Samsung Galaxy S4: How to Block Unwanted or Unknown Incoming Calls

Most of smartphone available today has equipped with lot of advanced features which will allow the user to do more activities with their phone. However, basic activities such as making calls remains one of the most frequently done by the users. It's probably the reason why most of them--including with the Samsung Galaxy SIV--provide the stock Phone app and Contacts app inside them. Both of these apps of course will be able to facilitate the users when they want to make a call.

See also: How to Make a calls in Samsung Galaxy S4

Aside from make a call, you can also receive incoming calls in this phone. Even by utilizing the auto reject call feature, you're able to set your phone to block incoming calls from unwanted or unknown contacts or from contacts that match with the criteria that you have previously set in the auto reject list.



How to enable and set up auto reject call feature?
As a note, it will not work to block calls from private numbers or from internet/VoIP calls. Well, here are the steps to do so:
  1. Go to Settings> tap My Device tab> tap Call. Or, Open Phone app> tap the Menu key> tap Call settings.
  2. Tap Call rejection.
  3. Tap Auto reject mode. Here you'll see 3 options available, they are:
    • Off: select this option to turn off auto reject call feature.
    • All numbers: select this options if you wish to block incoming calls from all contacts listed in the Contacts app.
    • Auto reject numbers: select this option if you wish to block incoming calls from contacts or contacts that match with the criteria you have added in the auto reject list.
  4. In this case, select Auto reject numbers.
  5. Tap Auto reject list.
  6. Tick the box next to Unknown option to block incoming calls from contacts that not listed in the Contacts app.
  7. Tap Create to add number or criteria to the auto reject list.
  8. Tap Match criteria. Here you'll see 4 options available, they're:
    • Exactly the same as: select this option if you wish to block call from the contact which is exactly the same as the contact you have added in the reject list. To see the complete steps, go to the step #9.
    • Starts with: select this option if you wish to block call from contact that start with the number you have added in the reject list. To see the complete steps, go to the step #10.
    • Ends with: select this option if you wish to block call from contact that end with the number you have added in the reject list. To see the complete steps, go to the step #11.
    • Includes: select this option if you wish to block call from contact containing with the number you have added in the reject list. To see the complete steps, go to the step #12.
  9. To block call from certain phone number:
    • Select Exactly the same as.
    • Enter a full phone number in the Enter number field or you can also tap the Contact icon to pick up the desired contact you wish to block, either from Logs or Contacts app.
    • Tap Save button to add the phone number or contact to the reject list.
    • Incoming call from this number or contact will be rejected.
  10. To block call from contact which start with certain number:
    • Select Starts with.
    • Enter the number, eg: 0034
    • Tap Save button to add the criteria to the reject list.
    • All incoming call from the contact which is start with 0034 will be rejected.
  11. To block call from contact which is end with certain number:
    • Select Ends with.
    • Enter the number, eg: 1166
    • Tap Save button to add the criteria to the reject list.
    • All incoming call from the contact which is end with 1166 will be rejected.
  12. To block call from contact which is contain certain number:
    • Select Includes.
    • Enter the number, eg: 5678
    • Tap Save button to add the criteria to the reject list.
    • All incoming call from the contact which is contain with 0034 will be rejected.
  13. You can see all blocked phone numbers or contacts as well as the criteria you have made in the auto reject call list.

After activating the auto reject mode and adding contacts in the auto reject list as well as making criteria for contacts you wish to block, all incoming call from them will be blocked or redirected to your voice mail if you activate it. FYI, You still be able to see the call log from the blocked contact in the call logs and they will be labelled with the rejected call icon .

16 comments:

  1. How do you stop blocked calls from going to voicemail?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello, I have a Samsung Galaxy s4, model SCH-1545 running Android version 4.4.2. I am wondering how I can stop blocked telephone numbers from leaving voicemails. Is this possible?

    Thank you,

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Paul,
      Thanks for coming and I'm sorry for the late answer.
      Samsung Galaxy S4 SCH-I545 is a Verizon version, isn't it?
      From what I know, you can turn off the voice mail feature in your Verizon phone by calling Verizon and ask them to turn this feature off. You may need to give them some information, e.g: your Verizon account or IMEI number.
      Once your voice mail is turned off, the incoming calls from the blocked number will be rejected automatically.

      Delete
  3. Thanks for the answer. Only problem is the phone is a work phone and I will need the voice mail feature.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Paul,
      If you don't mind, you can try a third-party call blocker app named Extreme call blocker. This is a paid app. This app has a feature to prevent the caller from leaving you any voice mail.

      Delete
  4. Is there a way to eliminate the icon and other notifications of a blocked call? If I have blocked someone I really don't wish to know that they have called and its been blocked... (SCH-I545 4.4.2).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi SkyDave,
      Thanks for coming.
      From what I know, the auto reject feature in Samsung Galaxy phone doesn't have an option to block calls without logs. However, maybe there's a third-party app in the Play Store that has the ability to block calls without logs. FYI, I've tried find it, but found nothing.

      Delete
  5. When the galaxy s4 is set on auto reject can it send an automatic reject message as well?

    ReplyDelete
  6. If I block a number, am I still able to call it? Or does it work both ways in which we can't call each other.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Buddy,
      Thanks for coming.
      Yes, you still can call the number you have blocked since it only blocks incoming calls.

      Delete
  7. How can I block PRIVATE #'s from my Galaxy S4 ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi KeepNitRealGf™ Joyce Ella Paquin,
      Thanks for coming.
      Since the default auto reject call feature in Samsung Galaxy S4 can't block incoming calls from private numbers, you'll need to install a third-party call blocker app that has a feature to block private number. FYI, I personally use Blacklist app to block calls from private number in my Samsung Galaxy S4. You can get this app for free through the Play Store app.

      Delete
  8. my samsung S 111 rejects restricted or private numbers. i went to settings-call rejection- auto reject list. and removed all contacts but it still rejects calls made privately. i called mysefl from a landline using *67 and it wont let me answer. any thoughts? i already called sprint and they did a resetting which helped not at all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. How do you block "private in other words no number appears.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sandra Dennis,
      Thanks for coming.
      You can try using a third-party call blocker app that has a feature to block private numbers, e.g: Blacklist app.

      Delete
  10. How do I remove 'unknown' numbers from my reject list on a galaxy s4? Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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