How to Stop Unwanted Calls on Your iPhone

Are you tired of constantly receiving unwanted calls on your iPhone? Whether it’s telemarketing calls, robocalls, or spam calls, they can be incredibly annoying and disruptive. Fortunately, there are several ways to stop unwanted calls and regain control of your device.

1. Enable “Silence Unknown Callers”:
One of the simplest and most effective ways to block unwanted calls is by enabling the “Silence Unknown Callers” feature on your iPhone. When enabled, this setting will silence calls from numbers not saved in your contacts, sending them straight to voicemail. To activate this feature, go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers and toggle the switch to the on position.

2. Block Specific Phone Numbers:
If you’re regularly receiving unwanted calls from specific phone numbers, you can block them individually. Open the Phone app, go to the “Recents” tab, locate the number you want to block, and tap on the “i” icon. Then, scroll down and select “Block this Caller.” This will prevent any calls, messages, or FaceTime requests from that number.

3. Utilize the Do Not Disturb Feature:
The Do Not Disturb feature is a powerful tool to help prevent unwanted calls from interrupting your day. You can activate this feature manually or schedule it to automatically turn on during specific hours. When enabled, it sends all calls to voicemail, while allowing calls from your favorites or repeated calls to come through. To access this feature, go to Settings > Do Not Disturb.

4. Use Third-Party Call Blocking Apps:
There are numerous third-party call blocking apps available on the App Store that can help you effectively block unwanted calls. These apps often have extensive databases of known spam numbers and can automatically identify and block them. Some popular options include Truecaller, Hiya, and RoboKiller.

5. Report Spam Calls:
Reporting spam calls can help authorities take action against those responsible and reduce the number of unwanted calls overall. When you receive a spam call, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/complaint. Additionally, you can enable the “Silence Junk Callers” feature, which submits anonymous information about suspected spam calls to Apple to improve their spam call detection algorithms.

6. Be Cautious with Your Number:
Prevention is better than cure, and being cautious with your phone number can help minimize unwanted calls. Avoid sharing your number on public platforms or websites that could potentially sell your information to telemarketers. Consider using a second phone number for online transactions or subscriptions to keep your primary number private.

7. Enable Call Filtering:
In newer iPhone models running iOS 13 or later, there is a built-in feature called “Silence Unknown Callers” that goes a step further than simply silencing unknown calls. This feature uses Siri intelligence to automatically identify and silence calls from unknown numbers, sending them to voicemail. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification and toggle the “Silence Unknown Callers” switch.

By utilizing these methods, you can significantly reduce the number of unwanted calls on your iPhone and regain control over your device. Experiment with different approaches to find the combination that works best for you and enjoy a more peaceful and interruption-free mobile experience.