Have you ever received a phone call from a number you didn’t recognize, only to be greeted with a sales pitch or worse? If you’re looking for a way to reduce the number of unwanted calls you receive, you can change your iPhone settings to only allow calls from your contacts.
In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to do it.
How to only allow calls from contacts on iPhone
Most people know that you can block callers inpidually on your iPhone. This is known as blacklisting and essentially means that you agree to receive calls from everyone except a few specific people.
But what do you do if you receive a high volume of calls from unknown numbers? You’ll quickly tire of pressing a caller’s block button, only to be ambushed by another ring from another unknown number moments later.
“But is it that bad?” you might ask.
In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published a report detailing the prevalence of scam phone calls in the United States. The report found that 44.6% of all mobile phone calls would be scams by the end of the year. And judging by the trend of recent years, it is safe to assume that the percentage of scam phone calls today is much higher.
It is true that not all unknown callers are scammers. Some may be people you really know but don’t want to talk to. Others could be people you have met in the past but who have since fallen away from your circle. But too many calls can be a big distraction. There is no sure way to know if an unknown caller is worth talking to.
Fortunately, there is a way to put an end to this harassment. By taking advantage of the call blocking features built into your iPhone’s operating system, you can effectively block all unknown numbers from calling you. This will stop the endless stream of calls from unknown numbers and give you some much-needed peace and quiet.
Do Not Disturb Mode on iPhone
Do Not Disturb mode on iPhone is a great way to avoid being bothered by notifications, phone calls, and messages when you don’t want to. You can schedule Do Not Disturb mode to turn on and off automatically, or you can turn it on manually when you need it.
Perhaps the most important feature of this setting is that it has an “Allow calls from” section where you can specify the people you do not want to block. It’s essentially a list of Do Not Disturb exemptions. You can direct your phone to only allow calls from certain people or from all your contacts.
Is that how it works.
- Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down the settings menu and tap “Do Not Disturb.”
- Tap “Allow calls from” and select “All contacts” from the listed options.
- If you want to screen unknown calls 24/7, tap the “Always” button in the Do Not Disturb menu. Otherwise, tap the “Scheduled” button when you want to block unknown calls only within a specific period of the day.
When Do Not Disturb mode is on, all unknown incoming calls will go directly to voicemail and you will not receive any notifications or messages. This is a great way to make sure you aren’t interrupted when you’re trying to focus on something important or when you’re trying to get some rest.
You can still use your iPhone while this setting is activated, but it’s a good way to make sure you’re not bothered by anything that’s not absolutely necessary.
The Silence Unknown Callers feature in iOS 13
If your iPhone runs iOS 13, you’re in luck.
The new Silence Unknown Callers feature in iOS 13 is a great way to block unwanted calls and protect your privacy. When activated, all calls from numbers not stored in your contacts will be sent directly to voicemail. That way you never have to worry about taking a call from a telemarketer or another unwanted caller.
Here’s how to activate this setting.
- Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone and select “Phone” from the menu.
- Scroll down and toggle the switch next to “Silence Unknown Callers” to the “ON” position.
With Silence Unknown Callers, you can have the best of both worlds: the ability to screen calls but not miss any that are really important. You’ll still receive a silent notification that you missed a call, but the call itself won’t bother you.
Only accept calls you have approved in advance
If you’re tired of being bothered by unknown people, you can take steps to block them using the tools built into your iPhone. This will help you stay connected to the people who matter most to you without having to worry about unknown calls or unwanted telemarketers.
