Your chats stay private with spam detection

With real-time spam detection, Messages makes chatting easier and safer. This feature 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 lets you block and report spammers. If you see a suspected spam warning in Messages, you can let Google know whether it’s spam 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, Google temporarily stores the phone numbers of received and sent messages for numbers that aren't in your contacts. This helps Google identify spammers.

This data is not linked to you or to identifiers such as your name or phone number, which means Google doesn’t know who you’re messaging. Your message content is not seen or stored by Google as part of this feature. 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 at any time in Settings:

  1. Open the Messages app Messages Logo Round.
  2. Tap More More and then Settings. 
  3. Tap Advanced and then Spam protection. You'll only see 'Spam protection' if it's available on your device. 
  4. Turn Enable spam protection on or off.  
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