By the DevX mobile testing team. We tested every unblocking method in this guide on Samsung Galaxy S25, Google Pixel 9, OnePlus 13, and Motorola Edge running Android 15. We verified unblocking numbers through the Phone app, Contacts app, Messages app, and Settings on each device. We also tested what happens when you unblock someone — whether old messages appear, whether calls come through immediately, and how blocked number lists work across different Android brands. All steps confirmed working March 2026.
You blocked a number on your Android phone and now you want to unblock it — maybe you blocked someone by accident, maybe you’ve resolved a situation, or maybe you just want to receive their calls again. Whatever the reason, unblocking a number takes about 30 seconds on any Android phone.
This guide shows you how to find your blocked numbers list, unblock specific contacts, and covers what happens after you unblock someone.
How To Unblock a Number on Samsung Galaxy
From the Phone App
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Block numbers.
- You’ll see your full list of blocked numbers. Tap the minus (−) icon or X next to the number you want to unblock.
- Confirm when prompted.
From the Contacts App
- Open Contacts and find the contact you want to unblock.
- Tap the contact to open their details.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮).
- Tap Unblock contact (this option only appears if the contact is currently blocked).
From Recent Calls
- Open the Phone app and go to Recents.
- Find a call from the blocked number (it may appear with a blocked icon).
- Tap the number, then tap Unblock.
How To Unblock a Number on Google Pixel (Stock Android)
From the Phone App
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Blocked numbers.
- Find the number you want to unblock and tap the X next to it.
- Tap Unblock to confirm.
From the Contacts App
- Open Contacts and find the blocked contact.
- Tap their name to open the contact card.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮).
- Tap Unblock.
How To Unblock a Number on OnePlus
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) → Settings (or Spam and blocked calls).
- Tap Blocked numbers.
- Find the number and tap Unblock or the X icon.
How To Unblock a Number on Motorola
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) → Settings.
- Tap Blocked numbers.
- Tap the X next to the number you want to unblock.
How To Find Your Blocked Numbers List
If you’re not sure who you’ve blocked, here’s how to view your complete blocked list on each brand:
Samsung: Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Block numbers
Google Pixel: Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Blocked numbers
OnePlus: Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Blocked numbers (or Spam and blocked calls)
Motorola: Phone app → ⋮ → Settings → Blocked numbers
These lists show every number you’ve manually blocked. Some phones also have a separate spam filter that automatically blocks suspected spam calls — this is different from your manual block list.
How To Unblock Text Messages
Blocking a phone number on Android blocks both calls and texts from that number. When you unblock using any of the methods above, both calls and texts are unblocked simultaneously.
However, if you blocked someone specifically in a messaging app, you may need to unblock them there too:
Google Messages
- Open Messages.
- Tap your profile icon → Messages settings (or ⋮ → Settings).
- Tap Blocked numbers.
- Tap Unblock next to the number.
Samsung Messages
- Open Messages.
- Tap ⋮ → Settings → Block numbers and spam → Block numbers.
- Remove the number from the list.
What Happens After You Unblock Someone?
Calls come through immediately. As soon as you unblock a number, calls from that person will ring your phone normally again.
Texts arrive going forward. New text messages from the unblocked number will be delivered to your inbox. However, texts they sent while blocked are not retroactively delivered — those messages are lost. The sender received no notification that their texts were blocked.
Voicemails may or may not appear. On most carriers, calls from blocked numbers go straight to voicemail. Some of those voicemails may appear in your voicemail inbox; others may be silently discarded depending on your carrier’s blocking implementation.
No notification is sent. The other person is not notified when you block or unblock them. From their perspective, their calls were just going to voicemail and their texts weren’t getting responses.
How To Block a Number on Android
If you need to re-block someone or block a new number, here’s the quickest method that works on all Android phones:
- Open the Phone app.
- Go to Recents and find the number you want to block.
- Tap the number (or long-press it on some phones).
- Tap Block number (or Block/report spam).
You can also block from within a conversation in your Messages app by opening the conversation, tapping the ⋮ menu, and selecting Block.
More Android How-To Guides From DevX
- How To Tell If Someone Blocked Your Number
- How To Forward Calls on Android
- How To Recover Deleted Messages on Android
- How To Stop Pop-Up Ads on Android
- What Is My Phone Number on Android?
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I receive old texts after unblocking someone?
No. Text messages sent while a number was blocked are not delivered retroactively. Only new messages sent after you unblock the number will come through. This is a limitation of how Android’s blocking works at the carrier and system level.
Does the person know I blocked them?
Not directly. Android doesn’t send any notification when you block or unblock someone. However, the other person may suspect they’ve been blocked if their calls consistently go straight to voicemail and their texts never get responses.
Can I unblock a number that’s not in my contacts?
Yes. Go to your blocked numbers list (Phone app → Settings → Blocked numbers) where all blocked numbers are listed, including those that aren’t saved as contacts. You can unblock any number from this list.
I unblocked someone but their calls still go to voicemail. Why?
Check if your carrier has its own call-blocking service active (like T-Mobile Scam Shield, AT&T ActiveArmor, or Verizon Call Filter). These carrier-level blocks are separate from Android’s built-in blocking and need to be managed through the carrier’s app. Also check Do Not Disturb settings — if DND is on, calls from non-contacts may be silenced.
How many numbers can I block on Android?
There’s no practical limit. Android can maintain a blocked list of hundreds or thousands of numbers. The list is stored locally on the device and doesn’t affect performance.
Does blocking a number on Android also block them on WhatsApp?
No. Android’s phone blocking and WhatsApp blocking are completely separate. Blocking a number in the Phone app blocks calls and SMS/MMS texts only. To block someone on WhatsApp, you need to block them within the WhatsApp app separately.
