Screen and filter text messages on Mac
You can reduce the number of unwanted text messages you receive when you screen messages from unknown senders.
Screen and filter messages from unknown senders
You can prevent unknown senders from texting you directly. Their messages are filtered into another folder, and you don’t get notified about them unless you want to be.
Go to the Messages app
on your Mac.
Click
at the top of the sidebar, then choose Manage Filtering.
If you don’t see the sidebar, click
.
Select “Screen unknown senders.”
If you want to get notifications from some unknown senders—for example, for time-sensitive texts, like verification codes—click Notifications, then select the categories you want to allow. (Options vary by country and region.)
You can set up additional spam filtering and screening for unknown SMS, MMS, and RCS messages. See Screen and filter text messages in the iPhone User Guide.
Review messages from unknown senders and mark them as known
You can review messages filtered into the Unknown Senders folder at any time. If you decide that a sender is legitimate, you can mark them as known or add them to Contacts. Their messages then move into your conversation list, and you can open links and view any blurred images they’ve sent.
Go to the Messages app
Click
If you don’t see the sidebar, click
Do any of the following:
Click the message from the sender whose messages you want to see, then click Mark as Known.
Click the sender’s email address or phone number at the top of the conversation, then click Create New Contact.
Until you mark a sender as known or add them to contacts, any future messages are filtered to Unknown Senders.
Tip: Another way to prevent unwanted messages is to allow your contacts only when you set up communication limits.
To change how the notifications appear and more, you can set your notification options.
To pause notifications from Messages, turn on Do Not Disturb or another Focus.
To learn about other ways you can report and prevent unwanted messages, see the Apple Support article Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams.