How to block numbers on iPhone SE after iOS 26 update?

No joy! It did nothing. I hit the i (information), let the number contact open, the block was not there. I scrolled to the bottom of the contact card and held the Home button for 30 seconds and nothing happened. I did this more than twice and it still does not work. This should not be this hard to make something work. Apple engineers have become the new Microsoft. Get it right for crying out loud. These phones and devices are expensive enough that we should expect much better than the 'usual' of Google phones and Microsoft phones.

Only the blue clock and trash can icon appear for me. No orange hand icon. I have iPhone 12. Tried other recommendation via settings. I was unable to input number. I agree. Apple’s latest update has made blocking a number more complicated.

Hi. I've searched for these same work arounds on my phone but cannot find nor deploy them. When I go to Phone > Contact, the only option is to block the entire contact. When I go to Phone > Recent and pull up the caller I wish to block, there are only two options: blue dot with clock and trash can. There is no orange hand. Clicking on the blue dot "i" leads me to the contact card and no other option but to block the entire person from all communications. Apple really needs to fix this. Any other advice? This is an iPhone 15 using iOS 26.2.1 (Note that this is an essential feature for people who travel overseas and whose friends and family insist on calling and texting as if the person remains in the home country.)

I want to remind all of the well meaning iPhone users that post in this thread that the issue is not limited to the Block option. Share Contact, Add to Contact, and Add to Favorites is just part of the options that aren’t appearing without having to complete iPhone gymnastics like closing the app repeatedly and holding the home button and dancing around your living room riding a goat while holding a snake as you chant the secret prayers passed down to the initiated centuries back.

LD150 wrote:

NB There is no point in blocking true spam because they will never use that number again.

I've had several calls from the same number which are uninvited and "sellling green energy". These I want to block. Your assertion that the same number is never used twice may not apply everywhere.

But also find out how very many users can still not find a solution in the way hat some more vocal ones can.

The various suggested solutions just do not work for many people, and it is time that this was acknowledged an Apple fixed it.

Ian_in_Norfolk wrote:

But also find out how very many users can still not find a solution in the way hat some more vocal ones can.

The various suggested solutions just do not work for many people, and it is time that this was acknowledged an Apple fixed it.

Then tell Apple: →Product Feedback - Apple

This is a user-to-user forum, with minimal Apple participation. 

However, I have seen several solutions that worked in the thread.

and this issue continues on IOS 26.3.1(a) which was the Security upgrade. Not sure how disabling users from blocking unwanted callers easily is an upgrade. Would be great to have Apple support advise on the easiest method to do wha we could before - block a caller in a simple two step process

If you read even a sample of the posts on this discussion you will find that there is no simple solution that fits all iPhones, especially true of the SE range.

So please don't spout, like so many others have, "you only have to do this or that and it works".

It doesn't on many phones. See the major posts by georgevargas recently, possibly on page 7 - I don't know in what apparently random order posts are arranged here.

LD150 wrote:

The bug, or design change, seems to be limited to hone button phones SE2 and SE3

Good to know.

Nothing like this on. mine!

I mean I have SE3 and no blocking possible from [recent] and no magical orange hand.