iOS · iPhone & iPad
Screen or Silence Unknown Callers on iPhone
Source-checked About 10 minutes
Answer
In Settings > Apps > Phone, choose how iPhone handles calls from unsaved numbers: Never, Ask Reason for Calling, or Silence. Silence sends unknown calls to voicemail and leaves them in Recents.
Open the Phone settings
Go to Settings > Apps > Phone.
Choose the unknown-caller action
Under Screen Unknown Callers, select Ask Reason for Calling to screen calls or Silence to send unsaved numbers to voicemail.
Keep essential numbers saved
Add family, schools, medical providers, and other important numbers to Contacts so their calls continue to come through.
Video walkthrough
If it does not work
- If the issue continues, record the exact error and compare it with the linked Apple Support guidance before resetting, reinstalling, changing permissions, or deleting data.
Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: iPhone & iPad.
Follow the linked first-party guidance if labels differ after a platform or app update.