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Your iPhone Can Ask Why Someone's Calling Before
You Pick Up
Monday October 6, 2025 7:26 AM PDT by Tim Hardwick
Spam calls have become such a nuisance that many people simply don't
answer their phone unless they recognize the number. In iOS 26, though, you
can learn about who's calling before you respond, thanks to a clever new
feature that intercepts unknown calls and asks the caller to identify themselves
before your iPhone even rings.
The new "Ask Reason for Calling" feature is kind of like having your own
receptionist. When someone who isn't in your Contacts calls, your iPhone
automatically answers the call with a polite automated message asking for their
name and reason for calling. The caller is placed on hold while their response is
transcribed to text and displayed on your screen, letting you decide whether to
accept, decline, or ask for more information.
It's a decent upgrade from the existing "Silence Unknown Callers" option, which
simply sends all unrecognized numbers straight to voicemail. With the new
approach, legitimate callers – like your doctor or a delivery service – can
identify themselves, whereas robocallers and spammers are likely to hang up
when greeted by the automated response.
How to Enable Ask Reason for Calling
The following steps show you how to turn on the feature:
1 Open Settings on your iPhone.
2 Scroll down and tap Apps.
3 Select Phone.
4 Under the "Screen Unknown Callers" section, tap Ask Reason for Next Article
Calling.
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That's all there is to it. Your iPhone will now intercept calls from numbers not
saved in your Contacts and request information before alerting you.
Other Unknown Caller Screening Options
If you don't want to use the new Ask Reason for Calling feature, iOS 26 offers
two alternative approaches for handling unknown numbers:
Silence: This option automatically sends all calls from unsaved
numbers to voicemail. The calls still appear in your Recents list, and
you'll receive the voicemail if the caller leaves one. It's the same
behavior as the "Silence Unknown Callers" toggle in iOS 18.
Never: With this setting, calls from unknown numbers ring normally,
just like calls from saved contacts. Missed calls appear in your Recents
list as usual. It's your typical iPhone calling experience.
To switch between these options, go to Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Phone, and select
your preferred option under "Screen Unknown Callers."
The Ask Reason for Calling feature works best when you maintain an up-to-
date Contacts list. Any number saved in Contacts will ring through normally
without triggering the screening process, so make sure to add the details of
legitimate contacts as soon as you know them.
94 comments
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Top Rated Comments
latsyrhc
1 week ago
I used to get a dozen spam calls a day, but every since turning this one I've
had virtually none. Favorite feature by far.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chomp81
1 week ago
It sounds like a great idea, I turned it on as soon as I updated to iOS26.
Then, I had some job interviews, Iforgot that it was on. The recruiter,
thought it was voicemail and hung up twice. He emailed, me, turned it off
and I had the call.
So, even though it is good on paper, in real life, it's a hit and miss.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ericinboston
1 week ago
I don't understand why Apple/the phone companies don't attack spam calls
with a much easier process:
[LIST=1]
* When I get a likely Spam call, AT&T tells me it's Spam Alert and 99% of
the time it's correct
* I block the number (yes, I know there are tens of thousands of phone
number combinations spammers can use)
* Apple should communicate to AT&T that I want this number blocked
because it's spam
* AT&T should do a daily or weekly lookup and if they see 203-123-4567
blocked more than 200 times, AT&T as a company should somehow block
that number from dialing in the first place
I know there are other ways spammers get around the phone companies (or
at least used to get around them decades ago), but at the end of the day,
it's the PHONE COMPANY that is providing me phone service and should be
responsible for annoying spammers. It's harassment plain and simple.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chachawpi
1 week ago
This is definitely one of the better features they've copied from the Google
Pixel.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
littleredwagen
1 week ago
I wish this feature would let you specify which line you want to use it on, in
the case of users with multiple SIMs/eSIMs.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bmark
1 week ago
This! It doesn't work, normal people that aren't saved in my phone get
asked who they are. Spam and Telemarketers bypass that step and the
phone just rings. Could have been a great feature but they already
broke it.
Your logic makes no sense at all. It's a call screening feature. If normal
people aren't saved as contacts then they get call screened as any random
number calling you.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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