DND guide · Updated for TRAI's 2026 amendment
Block promotional calls and SMS on any Indian mobile number through 1909 by SMS, call or USSD, block only the categories you don't want, and unblock them later.
To activate DND, send BLOCK PROMO to 1909, dial *1909*50#, or call 1909 and press 50. To deactivate DND, send UNBLOCK ALL to 1909 or dial *#1909*90#. It works on Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL, and is free. OTPs, bank alerts and other transactional messages still reach you.
BLOCK PROMO to 1909*1909*50#1909 and press 50 at the promptUNBLOCK ALL to 1909*#1909*90#1909 and press 90 at the promptNote on the 2026 change: TRAI notified the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Third Amendment) Regulations on 18 September 2026. They replace FULLY BLOCK with BLOCK PROMO and add the UNBLOCK ALL and UNBLOCK 91–98 codes. Operators update their systems after the amendment takes effect, so if a code is not accepted, use your operator's app or customer care.
If you still want offers from some kinds of businesses, block only the categories you don't want. You can block more than one category by sending one code at a time.
| Category | SMS to 1909 | USSD | Call 1909, press |
|---|---|---|---|
| All promotional categories | BLOCK PROMO | *1909*50# | 50 |
| Banking, insurance, financial products, credit cards | BLOCK 1 | *1909*1# | 1 |
| Real estate | BLOCK 2 | *1909*2# | 2 |
| Education | BLOCK 3 | *1909*3# | 3 |
| Health | BLOCK 4 | *1909*4# | 4 |
| Consumer goods and automobiles | BLOCK 5 | *1909*5# | 5 |
| Communication, broadcasting, entertainment, IT | BLOCK 6 | *1909*6# | 6 |
| Tourism and leisure | BLOCK 7 | *1909*7# | 7 |
| Food and beverages | BLOCK 8 | *1909*8# | 8 |
Deactivating DND means allowing promotional communication again. You can unblock everything or only the categories you want to hear from.
| Unblock | SMS to 1909 | USSD | Call 1909, press |
|---|---|---|---|
| All promotional categories | UNBLOCK ALL | *#1909*90# | 90 |
| Banking, insurance, financial products, credit cards | UNBLOCK 91 | *#1909*91# | 91 |
| Real estate | UNBLOCK 92 | *#1909*92# | 92 |
| Education | UNBLOCK 93 | *#1909*93# | 93 |
| Health | UNBLOCK 94 | *#1909*94# | 94 |
| Consumer goods and automobiles | UNBLOCK 95 | *#1909*95# | 95 |
| Communication, broadcasting, entertainment, IT | UNBLOCK 96 | *#1909*96# | 96 |
| Tourism and leisure | UNBLOCK 97 | *#1909*97# | 97 |
| Food and beverages | UNBLOCK 98 | *#1909*98# | 98 |
Note that the unblock USSD codes start with *#1909*, while the block codes start with *1909*.
DND blocks promotional communication. It does not block transactional and service messages, such as OTPs, bank and card alerts, order and delivery updates, or government communication. This is by design, so you don't miss important information.
1909, use the TRAI DND app, or use your operator's app or website.A complaint made after seven days is closed as a complaint and kept only as a report, so report spam promptly.
If you send promotional SMS, numbers with DND preferences must be removed from your list before the campaign. Transactional and service messages, like OTPs and order updates, can still be sent through DLT-registered templates.
MetaReach helps you do this with the DND Number Checker for single and bulk lookups, the DND filter for removing DND numbers from campaign lists, and DND scrubbing for large databases. Developers can use the DND filter API.
Send BLOCK PROMO to 1909 by SMS, dial *1909*50#, or call 1909 and choose option 50. This blocks promotional calls and SMS in all categories. To block only one category, send BLOCK followed by its number, for example BLOCK 2 for real estate.
Under TRAI's Third Amendment Regulations 2026, send UNBLOCK ALL to 1909, dial *#1909*90#, or call 1909 and choose option 90. To allow only one category again, use UNBLOCK 91 to UNBLOCK 98. If your operator has not yet enabled these codes, use the operator's app or customer care.
No. DND blocks promotional communication. Transactional and service messages, such as OTPs, bank alerts and delivery updates, and government communication continue to be delivered.
TRAI's Third Amendment Regulations 2026 remove the FULLY BLOCK option. Preferences registered under FULLY BLOCK are to be moved to BLOCK PROMO within fifteen days of the amendment coming into force. Use BLOCK PROMO to block all promotional communication.
Report it within seven days of receiving the call or SMS, by calling or sending an SMS to 1909, through the TRAI DND app, or through your operator's app or website. Include the sender's number or header and the date.
Your own operator app shows the preferences on your number. Businesses that need to check many customer numbers before a promotional campaign can use a DND checking or scrubbing service.
Sources: TRAI, Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (Schedule-II codes); TRAI, Second Amendment Regulations, 2025 (seven-day complaint window). Checked 28 October 2026.
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