In Summary
- Meta has introduced a new feature on WhatsApp to address the platform’s growing spam situation.
- It’s called Silence Unknown Callers, and it automatically silences calls from unknown numbers so you aren’t disturbed or bothered by them.
- Silence Unknown Callers is available on both Android and iOS.
WhatsApp users, especially in India, have been experiencing an influx of spam calls for the last few months.
Although users had the ability to block and report calls for a long time, these options aren’t enough to deal with the ever-growing spam situation on WhatsApp.
Meta has realized this and announced a new feature on WhatsApp that automatically silences calls from unknown numbers. Here’s what you need to know about the feature and the steps to enable it on your Android and iPhone.
What Is the Silence Unknown Callers Feature?
Silence Unknown Callers is a WhatsApp feature that works in the background to screen your incoming calls. If it identifies a call from an unknown number—one that isn’t present in your phonebook—it automatically silences it.
Since the call is silenced, it won’t ring or vibrate your phone. However, you can still see the number under the Calls tab in WhatsApp. That way, if you think it belongs to someone you know, you can call them back.
How to Enable the Silence Unknown Callers Feature on WhatsApp
WhatsApp is rolling out the Silence Unknown Callers feature to users on both Android and iOS. If you don’t see it on your device, make sure you’re running the latest version of WhatsApp.
Now, follow these steps to turn on the Silence Unknown Callers feature in WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp on your Android or iPhone.
- Go to Settings. If you’re on an iPhone, go to the Settings tab. On Android, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select Settings.
- Select Privacy and tap on Calls.
- Toggle on the switch for Silence Unknown Callers.
Stop Unknown Callers From Bothering You Anymore
Last month, WhatsApp announced a back-end update to its systems to tackle spam calls. And now, by bringing the Silence Unknown Callers feature, it adds an extra layer of protection to keep users protected on the platform.
So go ahead and turn on the feature on your WhatsApp account to stop being bothered by unknown callers.