How to Add Blocked Numbers: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Adding numbers to your blocked list is simple. This guide covers each step, from opening the form to saving your entries.

Step-by-Step Instructions #

Step 1: Open the Add Form #

1. Log In: Sign in to your SMS Gateway Center account
2. Navigate: Go to Blocked Numbers in your dashboard menu
3. Click Add: Click the “Add” button (usually at the top-right)
4. Form Opens: A popup form appears

Step 2: Select Products to Block #

1. Find Product Selection: You’ll see checkboxes for your available products:

• SMS: Block SMS messages
• WhatsApp: Block WhatsApp messages
• Voice: Block voice calls

1. Select Products:

• Single Product: Check one box (e.g., only SMS)
• Multiple Products: Check multiple boxes (e.g., SMS and WhatsApp)
• All Products: Check all boxes to block across all channels

1. Important: You must select at least one product.

Examples:

Example 1 – Block SMS Only:

• ✅ Check “SMS”
• ❌ Leave “WhatsApp” and “Voice” unchecked
• Result: Number receives WhatsApp and Voice, but not SMS

Example 2 – Block SMS and WhatsApp:

• ✅ Check “SMS”
• ✅ Check “WhatsApp”
• ❌ Leave “Voice” unchecked
• Result: Number receives Voice calls, but not SMS or WhatsApp

Example 3 – Block All Products:

• ✅ Check “SMS”
• ✅ Check “WhatsApp”
• ✅ Check “Voice”
• Result: Number is blocked from all messaging channels

Step 3: Enter Mobile Number #

1. Find Mobile Number Field: Locate the text area labeled “Mobile Number”
2. Enter Number Format:

• Use international format: +919876543210
• Include country code (e.g., +91 for India)
• No spaces, dashes, or special characters

1. Correct Formats:

• ✅ +919876543210 (India)
• ✅ +12025551234 (USA)
• ✅ +442071234567 (UK)

1. Incorrect Formats:

• ❌ 9876543210 (missing country code)
• ❌ +91-98765-43210 (contains dashes)
• ❌ 91 98765 43210 (contains spaces)

Step 4: Add Multiple Numbers #

You can add multiple numbers at once:

Method 1 – Comma Separated:

+919876543210,+919876543211,+919876543212

Method 2 – Line Separated (one per line):

+919876543210
+919876543211
+919876543212

Method 3 – Mixed:

+919876543210,+919876543211
+919876543212
+919876543213

Tips:

• Copy-paste from Excel or text files
• Maximum recommended: 100 numbers per batch
• All numbers use the same product selection

Step 5: Set Status #

1. Find Status Dropdown: Locate the “Status” dropdown
2. Select Status:

• Active: Blocking is enabled immediately
• Inactive: Number is added but blocking is disabled (you can enable later)

1. Recommendation: Choose “Active” unless you have a specific reason to delay.

Step 6: Review and Save #

1. Double-Check:

• ✅ Product selection is correct
• ✅ Mobile number(s) are in correct format
• ✅ Status is set appropriately

1. Click Save: Click the “Save Changes” button
2. Success: You’ll see a success message and the number(s) appear in your blocked list.

Real-World Examples #

Example 1: Blocking a Single Invalid Number #

Situation: You notice +919876543210 consistently fails delivery.

Steps:

1. Click “Add”
2. Check “SMS” (or all products)
3. Enter: +919876543210
4. Select Status: “Active”
5. Click “Save Changes”

Result: This number will no longer receive SMS messages (or selected products).

Example 2: Bulk Blocking Invalid Numbers #

Situation: You have 20 numbers that failed delivery.

Steps:

1. Click “Add”
2. Check “SMS” and “WhatsApp”
3. Enter all 20 numbers (comma or line-separated):

   +919876543210,+919876543211,+919876543212,+919876543213,+919876543214
   +919876543215,+919876543216,+919876543217,+919876543218,+919876543219
   +919876543220,+919876543221,+919876543222,+919876543223,+919876543224
   +919876543225,+919876543226,+919876543227,+919876543228,+919876543229

4. Select Status: “Active”
5. Click “Save Changes”

Result: All 20 numbers are blocked for SMS and WhatsApp.

Example 3: User Requested Opt-Out #

Situation: User +919876543210 requested to stop receiving all messages.

Steps:

1. Click “Add”
2. Check all products: “SMS”, “WhatsApp”, “Voice”
3. Enter: +919876543210
4. Select Status: “Active”
5. Click “Save Changes”

Result: User will not receive any messages from your account.

Common Scenarios #

Scenario 1: Blocking for Specific Product Only #

Question: I want to block SMS but still send WhatsApp messages.

Answer:

• Check only “SMS” in product selection
• Leave “WhatsApp” unchecked
• The number will receive WhatsApp but not SMS

Scenario 2: Adding Numbers from Excel #

Question: How do I add numbers from an Excel file?

Answer:

1. Copy numbers from Excel column
2. Paste into the mobile number field
3. Ensure each number is on a new line or separated by commas
4. Verify all numbers include country code (+)

Scenario 3: Temporary Blocking #

Question: Can I add a number but not block it immediately?

Answer:

• Yes, select Status: “Inactive”
• Number is added to your list but blocking is disabled
• You can enable it later by editing the entry

Validation and Errors #

Common Errors #

Error: “Please select at least one product”

• Cause: No product checkbox is selected
• Solution: Check at least one product (SMS, WhatsApp, or Voice)

Error: “Please enter valid mobile number”

• Cause: Mobile number field is empty or invalid format
• Solution: Enter number(s) in international format (+country code)

Error: Invalid number format

• Cause: Number missing country code or contains invalid characters
• Solution: Ensure number starts with + and includes country code

What Happens After Adding #

1. Immediate Effect: If status is “Active”, blocking starts immediately
2. Campaign Protection: All future campaigns check against blocked list
3. Credit Protection: No credits deducted for blocked messages
4. List Update: Number appears in your blocked numbers list

Best Practices #

1. Number Format #

• Always use international format (+country code)
• Remove spaces, dashes, and special characters
• Validate numbers before adding

2. Product Selection #

• Block only necessary products
• Use “All Products” for complete opt-outs
• Consider user preferences when blocking

3. Bulk Adding #

• Test with a few numbers first
• Validate formats before bulk adding
• Keep batches under 100 numbers

4. Regular Maintenance #

• Review your blocked list regularly
• Remove outdated entries
• Update product selections as needed

Troubleshooting #

Issue: Number Not Blocking After Addition #

Possible Causes:

• Status is set to “Inactive”
• Wrong product selected
• Number format issue

Solutions:

1. Check status in blocked numbers list
2. Verify product selections match your campaign
3. Ensure number format is correct

Issue: Can’t Add Multiple Numbers #

Possible Causes:

• Format issues in the list
• Special characters present
• Exceeding batch limit

Solutions:

1. Validate each number format
2. Remove special characters
3. Split into smaller batches