Here’s how an often overlooked feature of iOS could help you take control of spam callers on your iPhone.
Called Silence Unknown Callers, the feature does just that – it silences unfamiliar callers, automatically sending them to voicemail. Perfect for handling robocalls and the like. Without doubt, it’s a great iOS feature that’s easy to miss. So with that in mind, let’s take a closer look.
When enabled, Silence Unknown Callers checks whether an incoming call is from a number that’s in your address book. It also uses the power of Siri to scan through Messages and Mail, in case the number is hidden in a colleague’s email signature or has been texted to you by a friend.
(If you’re worried about the privacy implications, know that Siri Intelligence features are handled on-device. Apple can’t read your emails.)
If an incoming number is completely unknown, the call is auto-declined and will go straight to voicemail where you can listen to it later or delete it. You’ll also see the missed call appear in the Recents tab in the Phone app.
It’s a smart, effective feature – but it’s not enabled by default. You can turn it on from Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers.
If you’re worried about missing important calls, don’t fret. Silenced callers can still leave a voicemail. That means you won’t be pestered by a ringtone, but you’ll still see the missed call in case it’s genuine.
While Silence Unknown Callers is great, it’s also worth noting that if you’re waiting to receive an important call from an unknown number – like a hospital – it may be wise to disable the feature, at least temporarily.
So if you’re frequently plagued by cold callers, activate this feature and put a stop to the spammers once and for all!