Spam calls are always annoying. Marketing and promotional calls often interrupt daily activities and sometimes even create scams. These unwanted calls may come from telemarketers, robocallers or scammers. Although spam calls are annoying, you cannot ignore them or keep your phone on silent for long. You also cannot keep your DND mode on for long as you may miss important calls from delivery companies or others. So what to do then?

Here is a brief guide on how to block spam calls on Android phones:

Register on the National Do Not Call Registry

The easiest way to block spam calls is to register your number with the National Customer Preference Register (NCPR), formerly known as the National Do Not Call Registry (NDNC). This service allows users to opt-out of receiving telemarketing calls.

To activate DND service:

• Open your SMS app and type “START” and send it to 1909.
• You will receive a list of categories like banking, hospitality, etc., each of which will have a unique code.
• Reply with the code corresponding to the call category you want to block.
• After processing, you will receive a confirmation message, and the DND service will be activated within 24 hours.
• This service effectively blocks unwanted commercial calls from third parties, without affecting the essential alerts received from banks or service providers.

Activate DND service by telecom operators

You can also activate DND services directly through your telecom provider:

Live: Go to MyJio app > Settings > Service Settings > Do Not Disturb. Select the categories you want to block.

Airtel: Go to airtel.in/airtel-dnd, enter your mobile number and OTP, then select the categories you want to block.

Vi (Vodafone Idea): Go to discover.vodafone.in/dnd, enter your details, and choose the categories to block.

BSNL: Send “start dnd” to 1909 from your BSNL number, then select the categories you want to block.

Block spam calls manually

You can also block individual numbers manually. On an Android phone:

• Open the Phone app and go to Call History.
• Tap and hold the spam contact, then select “Block” or “Report.”
• This method is useful but its range is also limited, as spam callers often change their numbers.

Filter unknown calls

Android devices also have a feature to automatically filter unknown or suspected spam calls:

• Open the Phone app .
• Tap on the three dot (menu) icon and go to Settings.
• Select “Caller ID & Spam” and toggle on “Filter spam calls” and “View caller & spam ID.”
• This feature helps block calls from numbers that are not in your contacts, reducing interruptions from potential spam.