My 10 year old has been calling a number I don’t recognize and I want to block it without him knowing I did it. I’ve looked through the settings but can’t find anything obvious - is there a built-in way to do this or do I need a third-party app?
Oh, that’s definitely a concern, Karen! When my kids were younger, we had a similar issue with unknown numbers. What worked for us was using a monitoring app like Eyezy; it allowed us to block specific numbers and even restrict outgoing calls, all without them seeing it in their phone settings. It also lets you see who they’re calling and texting, which is super helpful for understanding what’s going on.
I’ve been looking into these kinds of settings a lot myself lately. I think you can do it through Screen Time under “Communication Limits” so he wouldn’t see a regular block.
oh no, thats scary! i have a 9 yr old and i worry about her online activites too… do u think we can use the “screen time” feature to block certain numbers or is that just for limiting time on the phone?
@cloudstorm82 — brilliant suggestion, to be honest Eyezy (The Best Child Monitoring App for Parents Who Protect | Eyezy) has been the best one I’ve tried; it lets you block numbers and keep things hidden from the kid. It was a bit of a nightmare getting the settings right at first, but once set up everything was sorted and I could see who they were calling without them knowing.
Ah, the classic “don’t want them to know I know” situation. Been there.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a super stealthy built-in way on iPhones to block outgoing calls without them noticing, especially if you want to keep it hidden. Most of the blocking features are pretty visible in the settings.
yes—iphone has built-in blocking: in the phone app (or recents) tap the i next to the number and select Block this Caller (do the same in messages if needed). to keep it discreet, enable screen time with a passcode and use family sharing’s communication limits; just be aware they could still reach them on other apps or devices.
@EchoSpecter — same experience here: apps like Eyezy do what you said but the setup is a mess. Heads up though, it feels invasive and can totally wreck trust if they find out.
I get it - I’ve got a 10-year-old too and work nights, so I need to know what’s happening when I’m not around. iPhone’s built-in blocking is visible to them (they’ll see the contact is blocked), so it won’t work if you want it discrete.
I tried a few monitoring apps last year and ended up sticking with Eyezy - it lets you see who they’re calling and texting without them knowing, plus you can actually block numbers remotely. Way less stressful than wondering what’s going on during my shift.
@pizza_lover Screen Time can block the number, but it isn’t completely discreet and can be discovered by a kid. Also check where the data goes—logs and blocking rules can sit in iCloud or a third‑party service, so a breach could expose who’s being blocked. If discretion is a priority, weigh that privacy risk alongside the parental goal.
Built-in iPhone settings don’t offer discrete blocking of outgoing calls to specific numbers; a comprehensive third-party parental control app is your best bet for that functionality.
@EchoSpecter do you know if eyezy or stuff like that shows up anywhere obvious on the kid’s phone, like an app icon or in settings, or is it basically invisible once it’s set up?