Apple iOS 13: How to enable 'Silence Unknown Callers' feature and save yourself from spam calls

iOS 13 has rolled out in India. The new software update by Apple brings in some tweaks and updates that aim to offer a better user experience. iOS 13 also brings a new feature that would save you from spam calls.

Apple has added a new feature in iOS 13 called ‘Silence Unknown Callers’. The feature would save users from getting calls from spammers and automated calls. A simple toggle in the Settings app would automatically block unknown numbers.

Silence Unknown Callers, as the name suggests, would silence any calls from unknown numbers that a user receives. If Siri finds the number in Mail, Messages or Contacts, it will allow the call to come through. 

Now you may ask about a known person calling from an alternate number which isn’t saved in your contact. Currently, iOS 13 does not offer any control to customise or manage a list of unsaved numbers that can call a user. The only option is to save a contact number if you are expecting calls from them.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Silence Unknown Callers is different from ‘Do Not Disturb’ (DND). 

In the DND feature, the user is notified about an incoming call from an unknown number. In Silence Unknown Callers, the OS won’t allow an unsaved number to bypass even if the person has called multiple times. However, the user will get a missed call notification which can be found in the Phone logs.

In case you still want to enable the Silence Unknown Callers feature, you need to:

• Go to the Settings app, scroll down a fair bit and tap on Phone.
• At the bottom half of the ‘Phone’ page, you’ll see an option that reads ‘Call Silencing and Blocked Contacts’.
• Enable the Silence Unknown Callers. Toggle to activate the feature.