In the next iPhone update, Apple is introducing a small but welcome addition to the Messages app. It’s not flashy, and it may not get top billing next to iOS 26’s new visual design, but for anyone tired of spam, it’s the kind of change that matters.
With iOS 26, Messages will gain a smarter way to handle texts from unknown numbers. Once the feature is enabled, suspected spam gets screened and shifted out of your main inbox. These messages won’t trigger notifications. They won’t sit alongside personal conversations either. Instead, they’ll be stored in a separate section, quietly held back from view unless you choose to look.
Image: Apple.
That decision is yours. Apple isn’t deleting anything or blocking contact without notice. You’ll still be able to read those texts if you want. The filters menu in Messages now gives you four tabs to switch between: your regular messages, unknown senders, flagged spam, and recently deleted threads.
The tool lets you turn filtering on or off for either unknown numbers or obvious spam. If something gets miscategorized, there’s a visual cue on the filters icon to let you know something new has been screened. That way, the system avoids the risk of losing important messages in the shuffle.
This spam filter arrives as part of a larger set of changes to the Messages app. iOS 26 is also adding conversation wallpapers, live translations, group typing indicators, and even polls, features meant to modernize how people communicate while keeping things familiar.
But it’s the spam filter that may feel most useful in everyday use. Text scams and promotional blasts have become a common headache, and users often have no easy way to manage them without third-party apps. With this update, Apple is giving iPhone users a native solution, built into the device, always running quietly in the background.
If a text comes from a number not in your contacts, and the system flags it as spam, it won't bother you with a notification. It won’t disappear either. The message is just moved out of the way, giving you the option to read it later, ignore it entirely, or mark it as legitimate if needed.
This isn’t Apple’s first step in reducing digital noise. Past iOS updates brought tools for filtering calls and silencing unknown callers. Now, that same approach is being applied to Messages, offering more control without demanding more effort from the user.
The feature is expected to roll out with the full iOS 26 release later this year. And while it won’t eliminate spam entirely, it’s one more step toward making your phone feel like yours again.
Read next: Meta Experiments With Proactive AI Bots Designed to Reinitiate Conversations and Increase User Engagement Across Platforms
With iOS 26, Messages will gain a smarter way to handle texts from unknown numbers. Once the feature is enabled, suspected spam gets screened and shifted out of your main inbox. These messages won’t trigger notifications. They won’t sit alongside personal conversations either. Instead, they’ll be stored in a separate section, quietly held back from view unless you choose to look.
Image: Apple.
That decision is yours. Apple isn’t deleting anything or blocking contact without notice. You’ll still be able to read those texts if you want. The filters menu in Messages now gives you four tabs to switch between: your regular messages, unknown senders, flagged spam, and recently deleted threads.
The tool lets you turn filtering on or off for either unknown numbers or obvious spam. If something gets miscategorized, there’s a visual cue on the filters icon to let you know something new has been screened. That way, the system avoids the risk of losing important messages in the shuffle.
This spam filter arrives as part of a larger set of changes to the Messages app. iOS 26 is also adding conversation wallpapers, live translations, group typing indicators, and even polls, features meant to modernize how people communicate while keeping things familiar.
But it’s the spam filter that may feel most useful in everyday use. Text scams and promotional blasts have become a common headache, and users often have no easy way to manage them without third-party apps. With this update, Apple is giving iPhone users a native solution, built into the device, always running quietly in the background.
If a text comes from a number not in your contacts, and the system flags it as spam, it won't bother you with a notification. It won’t disappear either. The message is just moved out of the way, giving you the option to read it later, ignore it entirely, or mark it as legitimate if needed.
This isn’t Apple’s first step in reducing digital noise. Past iOS updates brought tools for filtering calls and silencing unknown callers. Now, that same approach is being applied to Messages, offering more control without demanding more effort from the user.
The feature is expected to roll out with the full iOS 26 release later this year. And while it won’t eliminate spam entirely, it’s one more step toward making your phone feel like yours again.
Read next: Meta Experiments With Proactive AI Bots Designed to Reinitiate Conversations and Increase User Engagement Across Platforms
