How to filter unwanted messages and report spam in the Messaging app

If you use the app a lot posts on your iPhone / iPad, so you know that your inbox can often get a little confusing considering the number of messages from friends, family, work, etc. This situation becomes even more catholic when several companies send messages of promotions and alerts, accumulating everything in one place.

For we are here to help, especially in the matter involving unwanted messages. 😊

How to filter unwanted messages

To solve this problem, iOS has a feature that allows you to filter messages sent by unknown senders, sending them to another tab of the Messages app. To configure this simple tool:

  1. Access Message Settings;
  2. Touch the sliding button to activate the option “Filter Unknowns”;
  3. iOS: Enabling Filter Messages option

  4. Open the Messaging app and check the new “Unknown” tab.

    iOS: Strangers box in the Messages app

It is worth mentioning that, when activating this feature, you will not receive notifications of messages sent by unsaved numbers in your contacts. Therefore, always check the “Unknown” tab to make sure that you are not missing any important iMessage / SMS.

Reporting spam messages

If you are receiving a lot of reports from unknown numbers, you can still report iMessages that look like spam or unwanted messages from contacts that are not saved on your iPhone / iPad from the Messages app. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Messaging app and tap the unwanted message;
  2. Just below the received message, tap on “Report Unwanted Message”;

    iOS: Reporting unwanted message

  3. Then, tap “Delete and Report Junk”.

When reporting, the number and received message will be forwarded to Apple and it will not be possible to undo the action to delete the message. It is important to remember that reporting an unwanted message does not prevent the sender from sending another message. To stop receiving messages or even calls from a certain number, you need to block the contact, as explained in this tutorial.

How to set up an app to detect spam numbers

If you are receiving many SMS messages from the same company, but from different numbers, it is recommended that you contact your operator or use any of the third party applications available on the App Store to automatically track and block the main spam numbers for the your region. I particularly use Sync.ME and love it but there are others, obviously!


Sync.ME - Caller ID & Contacts app icon

To allow the app to access the phone and block these unwanted calls / messages, choose an app with this feature on the App Store and follow the next steps:

  1. Access Phone Settings;
  2. Select the option “Blocking and Identification”;

    iOS: locking and identification settings

  3. Under "Allow these apps to block calls and provide the caller ID of the call", activate the app in question (Apple reports that these software are not able to access any information about incoming calls);

    iOS: allowing apps to block connections

  4. To edit a blocked number manually, just tap on “Edit” (in the upper right corner of the window).

If there is a match, iOS will display the caller identification badge chosen by the app to warn you that the number may be from a company or unwanted sender. If the app determines that a phone number is spam, it can automatically block the call.

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Did this tutorial help you? Then check out our tips / tutorials section to learn how to set up or use various other features and functions of iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS. 😉