How to Stop Unwanted Texts on an iPhone

This article provides methods to stop unwanted texts on an iPhone. These instructions apply to the iPhone's built-in Messages app and not third-party tools.

How to Stop Unwanted Political Text Messages on an iPhone

Once political groups or campaigns have your phone number, it's very hard to stop unwanted political text messages. That's because organizations share supporters' numbers with each other (or even sell them). The best you can do is to opt out of these texts when you get them to take you off of a group or campaign list. However, this option won't stop others who have your number.

Most of these texts tell you at the end of the message how to stop receiving them. The most common responses to stop unwanted political texts are Stop, Opt-Out, Unsubscribe, Cancel, or Quit.

Reply to the message with the suggested option—if there isn't one, Stop is the best thing to try—and you should be unsubscribed.

How to Block Text Messages on iPhone

No matter how many unwanted texts you're getting, we've got good news: it's easy to block text messages on iPhone. Here's how to use the free, simple built-in feature:

1. In Messages, tap a text from the sender you want to block.

2. Tap the sender's icon at the top.

3. Select Info.

4. Tap Block Caller.

5. In the confirmation pop up, tap Block Contact.

How to Stop Unwanted Text Messages on iPhone By Filtering Unknown Senders

For various reasons, you may not want to delete every text from an unknown number or person. For instance, you can miss order and appointment confirmation texts if you do. In that case, your iPhone can automatically file texts from unknown senders into a separate folder so you can review them when you have time without them cluttering up your main inbox.

Here's what to do:

1. Tap Settings.

2. Tap Messages.

3. Move the Filter Unknown Senders slider to on/green.

4. To see your filtered text messages, tap the arrow in the top left-corner until you get to the main Messages screen.

5. Tap Unknown Senders to view all texts from numbers not in your contacts.

How to Stop Unwanted Group Texts on an iPhone

If you're in a group text that's just too chatty, you can silence notifications of messages or leave the group entirely by following these steps

1. In the group text, tap the name of the group text or the icons of the people in it at the top of the screen.

2. To stay in the group text without receiving notifications when new messages come in, move the Hide Alerts slider to on/green.

3. To completely leave the group text, there are two paths.

   If there is a mix of iPhones and Android phones in that chat (you'll know because the message bubbles will be green), tap Delete and Block this Conversation, and then tap the confirmation pop-up.

   If everyone has an iPhone (blue message bubbles) and the chat has more than three other people in it, tap Leave This Conversation and then tap the confirmation pop-up.

Block Texts With the Do Not Call Registry

Another place to stop annoying communications to your phone is the National Do Not Call Registry. This government program attempts to enforce your preference to not get unwanted calls from marketers and other potential annoyances in the United States.

It doesn't block calls, and it only works for businesses that follow the law—also, the registry is technically for phone calls, not texts—but it's free, quick, easy, and could help reduce unwanted texts.