---
key: block-a-spam-caller-or-texter
title: Block a spam caller or texter
audience: staff
section: communications
routes: ["/communications/sender-safety"]
permissions: ["communications.sender_safety.read"]
features: ["communications.sender_safety"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Use the Blocked Senders list to block or unblock a phone number's texts and calls, mark it as spam or not spam, and see the history behind the decision.
keywords: [block number, spam calls, spam texts, robocall, unblock, blocked numbers, sender list, report spam, trusted sender]
related: [set-up-spam-protection, manage-a-text-conversation, review-calls-and-voicemails]
---

In the sidebar, open **Settings**, then choose **Blocked Senders** under **Communications**. The page address is `/communications/sender-safety`. The page title reads **Sender Safety**. Every phone number that has texted or called your organization is listed here with its current standing.

## Before you start

- Your role needs the sender safety permissions: one to see the list, one to mark spam or not spam, one each to block texts and block calls, and one to view a sender's history. Actions you cannot take do not appear in the row menu.
- Blocking texts and blocking calls each have to be included in your plan.

## Steps

1. Type part of the number in **Search phone number**. Use digits only; the search matches the number, not a name.
2. To narrow the list, press **Filters** and choose a **Status** (**All**, **Spam**, **Not spam**, **Trusted**, **Suspected** or **Unknown**) or a **Blocked** option (**All channels**, **Any blocked**, **Texts blocked** or **Calls blocked**). **Sort** and **Direction** in the same panel change the order, and **Reset filters** clears the search, filters and sort.
3. Open the actions menu (the three dots) at the end of the number's row.
4. Choose **Block texts** or **Block calls**. Nova also marks the number **Spam**.
5. To undo a block, open the menu again and choose **Unblock texts** or **Unblock calls**. Unblocking also marks the number **Not spam**.
6. To flag a number without blocking it, choose **Mark spam**. On a number already marked Spam the menu offers **Mark not spam** instead, which clears the flag but leaves any block in place.
7. To see what happened to a number, choose **View history**, or press the row. The **Sender history** drawer lists each time the number was seen, reviewed, blocked or unblocked, newest first.

## What you see

- Nova confirms each change with **Sender safety updated.**
- Each row shows the **Sender** number (with its full international form under it), its **Status**, whether its texts and calls are blocked under **Channels** (**Texts allowed** or **Texts blocked**, **Calls allowed** or **Calls blocked**), its spam and not-spam reports and how many texts and calls it sent under **Reports**, and when it was **Last seen**.
- A blocked caller is turned away before the call rings. Texts from a blocked number are still saved, but their conversation is blocked and muted and nobody gets an alert.
- Spam protection always lets a number marked **Not spam** or **Trusted** through, and treats a number marked **Spam** as suspicious even when it is not blocked.
- **Spam protection** at the top opens your organization's rules for suspicious senders. It appears only when your role can see them. See [[set-up-spam-protection]].
- **Block & report spam** in a text conversation's actions menu blocks texts from that number, and the number shows **Texts blocked** here. See [[manage-a-text-conversation]].

## If something looks different

- The list reads **No sender safety records have been recorded yet.**: no number has texted or called yet.
- The list reads **No senders match the current filters.**: press **Filters**, then **Reset filters**.
- An action is missing from the menu: your role lacks that permission. Ask your admin. If **View history** is missing, pressing a row does nothing either.
- An error appears instead of **Sender safety updated.** when you block: blocking that channel is not included in your plan.
- The history drawer reads **No history recorded for this sender.**: nothing has been recorded for that number yet.

[[route:/communications/sender-safety|Open Blocked Senders]]