Your phone is ringing, but when you check who it is you see “Unknown Caller” on your screen. You're not sure why this is or what this means. Today, I'll explain everything you need to know about Unknown Caller on iPhone.
Why Does My iPhone Say “Unknown Caller”?
“Unknown Caller” is displayed when Apple isn't able to identify the phone number of an incoming call. These calls are usually spam that you don't want to pick up anyway. On the off chance it is something important, they'll likely leave a voicemail that you can listen to later.
How To Silence Unknown Callers On iPhone
Silencing “Unknown Callers” is a great option for those that don't want to be bothered by spam calls. Instead of your phone ringing, these calls will go straight to voicemail. However, they'll still show up under the Recents tab in the Phone App.
To turn this feature on, open Settings and select Phone. Next, tap Silence Unknown Callers, then flip the switch labelled Silence Unknown Callers to turn this setting on. You'll know this feature is enabled when the switch turns green.
Other Spam Protection Features
Many wireless carriers have additional forms of spam protection for iPhones, and they're usually free. If you have to pay for additional spam protection, we don't recommend doing so. We've detailed some of the major carriers' spam prevention options below.
T-Mobile
If T-Mobile is your cellular provider, there are a few short codes you can dial into the Phone app to block unwanted spam calls. To block Scam Likely calls, enter #662# in the Phone app. If you want to check if you've already enabled this feature, enter #787#. Finally, if you want to turn this feature off, all you have to do is enter #632#.
If you want a more in-depth look at these solutions, check out our article all about how to block calls from “Scam Likely” numbers.
Verizon
Verizon offers a service called Call Filter, which is compatible with most Verizon phones and plans. With Call Filter, Spam Detection, and Spam Filter, you can protect your phone from receiving spam calls.
The service can also send certain spam calls straight to voicemail based on their risk-level. While the free version of this service is great, Verizon also offers a version of this service for $3 / month that comes with even more protection.
AT&T
AT&T also offers further spam protection with their Mobile Call Protect app, which you can download from the app store. The free version of this app includes Spam and Fraud Call Blocking, along with Unknown Call Blocking and a personal Block List for each line.
Like Verizon's Call Filter, AT&T offers a premium version of this service for $3.99 / month. However, we find paying for extra spam protection unnecessary.
No More Unknown Callers On iPhone
After reading this article, you now know what kind of spam protection is available to you. You know that if you ever get an “Unknown Caller” on your iPhone, you can block the callers under your Settings, or check out what your wireless provider can do for you. We hope this article was helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below with any questions or suggestions, thanks for reading!
