Block incoming/outgoing SMS on Android

Question

Does anyone know a reliable way to block incoming/outgoing SMS messages through code? It's ok if the actual SMS messages are being received, but I would like to block any notifications of that SMS being received. Also, the user shouldn't be allowed to send (or prefferably even type) an SMS message. Is that possible?

Thanks

Answer 1

Regarding blocking of incoming sms. You can register broadcast receiver with high priority so your code gets called before system app is called. Than in broadcast receiver, you can abort the broadcast and other apps won't see it.

register receiver in manifest:

<receiver android:name=".SmsReceiver">
    <intent-filter android:priority="2147483647">
        <action android:name="android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

and then in broadcast receiver:

@Override
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
    abortBroadcast();
}

Answer 2

You can't block outgoing text messages.

Here's what I use for blocking incoming texts.

---

SmsReceiver.java

import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.telephony.SmsMessage;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class BroadCastReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver 
{
/** Called when the activity is first created. */
private static final String ACTION = "android.provider.Telephony.SEND_SMS";
public static int MSG_TPE=0;
public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) 
{ 
    String MSG_TYPE=intent.getAction();
        if(MSG_TYPE.equals("android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED"))
    {
//          Toast toast = Toast.makeText(context,"SMS Received: "+MSG_TYPE , Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
//          toast.show();

    Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();
    Object messages[] = (Object[]) bundle.get("pdus");
    SmsMessage smsMessage[] = new SmsMessage[messages.length];
    for (int n = 0; n < messages.length; n++) 
    {
        smsMessage[n] = SmsMessage.createFromPdu((byte[]) messages[n]);
    }

    // show first message
    Toast toast = Toast.makeText(context,"BLOCKED Received SMS: " + smsMessage[0].getMessageBody(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
    toast.show();
        abortBroadcast();
        for(int i=0;i<8;i++)
        {
            System.out.println("Blocking SMS **********************");
        }

    }
    else if(MSG_TYPE.equals("android.provider.Telephony.SEND_SMS"))
    {
        Toast toast = Toast.makeText(context,"SMS SENT: "+MSG_TYPE , Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
        toast.show();
        abortBroadcast();
        for(int i=0;i<8;i++)
        {
            System.out.println("Blocking SMS **********************");
        }

    }
    else
    {

        Toast toast = Toast.makeText(context,"SIN ELSE: "+MSG_TYPE , Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
        toast.show();
        abortBroadcast();
        for(int i=0;i<8;i++)
        {
            System.out.println("Blocking SMS **********************");
        }

    }

}

}

---

AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
package="APP.PACKAGE.NAMEHERE"
android:versionCode="1"
android:versionName="1.0" >

<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="10" />

<supports-screens 
android:largeScreens="true" 
android:normalScreens="true" 
android:smallScreens="true" 
android:resizeable="true" 
android:anyDensity="true" />

<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.telephony" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_SMS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_SMS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SEND_SMS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_MMS" />

<application
    android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name" >
    <activity
        android:name=".APPACTIVITYHERE"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden" >


    <service android:name=".MyService" android:enabled="true"/>
     <receiver android:name="SmsReceiver">
      <intent-filter android:priority="2147483647">
       <action android:name="android.provider.Telephony.SMS_SENT"/>
      </intent-filter>
     </receiver>

     <service android:name=".MyServiceSentReceived" android:enabled="true"/>
      <receiver android:name="SmsReceiver">
        <intent-filter android:priority="2147483645">
         <action android:name="android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED"/>
        </intent-filter>
      </receiver>

</application>

The main thing to take away from the manifest is the service block, receiver block, and the permissions.