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 to other folders, 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 click Manage Filtering.If you don’t see the sidebar, click
.Check the box next to “Screen unknown senders.”
If you want to allow notifications from some unknown senders, click Notifications, then select or deselect those categories. (Options vary by country and region.)
For example, you can allow notifications for time-sensitive texts, like verification codes.
You can set up additional spam filtering and screening for unknown SMS, MMS, and RCS messages. See Screen and filter texts in the iPhone User Guide.
Review messages from unknown senders and mark them as known
A known sender can be someone you've marked as known or added to the Contacts app. If you screen unknown senders and you want messages from someone in Unknown Senders to appear in your conversation list, or if you can't open a link sent by an unknown sender, make them a known sender.
Go to the Messages app
on your Mac.Click
at the top of the sidebar, then click Unknown Senders.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.