View conversations from unknown senders in Messages on your iPhone

In iOS 26, you can screen texts and messages from unknown numbers and have those messages automatically appear in a separate filter.

In iOS 26, the Screen Unknown Senders setting makes it easier to organize your messages and decide which messages appear in your conversation list.

Turn Screen Unknown Senders on or off in iOS 26

Screen Unknown Senders is off by default in iOS 26. If you had the Filter Unknown Senders setting turned on in iOS 18, Screen Unknown Senders is on when you upgrade to iOS 26.

To turn this setting on:

1. Open Messages.

2. Tap the Filters button.

3. Tap Manage Filtering, then scroll to Unknown Senders and tap to turn Screen Unknown Senders on or off.

When you turn on Screen Unknown Senders, messages from unknown senders appear in the Unknown Senders filter.

You can also turn this setting on or off in the Settings app. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages, then scroll down to Unknown Senders to turn Screen Unknown Senders on or off.

View and move messages from unknown senders in iOS 26

An unknown sender can be anyone you haven't previously interacted with in Messages or someone who isn't in your contacts. When you receive a message from an unknown sender, a badge notes that you have new messages in the Unknown Senders filter.

To view a message from an unknown sender:

1. In Messages, tap the Filters button.

2. Tap Unknown Senders.

If you recognize an unknown sender and want to mark them as known so their messages appear in your primary conversation list:

1. In Messages, tap the Filters button.

2. Tap Unknown Senders.

3. Tap the conversation that you want to move to your conversation list.

4. Tap Mark as Known.

You can send a message to an unknown sender before marking a sender as known. After you mark a sender as known, the message you selected now appears in your conversation list. That contact can now reach you across communication apps.

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Manage notifications for certain messages from unknown senders

Notifications are on by default for Time Sensitive messages, like verification codes, alerts, or urgent requests. Messages then gives you even more control over which messages from unknown senders can send you notifications. To manage notifications from unknown senders:

1. In the Settings app, tap Apps.

2. Tap Messages.

3. Scroll down to Unknown Senders and tap Allow Notifications.

4. Turn the message types that you want to receive notifications for on or off: Time Sensitive, Personal, Transactions, or Promotions.

If you allow notifications for messages from unknown senders, those messages will show notifications and appear in your conversation list for eight hours. After that, those messages appear in the Unknown Senders area.

In most countries and regions, messages from unknown senders send you notifications by default. In the United States, Brazil, and India, you can adjust your Messages settings to choose which messages from unknown senders send notifications.

Filter SMS, MMS, and RCS messages about Transactions and Promotions

Messages can also organize your SMS, MMS, and RCS messages from unknown senders about Transactions and Promotions. To turn this setting on:

1. Open Messages.

2. Tap the Filters button.

3. Tap Manage Filtering.

4. Tap Text Message Filter, then turn on Text Message Filter and any third-party message filtering extensions you install.

Filters apply to Transactions and Promotions (or whatever your third-party message filtering extensions offer). Text message filtering doesn’t apply to any sender you’ve replied to three times or more. If you want to stop communication from these senders, try blocking and reporting those senders.