Best Method For Blocking Group Text – Android Users

The ABL Solution

March 22, 2024 by CjF

Yes, I created this website for the sole purpose of defeating the unwanted Group Text!  I’m sure you’re here for the same reason, to stop The Group Text Madness!  We’ve all experienced a Group Text that posts every day, all day.  It Must Stop!

This is not about spam, but for Group Text made up of people from your Contact list.

By now you already know what the options are:

• We could be petty and tell the person who added you to remove you. 

• Mute/Silence  is only good for stopping on-screen notifications and cancelling out the notification sound.

• When you Archive a Conversation whether Group or Individual, it moves to the Archive Folder and will remain there until a new Message is sent or received which causes the Conversation to move back to the Main Message List. 

• Deleting a Thread just trashes the conversation.  When a new message is received it will appear in your Main Message List.

• Another option is to Block everyone in the Group, which comes along with some guilt, but are you really Blocking them?  (more on this later)
• Or you can try this………

During my research, I concluded at the very least, people don’t’ want to see it in their Main Message List and want to tend to it on their own terms.   After doing some experimenting with the options available, I had a breakthrough.  I call it the ABL Solution.  That’s right, I named it.  During my research no one has mentioned this, not even the good folk over at Android. It could be a reasonable compromise.

The words “Block” and “Spam” carry negative connotations and even some guilt.  But in reality, they’re  just labels for folders that Messages filters into.  For instance,  Blocking really doesn’t Block the Message, it only Blocks the Message(s) from appearing in your Main Message List.  You can still access them in the Spam folder.  The Contact doesn’t know they’re Blocked.  You can receive phone calls from Blocked Contacts. 

If you Block everyone in the Group Text,  any  Message from the Group will appear in the Spam folder, with just their “Name”.  Contacts are listed separately, not Grouped. 

If you tap to view a Message, it will require you to Download the Message from that Contact. 

If you do this, the Contact will become un-Blocked, and the updated Group Text Thread will reappear in your Main Message List with the Downloaded Message.  All other Contacts will remain Blocked.

Because you Blocked the Contacts in the Group, any Direct Messages from a particular Contact will appear in the Spam folder as well, with one major difference.  You’ll see a “Message Preview” like in your Main Message List.

You will be able to open and read the Message in the Spam Folder, just like in your Main Message List. 

Reading the Message will not move the Conversation back to the Main Message List. 

THE ABL SOLUTION

The ABL Solution is simple and allows you to be bothered when you want to be bothered.  It requires you to Archive the Group Text.  Then Block every Contact in the Group.    This Locks the Group Text Thread into the Archive Folder.  If you Download a Message, it will update the Group Text Thread in the Archive Folder, not in your Main Message List and the Contact(s) will remain Blocked.  Cool right!  The Archive-Block-Lock Solution! 

*Messages will not appear in order in the updated Archive Thread unless you toggle between Contacts and Download Chronologically.  Messages also have an expiration date.

STEPS:

-Silence/ Mute  Group Notifications

-Archive Group Text Thread

-Go to the Archive folder and open Group Text Thread.

-Tap on the “Three Dots” top right of screen.

-Choose “People and Options.”

-Tap into the first Contact

-Tap the “Text” icon, this will take you to the Contact’s Messaging screen.

-Tap on the “Three Dots” at the top right of screen.

-Choose “Block” option.

     *a pop-up screen will appear, DO NOT CHECK THE SPAM BOX!

*If you check this box, your report might trigger a “Spam Report” which is different from “Blocking” a contact. A copy of the Spammers’ number plus the most recent text message will be sent to your mobile carrier for further action.

-Repeat for each Contact.

*If there’s unknown or new additions to the Group Text Thread, just add them to Contacts, Archive/Block.

Here’s what you need to know about using the ABL Solution. 

When you “Respond” to a Group Text in the Archive Folder, The Group Text Thread will reappear in your Main Message List.  This is because you can’t Block yourself.  If anyone else posts a message they will remain Blocked unless you Download a Message from them.  If that happens that Contact will become un-Blocked.  All you will need to do is Archive the Group Text Thread and re-Block Contact(s)

If you “Respond” to a Direct Message from a Contact in the Group Text Thread, The Conversation will be moved to the Main Message List and the Contact will become un-Blocked.  If you do not re-Block the Contact and that Contact post a Message in the Group Text Thread, it will reappear in the Main Message List.  No other Blocked Contact Message will appear unless a Message is Downloaded.  Archive and Block.

Deleting an Archived Thread.  If you do this, you can re-Archive if you choose by Downloading a Message from a Blocked Contact in the Group.  Remember this will un-Block the Contact and the Group Text Thread will re-appear in the Main Message List.  From there you can Archive and Block.

If you have vague interest or no interest at all, Trashing the Messages from the Spam folder has no effect on the Archived or Block Status.

Remember, there are no notifications, so you will need to check the Spam folder.  If you Direct Message with one or more Contacts regularly, then you can make that decision if the ABL Solution is best for you.  I check my Messages for work and personal often, so a few extra seconds is totally worth it. 

The ABL Solution may work with other apps, I don’t know, I haven’t tried it.  I do know it doesn’t work with iPhone.  iPhone users who are part of a Group Text with an Android user, cannot use their beloved “leave group” button, Ha-Ha!  Even though they appear to have the same Block/Archive functions available, the iPhone Block feature actually Blocks the Messages completely.  You will not get a Group Text or Direct Message from the Blocked Contact(s) and they are not filtered to another folder.  This is where I think Android wins, because they actually filter the Messages.  But iPhone may have another way to get rid of those unwanted Group Texts, I don’t have an iPhone, so I don’t care.

For me I don’t want to completely get rid of the Group Thread.  I’m ok with taking a gander at what’s going on from time to time.  It could be something being talked about that I may need to follow up with regarding someone on the Group Thread or their family.   

Just having it out the way adds a little joy to my day when I open my Messages and don’t have to see it.  

In conclusion, whatever your annoyance level may be with an unwanted Group Text, your reasons to move the Group Text out of sight. It could be permanent or temporary. Block them all or Block a few…ya know what, now that I think about it…

…I have to give that some thought, but anyway, the ABL Solution offers a viable option to manage Group Text as you please.