How to Unblock a Number on Your Android Phone

Restore callers to your good graces on your Android phone

Photo of a smartphone with a blocking indicator on the screen

 Jin Shng Jn Ji / EyeEm / Getty Images

by Susan J. Owens
Susan J. Owens is a tech writer focused on AI, blockchain, and virtual machines. Her work appears in InformationWeek, Entrepreneur, and Fast Company.
Updated January 20, 2019

We've all blocked someone's phone number on our cellphones, sometimes as part of a ghosting effort, only to decide later on that we aren't really that annoyed with the person. When you block someone's calls, you've also blocked their ability to send you texts as well.

So, if you'd like to get those calls and text messages back, here's how, step-by-step:

The steps outline below are specific to Android 8.1.0 as it comes on a Google phone. If you have a modified version of Android, like what you might find on a Samsung smartphone or one from another hardware maker, the specific steps may vary but they should be pretty similar. If you have an iPhone (or iPad), here's how to unblock a number on the iPhone.

01
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Open the Phone App

Screenshot of a Google Pixel XL home screen with the Phone app highlighted
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, your blocked numbers are stored in your Android's Phone app. So the first step is to tap or search for Phone and open it.

02
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Choose Settings from the Menu

Screenshot of the Phone app on a Google Pixel XL with the Settings menu highlighted

Once Phone is open, click on the menu button on the top right and then tap Settings.

Tip: The menu looks like three stacked dots. Don't tap the menu on your contact cards. The one you're looking for is the one at the very top-right.

03
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Choose the Blocked Numbers Option

Screenshot of the Settings menu of the Phone app on a Google Pixel XL with the Blocked Numbers option highlighted

From the Phone app's Settings menu, locate and tap on Blocked numbers from the list of options.

04
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Locate the Number to Unblock

Screenshot of the list of Blocked Numbers via the Phone app on a Google Pixel XL

What you'll see here in the Blocked numbers screen is a list of all the numbers you've blocked. Locate the one (or more) that you want to unblock and tap the big X to the right.

05
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Choose to UNBLOCK the Number

Screenshot of the Unblock confirmation dialog box from the list of Blocked Numbers in the Phone app on a Google Pixel XL

In the small pop-up that appears next, confirm that you want to unblock this number by tapping UNBLOCK.

If you've chosen wrong, or changed your mind, tap CANCEL instead.

That's it! While it might have been a little hard to find, it's that simple to do. Moving forward, calls to your Android phone from the number you unblock will ring through just like other calls.