You blocked a number on your phone and now realize you need to get back in touch with that person. The block may also have filtered out messages you’d like to read. Unblocking a number takes just a few seconds on both iPhone and Android, but recovering messages received while the number was blocked is a different matter entirely.
Blocked messages: where they go on your phone
Before changing any settings, it’s worth asking: were messages from a blocked contact stored somewhere, or are they gone for good?
The answer depends on your device and the app you use. On iPhone, SMS and iMessages from a blocked number are neither delivered nor saved in an accessible folder. Apple does not store blocked messages in a spam folder. They are simply rejected.
On Android with Google Messages, behavior varies. Some phones move messages to a “Spam & blocked” folder that you can access from the app’s main menu. Others don’t keep them at all. As several threads in the Google community point out, there is no universal rule for recovering these messages.
You can also check something that’s often overlooked: carrier-level filtering. An anti-spam service enabled by your carrier (Orange, SFR, Free) can block numbers independently of your phone’s block list.
If you’ve unblocked a contact but their messages still aren’t coming through, it’s worth contacting your carrier to check your line settings. When it comes to unblocking a number and reading its messages, identifying exactly where the block is coming from makes all the difference.
Unblock a number on iPhone: settings and apps
On iPhone, the most direct route is through the main settings. Open Settings, then scroll down to Phone (or Messages or FaceTime, depending on the app in question). Tap “Blocked Contacts”.
You’ll see the full list of blocked numbers. Swipe left on the number you want to unblock, then tap “Unblock”. The contact can now call you and send you SMS and iMessages again.
You can also unblock a number from the Phone app. In the Recents tab, find the number, tap the small “i” on the right, then scroll down to “Unblock this Caller”.
- Settings, then Phone, then Blocked Contacts: a centralized option that’s handy if you’ve blocked several numbers and want to review the list
- Phone app, Recents tab, “i” icon: quick when you spot a recent missed call from the contact
- Messages app: open the conversation (if it’s still there), tap the contact’s name at the top, then “Unblock this Caller”
Once unblocked, future messages will come through as usual. Messages sent while the number was blocked won’t reappear.
Unblock a contact on Android and Samsung
On a standard Android phone, open the Phone app, tap the three dots in the top-right corner, then tap Settings. Look for “Blocked numbers” or “Block numbers”. Tap the red minus or cross icon next to the number you want to remove from the list.
On Samsung phones, the steps are slightly different. Open Phone, tap the three dots, then Settings, and finally “Blocked numbers”. The list will appear, and you can remove numbers one at a time.
Samsung’s anti-spam filter: a special case
Samsung users may run into a specific issue: the “Caller ID and Spam Protection” feature can automatically block numbers that are actually saved in your contacts. In that case, the number won’t appear in the regular blocked numbers list.
The only solution in this case is to temporarily turn off spam protection in your phone settings, then turn it back on. This resets the filter without deleting your contacts.
Troubleshooting: spam, lost messages, or carrier blocking
You’ve unblocked the number, but the old messages are still nowhere to be found. Before assuming they’re gone, check these three possibilities.
Check your messaging app’s spam folder. In Google Messages, tap the three dots in the main menu, then tap “Spam & blocked”. If you find messages from the contact there, you can restore them to your inbox.
Next, check whether the issue affects regular SMS or RCS messages. RCS messaging (Google Messages’ enhanced messaging protocol) uses a different channel from traditional SMS. A block may affect one without affecting the other. If your contact sends you RCS messages and your phone blocks them, regular SMS messages from the same contact may still come through normally, and vice versa.
Finally, contact your carrier. An anti-spam filter enabled on your mobile line may prevent messages from certain numbers from reaching you without your knowledge. Carrier filtering is independent of your phone’s block list. Unblocking the number on your phone won’t help if the block is happening upstream.
- “Spam & blocked” folder in Google Messages: messages are saved but hidden, and can be recovered in a few taps
- RCS or SMS channel: two separate protocols with separate filters, so check each one in the app settings
- Carrier filtering: an anti-spam service on your mobile line that you can change by contacting customer service or signing in to your online account
If none of these steps helps, messages sent while the number was blocked probably never reached your device. Unblocking restores future communication, not lost message history. Your best bet is to ask the contact to resend any messages that mattered.
