Blocked Messages and How To Retrieve Them

[Updated  December 2025]

This post has been refreshed to reflect important changes in the messaging landscape, including Apple’s iOS 26 update (which filters messages from unknown senders into a hidden inbox), and the growing importance of contact card saves to ensure deliverability and compliance.

If someone texts you without your consent, you can prevent them from contacting you again. That option is called “Blocking.” Blocking someone makes it so that you won’t receive their messages even if they do text you. This can offer peace of mind when you don’t want to be contacted by someone (or a brand) for any reason. 

However, there are circumstances where retrieving those blocked messages may be important. For example, if you blocked a number by mistake, or if you change your mind eventually, recovering those could come in handy. While there aren’t always easy ways to retrieve blocked messages, it is sometimes possible. 

Here is how blocking works in terms of text messaging and how you can go about trying to retrieve them. Not all phones allow this, but here are the best things you can do to try.

‍What is Message Blocking?

Fundamentally, message blocking in a smartphone refers to a feature that allows the user to simply not receive messages from certain numbers. It’s very helpful for enabling people to have peace of mind, without the intrusion of numbers they don’t want to hear from. It blocks both text messages and calls, so the person who is doing the blocking will be able to rid themselves of unwanted contact entirely.

Generally, the blocked sender won’t have any idea that they are blocked, other than their messages aren’t going through and aren’t responded to. While it can be confusing for the blocked person, your comfort and safety is far more important.

Blocking is also an effective way to protect yourself  from scammers or spam. These senders often flood inboxes with high volumes of texts or include suspicious links. Blocking them stops future messages and is a simple step that can save you time, frustration, and potential risk down the line. 

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How Community Leaders can Block Numbers

On Community, blocking works similarly. In the Campaigns tab, locate and click on the member you’d like to block and open their profile. Scroll to the bottom of the right panel, and select the “Block” option. This will make it so that that person can no longer send or receive messages. 

The Member will not receive an unsubscribe message, but they will show up as being blocked in the Leader’s Community app. This person will not be able to rejoin the Community they were blocked from.

However, the Member might still be subscribed to other Community phone numbers they’ve texted, and they can still join other Communities.

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How To Block Text Messages

Blocking text messages is generally very easy to do. There are unique ways to do it with both iPhones and Androids, even though the general concepts behind doing it are very similar. 

On iPhone, follow these steps to block text messages: 

1. Open up the Messages app, and then open the text message thread from the contact or number you want to block.
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2. Tap the contact or phone number at the top of the screen, and scroll down to the bottom to tap the “Block Contact” option.
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3. After this, a pop-up will show up to confirm that you want to block that caller. Select “Block Contact.”
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4. The caller will now be unable to text, call, or FaceTime you. 

On Android, follow these steps to block text messages: 

1. Open up the Messages app, and then open the text message thread from the contact or number you want to block.
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2. Locate the three-dot menu at the top right corner of the screen, press it, and then select “Details.”
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3. On this details page, press “Block and Report Spam.”
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4. A pop-up window will appear, double-checking that you want to block them. It will also ask if you want to report this number or contact it as spam. Select what you want to do, and then press okay.
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5. The number will now be blocked from your phone and will be unable to call or text you. 

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How To Retrieve Blocked Messages

When it comes to retrieving your blocked messages, the methods vary between iPhone and Android due to the different ways they deal with blocked messages. 

Android phones move all blocked messages into a folder on the phone called “Spam and Blocked.” That means that the phone is still collecting messages from the blocked people; they just aren’t notifying you. 

For Android phones, this is how you can retrieve blocked messages: 

1. Open the Messages app and click the three dots on the top right corner of the screen.
   
   
2. From that drop-down menu, choose “Settings.” From there, tap on “Block numbers and messages.” From there, go to “Blocked messages.”
   
   
3. From there, all of your blocked text threads will be there.
   
   
4. To retrieve a message thread with all of its messages, press and hold on to the conversation. After that, it will highlight the conversation.
   
   
5. With the highlighted messages, three dots will appear at the top right corner of the screen. Tap those dots.
   
   
6. A drop-down menu will appear. Select the option “Restore.”
   
   
7. Your messages will now be retrieved, and this number will be able to call and text you again. The messages sent while the number was blocked will be in the Messages app, just like a regular thread. 

1. Open the Messages app and click the menu on the top right corner. 
   
   
2. Select “Unknown Senders” to view all filtered messages.
   
   
3. Click the messages you’d like to retrieve and then tap the “Mark as Known” option.
   
   
4. Tap the top right menu again to go back to “Messages” and confirm that the retrieved message was moved to the main inbox.

If you want to ensure that you will still receive messages from a certain number, the best option is to unblock it. You won’t receive previously sent messages, but you will be able to receive future  messages.
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Here is how to unblock numbers on an iPhone: 

1. Open up the Settings app, and go down to the “Apps” settings location. From there, scroll down to “Messages” and find the “Blocked Contacts” option.
   
   
2. This will show you a list of all the contacts that your phone has blocked. On the top right corner of the screen, select the “Edit” button.
   
   
3. This will add a red button next to all of the contacts. Tap that button, and then tap “Unblock.”
   
   
4. The contact will now be unblocked, and your phone will start being able to receive texts, calls, and Facetimes from them again.

This is the best way to ensure that a caller can still contact you and retain all of the messages that they send you.
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The Downside of Bulk Communications

We’ve never been more connected, but that comes with a cost. With the rise of bulk texting and mass marketing, people are bombarded with messages that feel irrelevant, impersonal, or downright intrusive.

To protect users, Apple’s iOS 26 now filters messages from unknown numbers into an “Unknown Senders” folder, with no notification. This means your messages may be skipping their main inbox altogether, if your audience doesn't have your number saved.

That’s why we do things differently. Community leaders send contact cards as part of the onboarding experience so members can save the number and keep messages front and center. This simple step helps messages land in the main inbox, rather than get tucked away as spam. More importantly, Community is built around user-initiated, consent-based conversations. 

It’s not just about improving deliverability. It’s about building trust, respecting privacy, and ensuring the people who want to hear from you actually do.

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How Community Can Turn Communication into Engagement

Community is a conversational messaging platform that empowers  direct messaging between you and your audience. It creates a sense of community by personalizing with your interactions with your Community members at scale. It can be a huge step forward in creating  authentic engagement and deeper relationships with the people who matter most to you. 

If you are looking for the next step in creating genuine connections with your audience, Community is here to help. Check it out, and get started today.

Sources:

How to Block Text Messages on an iPhone, and Unblock Them | Business Insider

How to Block Text Messages on Any Android Phone | Business Insider

How to remove someone from the blocked list on your iPhone or iPad | iMore