"Block Caller" option is missing in iOS 26.0.1 on my iPhone SE

georgevargas wrote:

Most of the issues appear to be related to iPhone SE models. I have an iPhone SE 2 and 3 with T-Mobile as the carrier running iOS 26.01 and 26.1 respectively with the same issue. Hitting the home button works intermittently, waiting a few seconds for the screen to finish rendering also works intermittently, scrolling up a few times seems to force the screen to render and makes the block option pop up. I updated to 26.2, the issue is still there but the screen seems to render faster now when you wait for it or scroll up.

We know. Report it https://apple.com/feedback

OK yes this works, well done for working that out, I was really worried and this is amazing that you worked it out and took the time to list the steps, but your explanation assumes people know what terminology you are using and it is not clear that you are effectively asking people to exit from the phone app itself to the home screen, and then going back in again from scratch.... having trained people in IT use, I would say the following:

1.starting from your "home" screen, select the phone app in order to see your list of "recent" phone calls.

2.click the ( i ) on the right of the phone number you want to block to open it.

3Then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen where the "block caller" option used to be....

4.You find that it's not there - don't panic, but the next steps are crucial.

5.click your home button once firmly - this is the primary round phone button at the bottom of the screen - as if you are going to exit from the phone app itself.

6.This will bring you back to the "home" screen where you have all the apps laid out.

7.Now start again and click the Phone app as if you were going to open the phone app for the first time.

8.Now you should come back directly to the number you were last looking at and if you scroll down then all the functions that used to be there will have returned.

9.If they are not there don't panic - just repeat from step 4. You may have to go round this loop from step 4 to step 8 at least twice, before the iphone software presents the list.

10.Then you should see block caller option as before and you can block them.

I live in the UK - at least 1 call a day is a scam marketing call and so I have to do this every day, sometimes three times.

( I have IOS26.2 on an SE 2024, but it has no orange button for block if I swipe left, only the delete option.)

eileen224 wrote:

To bring the rest of the fields in just hit the “Home” button and the hit the phone icon and all the fields will be there. No need to wait at all.

GOOD GRIEF! I've been playing around with that since June and you come up with the workaround! Thank you!

Most of the issues appear to be related to iPhone SE models. I have an iPhone SE 2 and 3 with T-Mobile as the carrier running iOS 26.01 and 26.1 respectively with the same issue. Hitting the home button works intermittently, waiting a few seconds for the screen to finish rendering also works intermittently, scrolling up a few times seems to force the screen to render and makes the block option pop up. I updated to 26.2, the issue is still there but the screen seems to render faster now when you wait for it or scroll up.

The "Block Contact" can now be found by swiping left on the telephone number. Tap on the hand icon, in the orange circle, to either "Block" or "Block and Report Spam".

Hi, this worked for me, you have to be on the screen with the list of recent calls, then swipe left the particular entry for the number you want to block.

JIRL5 wrote:

I have the same issue and the phone number cannot be copied easily either.

For now all I can do is create a new contact that allows me to copy the number. Don't save the new contact and then go to Settings->Apps->Phone and scroll down to blocked contacts. Then you need to click on Unknown before a number can be blocked.

I guess I passed the test; pff. What a terrible design change in iOS26.x

Just saw later in the thread that clicking the home button enables this to be carried out easier. For me clicking on the left icon for the phone number that needs to be blocked opens up this menu and the block contact is at the end of the menu items. All I can say is wow, how unintuitive is that!

Not a design change this time, rather it seems to be a bug affecting mostly SE 2 and 3, and certain cellular providers.

You can report it https://apple.com/feedback

georgevargas wrote:

Scrolling down two or three times without hitting the home button is working for me and is faster and less of a hassle since I would normally have to scroll down to begin with to get to the block option.

Doesn't work for me. Most people affected by this bug need to hit Home Button and go back in, in some cases more than once. It is an infortunate situation and needs everyone affected to report this as a bug. Include your country and cell provider because I have the bug, my wife does not. Same phone, different provider. https://apple.com/feedback

I have the same issue and the phone number cannot be copied easily either.

For now all I can do is create a new contact that allows me to copy the number. Don't save the new contact and then go to Settings->Apps->Phone and scroll down to blocked contacts. Then you need to click on Unknown before a number can be blocked.

I guess I passed the test; pff. What a terrible design change in iOS26.x

Just saw later in the thread that clicking the home button enables this to be carried out easier. For me clicking on the left icon for the phone number that needs to be blocked opens up this menu and the block contact is at the end of the menu items. All I can say is wow, how unintuitive is that!

PhoenixHologram wrote:

OK yes this works, well done for working that out, I was really worried and this is amazing that you worked it out and took the time to list the steps, but your explanation assumes people know what terminology you are using and it is not clear that you are effectively asking people to exit from the phone app itself to the home screen, and then going back in again from scratch.... having trained people in IT use, I would say the following:

1.starting from your "home" screen, select the phone app in order to see your list of "recent" phone calls.

2.click the ( i ) on the right of the phone number you want to block to open it.

3Then scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen where the "block caller" option used to be....

4.You find that it's not there - don't panic, but the next steps are crucial.

5.click your home button once firmly - this is the primary round phone button at the bottom of the screen - as if you are going to exit from the phone app itself.

6.This will bring you back to the "home" screen where you have all the apps laid out.

7.Now start again and click the Phone app as if you were going to open the phone app for the first time.

8.Now you should come back directly to the number you were last looking at and if you scroll down then all the functions that used to be there will have returned.

9.If they are not there don't panic - just repeat from step 4. You may have to go round this loop from step 4 to step 8 at least twice, before the iphone software presents the list.

10.Then you should see block caller option as before and you can block them.

I live in the UK - at least 1 call a day is a scam marketing call and so I have to do this every day, sometimes three times.

( I have IOS26.2 on an SE 2024, but it has no orange button for block if I swipe left, only the delete option.)

I am also in UK. As an experiment instead if blocking, I added each spam number to a contact I named Spamspam. It never ever showed up, indicating they never used the same number twice, ie no point in blocking them.

Being retired I know which calls to expect and double click the side button on unknowns out of my home town.

Have you tried doing Settings > Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts (scroll way down)? It shows on my iPhone SE 2020 running 26.0.1:

It also shows when I get info on an unknown caller in "Recents" from the Phone app:

To place issues before an Apple employee, you must use this feedback link:

Feedback - iPhone - Apple

IdrisSeabright wrote:

da klein wrote:

On my SE 2022 when I do scroll down there is no option to block calls from the "Calls" page on my iPhone.

You don't block from the "Calls" page directly. You tap on the entry in Calls and you should see a screen like this:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/7901fd1e-3461-41f8-b6f3-004d1778c920

You have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of that screen, past what's initially visible.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/e3ba1111-d692-4c06-a25e-911d3dbdd940

If I scroll on my SE3 with Lebara provider, yes you're right. It's there.

If I scroll on my SE3 with Spusu provider, there is nothing after the Call History and Add Name lines.

The annoying thing is I have no idea if the situation is new to 26, I really didn't take notice in 18.

Strudelz wrote:

The "Block Contact" can now be found by swiping left on the telephone number. Tap on the hand icon, in the orange circle, to either "Block" or "Block and Report Spam".

That is an excellent suggestion! It's comparatively new, so I know I tend to forget it's there.

Scrolling down two or three times without hitting the home button is working for me and is faster and less of a hassle since I would normally have to scroll down to begin with to get to the block option.