Call Screening

[AeroStud1026]

Hey Guys,

I updated to iOS 26 yesterday, once I found out about call screening option for unknown callers I immediately turned that feature on. Since then I’ve not had 1 unknown caller get screened. The few that I’ve seen don’t ring and end up in my recent call log. Call filtering is turned off for unknown callers. Here’s a screen shot of my settings. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[AeroStud1026]

is anyone having a problem with call screening? When it’s toggled on for me, it appears that my phone is blocking unknown callers, but when I toggle it off it lets the calls through…

 

[Jakimo]

It screened some folks in my Contacts list (um, my wife!).. so there are some bugs that ought to be resolved certainly

 

[Grayburn]

is anyone having a problem with call screening? When it’s toggled on for me, it appears that my phone is blocking unknown callers, but when I toggle it off it lets the calls through…

Sounds like it’s doing its job, the unknown callers are put of by the screening, it’s done the same for me it getting rid of spam calls.

 

[mblm85]

I think it could be a few things.

In your screenshot, it says you've enabled filtering of callers that Verizon already identify as spam. I think those calls get banished without disturbing you.

The other thing I've noticed is that legitimate callers aren't yet familiar with this feature. When they call, they either seem to think they've misdialed and then hang up, or they think they're talking to you when they're actually talking to the iPhone. That happened with a delivery driver recently.

It's worth spending 10 minutes phoning yourself from a phone that is withholding its number and having a play with the settings.

 

[AeroStud1026]

I think it could be a few things.

In your screenshot, it says you've enabled filtering of callers that Verizon already identify as spam. I think those calls get banished without disturbing you.

The other thing I've noticed is that legitimate callers aren't yet familiar with this feature. When they call, they either seem to think they've misdialed and then hang up, or they think they're talking to you when they're actually talking to the iPhone. That happened with a delivery driver recently.

It's worth spending 10 minutes phoning yourself from a phone that is withholding its number and having a play with the settings.

Thanks for the feedback, I agree with the Verizon spam toggle that’s probably blocking spam calls, the reason why I feel like the call screening isn’t allowing unknown calls through at all is because when I toggled on this feature I tried calling my phone from my Alexa device (which uses an unknown number to my phone) and the call wouldn’t go through at all, wouldn’t even prompt a screening but when I toggled it off the call went right through.

 

[Unnamed1]

This doesn't work for me at all. I have tried calling my iPhone using various withheld numbers and my phone still rings and just says unknown caller.

There is no screening process that I can see it just goes straight through.

 

[anzio]

I am having similar issues. Calls that hide their caller ID are screened; however, calls that show their caller ID ring through, despite not being in my contacts.

 

[mblm85]

I'm wondering how much of this feature relies on the phone service provider.

Maybe it's like Visual Voicemail, where only certain phone companies made it available.

 

[Pooneil]

I am curious about the experience of others with the call and text screening built into iOS 26.1. I was using Hiya and Trend Micro ScamCheck for calls and Junkman for text screening. What is the consensus about the the built in screeing
for calls and text relative to third party apps for screening. If the iOS 26.1 screening has problems I can reinstall the three apps as my subscription is good for another year. Thoughts?