Clearing large numbers of blocked contacts on iPhone

Since the update to iOS 26.6, there is apparently a limit to the number of blocked contacts allowed. I have over 12,000 blocked, so this has obviously carried over from many iPhones I have owned. With this new limit, the question is how do I eliminate old blocks in a mass method. Going through them and deleting them one by one seems to be the only way I have found to clear old blocks. Does anyone have a better method for clearing large numbers of blocks in the Privacy and Security->Blocked Contacts on iOS 26.6?

Posted on Jul 31, 2026 7:35 AM

Top-ranking reply

IdrisSeabright

Community+ 2026

Level 10

200,141 points

Posted on Oct 6, 2026 2:16 PM

larryapplescam wrote:

Need to delete hundered of older blocked email so s to block NEWER ONES

hOW TO UNBLOCK ALL not one at a time.

As has already been explained at least twice in this thread, you can do it from a Mac. As long as the Apple Account is the same as what you are using on your iPhone, you can also bulk delete the blocked contacts in the Mail app on the Mac. Go to Mail > Settings > Junk Mail > Blocked, select one of the numbers and press Command - A to select all of them and push the delete button. They will then be removed from your iPhone.

However, there is no good reason to block 3000 numbers. Blocking numbers is not an effective way to mitigate spam texts or calls.

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23 replies

LD150

Level 10

106,468 points

Oct 2, 2026 10:44 AM in response to dcirelli

dcirelli wrote:

My iPhone 15plus will only block 2,999 numbers. I don’t have a Mac Computer anymore just an iPad and iPhone. Does that mean I can’t block anymore numbers until I remove each of the 2,999 numbers and messages from my blocked list one at a time?

Yes,

or use a Mac belonging to a trusted friend. The owner will have to add a User account for you, then ensure they remove it.

Jul 31, 2026 11:16 AM in response to grandy1214

Thanks for the update.

ktrelyea

Level 1

12 points

Aug 10, 2026 8:09 AM in response to FBukovina

Is there a similar way to do this operation if you do not have a Mac but use iCloud for windows?

hseofbel

Level 1

14 points

Aug 29, 2026 1:39 AM in response to Mac Jim ID

Command A does absolutely nothing - no reaction by mail app - blocked numbers AT ALL... Apple - what is going on!?!?!

Aug 29, 2026 7:55 AM in response to lobsterghost1

Ok thanks that worked. I was doing all ok except I was hitting the delete button not the - button now all I gotta do is get them off my pro 16 phone but not one at a time