The “Silence Unknown Callers” feature on iOS is designed to block spam calls by sending numbers not in your contacts, recent outgoing calls, or Siri suggestions straight to voicemail. However, if you are expecting important calls from unknown numbers, such as delivery drivers or recruiters, you may miss them. This guide explains how to completely disable this feature system-wide on an iPhone.
Prerequisites
Ensure your iPhone is running iOS 13 or later, as this is when the Silence Unknown Callers feature was introduced.
Disable Silence Unknown Callers
Open Settings
Unlock your iPhone and tap the Settings app from your home screen.
Navigate to Phone Settings
Scroll down through the Settings menu and tap on Phone.
Access Silence Unknown Callers
Scroll down to the “Call Muting and Identification” section and tap on Silence Unknown Callers.
Toggle the Feature Off
Toggle the switch next to Silence Unknown Callers to the Off position (the switch will turn gray).
Verify the Configuration
Once disabled, all incoming calls from unknown numbers will ring normally on your iPhone instead of being sent directly to voicemail. You can test this by having a friend call you from an unlisted number.