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When Apple released iOS 26 In September 2025, the update included a Call screening Feature that blocks unwanted calls to your device iPhone. The update also includes a feature that can scan texts from unknown senders to keep your inbox spam-free.
With this feature enabled, these messages will be filtered to their folder in Messages without your change. Once these messages are in their respective folders, you can go through them at your own pace to make sure you don’t miss anything important, or you can delete them without a second thought.
Here’s how to enable the new text scanning features on your iPhone in a few easy steps.
How to block spam and messages from unknown senders
This feature was automatically enabled for me when I updated to iOS 26, but here’s how to make sure you filter out unwanted texts and messages from unknown senders on your device.
1. Open Settings.
2. handle Applications.
3. handle Messages.
Under Unknown Senders, you’ll see toggles to enable it Unknown senders screen and Spam filtering.
You don’t need to turn on a text message filter to filter out spam and messages from unknown senders.
Enable Unknown senders screen Any messages from unknown numbers can be filtered. So, she can filter out a message from a family member who just got a new phone number, or a message asking for feedback on services. For example, my wife and I requested a city service, and after the service was completed, the city sent me a message asking for feedback. But since the message was from an unknown sender, it was filtered from my inbox.
According to Appleif you enable Spam filteringthe detection filters on your device will also hide unwanted messages from your inbox. My iPhone flagged some messages that seemed fraudulent as spam and sent them to its folder. Messages in your spam folder are automatically deleted after 90 days.
The tax administration’s message sounds serious. I hope I’m not in trouble.
My device also told me that messages from unknown senders may also be flagged as spam and sent to your spam folder. It’s a good idea to check folders from time to time in case an unobtrusive message arrives, but I’ve never had this problem.
Where to find spam and unknown senders folders
Once your iPhone filters messages from unknown senders and spam, you can find them in Messages. To see these messages, go to Messages and tap the inverted pyramid icon in the upper right corner of the screen. This will open a new menu showing you different folders for each filter, including Unknown Senders, Transactions, and Spam. Tap any of them to see the filtered messages.
The new filters in Messages are a great way to keep your inbox clean and spam-free.
If a message is filtered to spam but isn’t, you can long-press on the message and see an option Remove from spam. If you want to move a message from Unknown Senders to your main mailbox, tap the message and then tap Mark as known Near the bottom of the chat. Your iPhone will then ask you to add the sender to your contacts.
But these filters are very good. I haven’t had to move messages from spam or unknown senders once, so you may not need to either.
For more iOS news, here’s what to know about it iOS 26.3.1 and iOS 26.3. You can also check our website iOS 26 cheat sheet For other tips and tricks.
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