This week, I got a call from an unknown number, and I didn’t even have to answer to know it was a pesky robocaller pretending to be a utility company. Instead, a helpful robot on my phone intercepted the call and informed me exactly what the scammer was trying to pitch.
I was actually trying out a fantastic new call-screening feature for iPhones, part of Apple’s latest iOS 26 update released last month. Since turning it on a few weeks ago, those unknown numbers barely register. My phone simply handles them, without ever bothering me with a ring!
This call screening is a lifesaver for smartphone users everywhere. For years, like countless others, I’ve been buried under an avalanche of spam calls. Previous apps that promised to block scammers just couldn’t keep up.
Good news for some Android users as well! Google Pixel owners have enjoyed a similar call screening feature for a while now, and just this week, Google announced its expansion to countries like Australia, Canada, and Ireland. Sadly, this innovative tech isn’t yet available on most other Android devices.
The constant battle against robocalls feels never-ending. Just when we get a handle on them, scammers find new tricks. Last year saw a brief dip in scam calls thanks to phone carrier efforts and regulatory crackdowns. However, they’ve surged once more, primarily due to advanced artificial intelligence making it frighteningly easy for callers to impersonate voices and fake offers about everything from student loans to credit reports and package deliveries.
While Apple and Google’s call screeners aren’t flawless (we’ll get to that), they are a huge step forward, finally giving smartphone users a much-deserved break from relentless scam calls.
Ready to reclaim your phone? Here’s everything you need to know about setting up call screening on both iPhones and Androids, how this smart tech operates, and why it’s far more effective than anything we’ve had before.
Activating Smart Call Screening on Your iPhone
Here’s how to set up this incredible feature on your iPhone:
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First things first: update your iPhone to the newest iOS. Go to the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update.
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Once updated, open Settings again, select Apps, and then choose Phone.
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Find Screen Unknown Callers and toggle it to Ask Reason for Calling.
Now, when an unknown number tries to reach you, your iPhone stays silent. Instead, Siri steps in with a polite, robotic query: “Who is calling and why?” You’ll see a live transcription of their response and can even type questions for Siri to relay. From there, you decide whether to answer or dismiss the call.
Setting Up Call Screening on Android Devices
If you have a Google Pixel phone, getting started with call screening is super easy, all within your phone app:
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Open your phone app, then tap More, followed by Settings, and finally Call Screen.
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Activate the toggle to automatically screen calls.
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Choose your desired protection level; Maximum protection is recommended for unknown numbers.
Like Apple’s system, Google’s Assistant will intercept calls from unidentified numbers and ask the caller for more information. You then have the power to mark it as spam, or even request the caller to try again if it’s legitimate.
Game-Changing, Yet Still Evolving
For years, folks desperate to block scam calls had to turn to third-party apps, which robocallers effortlessly bypassed. These apps simply blocked numbers already tagged as scammers.
The main issue? Scammers ‘spoof’ calls using internet apps, faking their caller ID. So, blocking one fake number just led them to use another.
Phone carriers tried to fight back with Stir/Shaken, a technology designed to authenticate phone numbers. If you saw a checkmark next to an incoming call, it meant the number was verified. While this built some trust, it didn’t eliminate spoofed robocalls.
For a long time, both Apple and Google offered the drastic option to send all unknown calls straight to voicemail. But this often meant missing important calls from legitimate sources, like your pharmacy or doctor.
This new call-screening feature is the perfect middle ground. By letting unknown callers state their business, you can easily filter out the robocallers while still connecting with real people trying to reach you.
In my tests with Apple’s call-screening, it was incredibly effective. Siri successfully interrogated impersonators from the IRS, Amazon, and even Apple itself, causing the robocallers to hang up every time. Crucially, when legitimate callers from unfamiliar numbers – like a preschool or my dentist – identified themselves, I was able to answer without issue.
However, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. One executive from a major tech company, trying to discuss an article, was so put off by the robot answering that he hung up. Another marketing professional expressed his annoyance at having to identify himself before I could even pick up.
Apple acknowledges that adapting to call screening will take some getting used to. That’s why they’ve made it an opt-in feature, giving users the choice to activate it when they’re ready.
What About Those Pesky Spam Texts?
With better defenses against robocalls, scammers are, predictably, shifting tactics to text messages. They’re impersonating everyone from recruiters and banks to shipping companies and even your old friends. Thankfully, both Apple and Google now offer built-in tools that function much like email spam filters, automatically sifting these unwanted texts into a designated spam folder.
For iPhone users, I highly recommend activating this text-filtering tool within your iMessage settings. If you’re an Android user with Google Messages, you’re already protected, as the spam filter is enabled by default.
While a text message spam filter is a welcome, long-overdue addition, it’s also a stark reminder that our messaging apps are rapidly descending into the same chaotic state as our email inboxes. But this was an unavoidable outcome; scammers know that a cellphone is the most direct way to reach us, and they’ll always exploit that vulnerability.