Your chats stay private with spam detection

With real-time spam detection, Messages makes chatting easier and safer. Spam detection works with your message data while keeping your messages private. And it’s optional, so you're in control.

How spam detection works

Messages tries to detect suspected spam and hides it in the spam folder. If you get a suspected spam warning in Messages, you can let Google know if it’s spam or not by tapping “Report spam” or “Report not spam.”

How we protect your data

We use data without personally identifying you.

When Spam protection is on, Messages uses machine learning models that operate on your device to detect known spam patterns in your messages. Messages doesn’t share or send the content of your messages to Google servers unless you report messages as spam. Even when you don’t have a data connection, Messages can detect spam on your device.

Depending on the features that you have opted into, spam information is sent to Google anonymously to improve spam and abuse protection. Google temporarily stores the phone numbers of messages you receive from people that aren't in your contacts, your country, and other non-identifying information. Google doesn't store any data on persistent identifiers like your name or phone number, which means Google doesn't know who you're messaging.

Messages combines the available data from your device and Google servers to improve spam detection. This process happens on your device.

Learn more about reporting spam or blocking a number.

You're in control

Spam protection is turned on automatically, and you’ll be notified when this happens. You can turn it off anytime in your settings:

1. Open the Messages app .
2. Tap More Settings Spam protection.
   • You'll only find "Spam protection" if it's available on your device.
3. Turn Enable spam protection on or off.