Call Barring on Android: What It Blocks, What It Doesn't (2026)

You found "Call barring" in your phone's settings, or someone told you to dial a code like *33*, and you want to know what it actually does. Short version: call barring stops whole categories of calls (all outgoing calls, all international calls, all incoming calls) and it is enforced by your mobile operator, not by your phone. It cannot block calls to one specific number. This guide covers what each option blocks, how to turn it on or off on Samsung and Pixel phones, the standard codes and the password, why it sometimes refuses to work, and what to use instead if you only want to stop calls to a single number.

Steps and codes are current as of September 2026. Menu names vary by phone maker and Android version, and whether the feature is offered at all depends on your mobile operator.

1. What call barring is, in 30 seconds

Call barring is a network feature defined in the GSM standard. When you switch it on, your phone sends a request to your operator, and from then on the operator refuses to connect the category of call you barred. Because the rule lives on the network, it follows your SIM card: swap the SIM into another phone and the barring is still in place.

Two things follow from that. First, your operator has to support it. Operators in the UK, India, Australia, the Middle East and much of Asia and Europe commonly do. In the United States the service is rarely advertised and the setting is often missing from the Phone app, which is one reason the word is unfamiliar there; if you are on a US carrier, check with them before relying on it. Second, it works in categories, not in numbers. You can bar "all outgoing calls", but not "calls to this one person".

2. The five things call barring can block

The GSM standard defines five barring services. Your phone's settings show some or all of them, usually with these names:

"Outgoing call barring" in everyday use means the first one: all outgoing calls. It is the option people reach for to stop a phone from making any calls at all, for example on a child's phone, a spare work phone, or a phone that is only meant to receive calls.

3. How to turn call barring on or off on Android

The setting lives inside the Phone app, not in the main Settings app. The exact path depends on who made your phone.

Samsung Galaxy

1. Open the Phone app and tap the three dots (⋮) in the top right.
2. Tap Settings → Supplementary services → Call barring.
3. Tap Voice call (some models skip this step). If you have two SIMs, pick the SIM first.
4. Turn on the category you want, for example All outgoing calls. The exact list varies by model and operator: typical entries are All outgoing calls, International calls, International calls except to home, All incoming calls, and Incoming calls while roaming; some models also show Outgoing calls to premium numbers.
5. Enter the call barring password (see section 5) and confirm.

To turn it off, come back to the same screen, switch the category off, and enter the password again.

Google Pixel and phones using the Google Phone app

1. Open the Phone app and tap the three dots (⋮) → Settings.
2. Tap Calling accounts, then tap your SIM or operator.
3. Tap Call barring. On some phones it sits under Calls or Additional settings instead.
4. Turn on the category you want and enter the password.

On a Pixel we tested, the option is there, but opening it requires mobile data for that SIM to be switched on, because the phone has to talk to the operator's network to read and change the setting.

Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Realme and others

Look in the Phone app's settings for Call barring, Call restriction, or Advanced settings. The steps are the same once you find the screen: choose the SIM, choose the category, enter the password.

4. Call barring codes (*33*, #33#, and the rest)

Because call barring is part of the GSM standard, you can also control it by dialing a code in the Phone app, exactly as you would dial a number. Replace PW with your 4-digit call barring password.

Type the code, press the call button, and wait for the confirmation message from the network. If nothing happens, or you see "Connection problem or invalid MMI code", the service is not available on your SIM or the password is wrong. To change the password itself, most networks accept **03*330*OLD*NEW*NEW#, where OLD is the current password and NEW is the new one.

These codes come from the GSM specification and work on most GSM and LTE networks worldwide. Some operators disable a few of them, and they do not apply to CDMA-only service.

5. The call barring password

Every change to call barring asks for a 4-digit "network password" or "barring password". It is not your SIM PIN and it is not your screen lock. It is set by your operator, and the usual default is 0000; some operators use 1234 or print it on the paperwork that came with the SIM.

If the default does not work, do not keep guessing. Some networks lock the service after a few wrong attempts. Ask your operator's support to reset it; they can usually do it on the spot after confirming your identity.

