders, you can turn on filtering that sorts messages from unknown people into a separate folder. This keeps texts from anyone not in your contacts out of your main inbox. You’ll still receive them, but they won’t buzz your phone or clutter your primary messages. The exact wording varies, but look for settings like “filter unknown senders” or “block unknown contacts” in your messaging app’s settings menu.
If spam is relentless and you need immediate relief, consider muting conversations temporarily or turning off message previews on your lock screen. Muting stops notifications without deleting anything. Hiding previews means you won’t see the content of incoming texts until you unlock your phone and open the app, which can reduce the stress of constant spam appearing on your screen throughout the day.
Turn on your carrier’s spam protection features
Your phone company probably has spam blocking tools already built in. Most people don’t know these exist or forget to turn them on. These features work at the network level, meaning they can stop spam texts before they ever reach your phone.
Look for settings with names like spam protection, scam shield, or message filtering. You’ll usually find them in your carrier’s mobile app or by logging into your account on their website. Some carriers turn on basic protection automatically, but others require you to opt in.
Once activated, these tools do two main things. First, they block texts from known spam sources based on patterns the carrier has identified across its entire network. Second, they add warning labels to suspicious messages that do get through, so you know not to click any links or respond.
Many carrier apps also make it easier to report spam directly. When you flag a message, you’re helping the system learn and protect other customers too. Some apps even let you review blocked messages in a separate folder, just in case something legitimate got caught by mistake.
That brings up the one trade-off worth knowing about. These filters occasionally flag real messages as spam, though it doesn’t happen often. If you’re expecting an important text with a verification code or appointment reminder and it doesn’t arrive, check your carrier app for a spam or blocked messages section.
Carrier-level protection won’t catch everything, but it’s a solid first line of defense. And since it’s usually free with your plan, there’s no reason not to switch it on.
Report spam texts in a way that actually helps
Reporting spam texts might feel pointless when your phone keeps buzzing with junk. But here’s the thing: reporting actually works over time. It helps your carrier identify spammers, trains your phone’s spam filters, and protects other people from getting the same garbage.
The easiest way to report is right inside your messaging app. On most phones, you can tap and hold a spam message, then look for an option like “Report junk” or “Report spam.” This takes two seconds and feeds useful information directly to your phone’s built-in filter. Do this every time you get spam, even if it feels repetitive.
If your carrier offers it, forward the spam text to 7726 (which spells SPAM on your keypad). Most major carriers use this short code to collect spam reports. Just forward the message as-is, then follow any reply instructions they send back. They might ask for the sender’s number, which you can copy and send in a second text.
When you report, the details that matter are the sender’s number or short code, any links in the message, and roughly when you received it. Your carrier can trace patterns and block bad actors faster when they have this information. What you should never do is click any links in the spam text or reply to the message. Clicking tells spammers your number is active, and replying just confirms you’re a real person.
Don’t expect instant results. Reporting won’t stop the current flood of spam immediately, but it builds up defenses that make a real difference over weeks and months. Think of it as helping future you and everyone else on the network.
Reduce the ways spammers get your number in the first place
The best way to block spam texts is to never receive them at all. That sounds obvious, but most of us hand out our phone numbers without thinking twice. Every time you enter your number on a website or sign up for a store discount, there’s a chance it ends up in the wrong hands.
Start by being pickier about where your number goes. Avoid posting it publicly on social media, online marketplaces, or business directories. Spammers use automated tools to scrape numbers from public pages, and once you’re on their list, the messages multiply fast.
When a website asks for your phone number, pause and ask yourself if they really need it. Many online forms and giveaways sell your information to marketing companies, even if they promise they won’t. If the site feels sketchy or you’ve never heard of the company, skip it entirely.
For situations where you do need to share a number, consider using an alternate one. Free apps and services let you create a second phone number that forwards to your real one. Use that disposable number for online orders, loyalty programs, or any sign-up that feels risky. If it starts getting spammed, you can simply abandon it.
Even legitimate businesses can be a problem. When you sign up for text alerts or promotional messages, you’re technically giving them permission. Read those tiny checkboxes carefully before hitting submit. If you’re already getting marketing texts you don’t want, reply STOP. Real companies are required to honor that request immediately.
Data breaches happen too, and there’s not much you can do about them. But you can limit the damage by not reusing the same number across dozens of accounts. The fewer places that have it, the fewer paths it has to leak out.
