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Quick Tip: How to Report Junk SMS and MMS Messages in iOS

By AppleVis, 22 September, 2022

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

New to the iPhone with the release of iOS 16 is the ability to report SMS/MMS messages as junk. This expands on the built-in "Report Junk" feature in Messages that previously only let you report iMessages. Now you can use the same option to report an SMS/MMS message as junk, which will alert Apple and your network carrier and delete the message in question.

In this podcast, Thomas Domville shows us how it works.

Note that availability of this feature will depend upon your region and carrier. This Apple Support page provides more information.

Podcast File

AppleVisPodcast1483.mp3 (3.87 MB)

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iOS
Quick Tips

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Comments

Is this carrier dependent?

By DPinWI

12 months ago

I am in the USA, on US Cellular. When I delete a junk text, I get the confirm delete, but no subsequent offer to notify the carrier or Apple.

Maybe it's carrier dependent.

I'm having the same problem.

By Jo Billard

12 months ago

Apple Accessibility told me it's supposed to work and didn't mention anything about carriers needing to be on board. I'm going to reboot my iPhone once I download the new update and see if that will help.

Some Additional Pointers

By AnonyMouse

12 months ago

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

Hi Jo and DPinWI,

Just wanted to hash on a few points. Just in case it wasn't made aware in the podcast.

This is only an option when you delete an actual phone number. Plus, that phone number isn't in your contact. Otherwise, it will only prompt you to delete the message only.

The other thing to remember is that I do get some text without a phone number and through these # method and again you will not be prompt for the option to report this as junk.

Lastly, in the show note it was mentioned that this feature will vary from country to country and carriers.

I hope this explains a bit more and wasn't quite sure in your case if in your case what I mentioned above was in play. I will be curious.

- Thomas

Thanks. That does explain a lot.

By Jo Billard

12 months ago

I don't think it was a phone number I was trying to report. I thought of trying to report xto my carrier, but I can't figure out how to forward a message. It may not have worked anyway, given that it wasn't a number.

Phone Numbers

By DPinWI

11 months 4 weeks ago

In my case, I think they were all spam from email addresses. There has been a marked increase in volume. I wonder if its a way to avoid being blocked by spam reports.

Thanks for the clarification.

Forwarding messages

By Tyler

11 months 4 weeks ago

Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team

To forward a spam text, focus on the message, choose "More" from the actions rotor, and choose "Forward" from the resulting menu. After you send the message to your carrier's reporting number, you should get a message requesting the phone number or email address the spam text came from.

Checked Today, No Reporting

By DPinWI

11 months 4 weeks ago

I got a spam from a phone number today. I trashed it. The deletion was confirmed, but I never saw a second screen asking about reporting it.

I'll try the rotor idea next time.
We all know there will be more spam to test on.

I've seen this since ios 15…

By KE7ZUM

11 months 4 weeks ago

I've seen this since ios 15. I have T-Mobile, I wonder if that's why?

Nothing in Rotor

By DPinWI

11 months 3 weeks ago

I had another, big surprise. I went through the rotor actions, and I could delete it, but there never was a
"report" option. Is there another setting I'm missing?

I'm on US Cellular.

No, it should just come up…

By KE7ZUM

11 months 3 weeks ago

No, it should just come up as another dialogue. If you don't get that maybe your carrier does not support this yet.

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