6. Why call barring won't turn on (or off)

• Your operator doesn't offer it. The most common cause. The menu may be missing, greyed out, or return an error.
• Wrong password. Try 0000, then ask your operator. Don't cycle through guesses.
• Mobile data for that SIM is off. The phone has to reach the operator's network to read or change the setting. On the Pixel we tested, the Phone app refused to open the screen until mobile data for the SIM was on.
• Wrong SIM selected. On dual-SIM phones the setting is per SIM. Check which one you are changing.
• A different restriction is on. Fixed Dialing Numbers (FDN), a parental-control app, or a work profile can block calls in ways that look like barring but are switched off elsewhere.
• You are roaming. Some networks won't let you change barring while abroad.

7. What call barring cannot do: block one number

This is the question most people actually have. Call barring stops all outgoing calls or none of them. There is no list of numbers, no schedule, and no exceptions beyond emergency numbers. If what you want is "stop calls to this one number, but let everything else through", call barring is the wrong tool, and so is the "Block numbers" list in your Phone app, which only blocks calls coming in from a number.

For a per-number outgoing block on Android you need an app that uses the system's call screening or call redirection feature. NoDial is built for exactly that: you add the numbers you have decided not to call, and calls to those numbers end before they connect. Everything else works as normal. You can block a number all the time, only on certain days and hours, or after a set number of calls per day, week, or month. Emergency numbers can never be added, and your contacts are left untouched.

8. Call barring vs. Fixed Dialing vs. a per-number blocker

FDN deserves its own guide, but the short version is: it turns the phone into a device that can only call the numbers on a short list, which is useful for a child's or an elderly relative's phone and very inconvenient for daily use.

9. FAQ

What does outgoing call barring mean?

It means your mobile operator refuses to connect calls you make. "All outgoing calls" stops every call except emergency numbers; "outgoing international calls" stops only calls to other countries.

What is the call barring code?

*33*PW# turns on barring of all outgoing calls and #33*PW# turns it off, where PW is your 4-digit barring password. *#33# shows whether it is currently on.

What is the default call barring password?

Usually 0000. Some operators use 1234 or a password printed with the SIM. If neither works, ask your operator to reset it rather than guessing.

Does call barring block emergency calls?

No. Emergency numbers such as 112, 911, 999 and 000 always go through, regardless of barring.

Can I bar calls to one specific number?

Not with call barring. It works by category. To block calls to one number, use a per-number outgoing call blocker such as NoDial.

Is call barring the same as blocking a number?

No. "Block number" in the Phone app stops calls coming in from that number. Call barring stops categories of calls, mostly outgoing, at the network.

Why is there no call barring option on my phone?

Most often because your operator does not offer the service, which is common in the United States. The codes will not work either in that case.

10. Summary

• Five categories: all outgoing, outgoing international, outgoing international except home, all incoming, incoming while roaming.
• Samsung: Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Supplementary services → Call barring. Pixel: Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Calling accounts → your SIM → Call barring.
• Codes: *33*PW# on, #33*PW# off, *#33# status. #330*PW# turns everything off.
• If the menu is missing or the codes fail, your operator probably doesn't offer it.
• To block calls to specific numbers, on a schedule or with a limit, use NoDial instead.

Sources

• ETSI, GSM 03.88 "Call Barring (CB) supplementary services – Stage 2" etsi.org (PDF)
• Samsung Support, "How to activate and use the call barring feature on my Samsung phone?" samsung.com
• MakeUseOf, "What Is Call Barring on a Samsung Phone and How Do You Use It?" makeuseof.com
• KrispCall, "Call Barring: Meaning, Codes, & How to Enable or Disable?" krispcall.com
• Google Pixel Community, "Call barring" (path: Phone → Settings → Calling accounts → SIM → Call barring) support.google.com
• Our own check on a Google Pixel 8a (Android, September 2026): the Call barring entry under Phone → Settings → Calling accounts requires mobile data for the SIM to be on.

Operators change their services and phone makers rename menus. Check your operator's help pages if a step does not match what you see.