How to Turn On Call Screening in iOS 26 for Unknown Callers

Part 1: What is Call Screening on iOS 26?

iOS 26 call screening actually takes over the answering of calls from unsaved numbers. It prompts them to state their name and reason for calling, transcribing the response for you to review. You can then decide whether you want to accept the call or decline it.

The response to the caller is given via Siri; however, it appears in a text thread on your screen. What's truly impressive is that this feature isn't part of Apple Intelligence, so anyone with a compatible version can access it.

Part 2: How to Turn on Call Screening on iPhone?

To avoid unwanted and spam calls, you should manually enable the iOS 26 call screening feature on your iPhone. Here are the steps for that:

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Scroll down and find the Apps section.
• Tap on Phone > Screen Incoming Calls.

Part 3: Types of Call Screening Available in iOS 26

Besides the iOS 26 call screening feature, there are many other ways you can counter unknown calls, including call filtering, hold assist, and live voicemail transcription, among others. Let's discuss them in detail:

1Screen Unknown Callers

When you turn on iOS 26 call screening, you'll come across options such as “Never,” “Ask Reason for Calling,” and “Silence Unknown Callers.”

• Never: This feature is pretty much like before call screening was available. Calls from unsaved numbers come through, ring through, and are documented in your Recent Calls list.
• Ask Reason for Calling: The iPhone will ask unsaved contacts the reason for their calling before ringing your phone. After the caller shares their details, you'll be notified to decide whether it's worth picking up or not.
• Silence Unknown Callers: The silence option is also beneficial if you don't want to deal with reading transcripts or seeing call notifications. In this case, any saved number will be silenced and sent to voicemail.

2Call Filtering & Spam Identification

The Call Filtering & Spam Identification feature moves missed calls and voicemails from unknown and unsaved numbers to a dedicated Unknown Callers List. It hides them from the main view, providing you with an additional layer of safety and peace of mind.

3Hold Assist

Hold Assist, as the name implies, is helpful when you are on a call and get placed on hold. It keeps your spot in line, silences the hold music, and notifies you as soon as the other person is available. This ensures you don't miss out on any important calls and can do other things.

4Live Voicemail Transcription

The Live Voicemail Transcription feature transcribes a voicemail from a caller in real-time. The transcription appears on your iPhone screen, and you can read it as the other person speaks to know the call’s context and save time.

5Live Translation During Calls

The Live Translation feature is part of Apple Intelligence and was introduced with iOS 26, along with call screening. In this, you select the language you want to form and the language you want to translate to.

The translation that plays alongside the original voice of the person you are speaking with. Currently, the Phone app supports English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Part 4: iOS 26 Call Screening Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It

If you are coming across the iOS 26 call screening not working issue, here are some potential reasons behind it and the fixes you can try:

Call Screening Option Missing in Settings

Well, sometimes the iOS call screening feature may not appear in your settings due to region and language incompatibility. Therefore, to access it, you should change your iPhone region settings. Let's see how to do it:

• Go to iPhone’s Settings.
• Tap General > Language & Region.
• Under the Language section, make sure it is set to English (United States).
• Set the Region to the United States as well, if you are in a location where this feature is currently restricted.

Unable to Enable iOS 26 Call Screening

If you are using the beta version, you may encounter bugs that prevent you from enabling iOS 26 call screening. We suggest updating the iOS or signing out and back in to the Apple ID. The steps for this are:

Sign Out

• Open Settings on your iPhone.
• Tap your name from the top, scroll down, and tap Sign Out.
• Enter your Apple ID password to Disable the Find My feature.

Sign In

• Open Settings and tap at the top to access the Sign In option.
• Enter your Apple ID and password.
• Put in the six-digit verification code sent to your Apple trusted devices or SMS.

Blocked or Spam Calls Still Getting Through

Blocked or spam contacts may get through your iPhone when iOS 26 call screening is on. The reason behind this can be that the spammer is spoofing their number. To address this, you should turn on the Silence Unknown Callers feature. Here's how to do it:

• Go to Settings > Apps > Phone.
• Scroll down to Calls.
• Find Silence Unknown Callers and toggle it on.

Call Screening Conflicts with Third-Party Apps

If you have installed third-party call blocking apps on your iOS 26 device, it may interfere with call screening, leading to performance issues. Turn off such apps by following these steps:

• Open Settings > Apps > Phone.
• Scroll down to find Call Blocking & Identification.
• Look at all the conflicting apps and remove or disable them.

Call Screening Causing Dropped or Delayed Calls

In case the call screening feature on your iPhone is leading to dropped signals or delayed calls, you should restart the device. This will clear out any underlying bugs or system lags. Here's how to do it:

• Press and hold the side button along with the volume and down buttons.
• Wait until the "Power Off" option appears on your screen, slide it, and let the screen go black.
• After 10 to 15 seconds, long-press the power button again until the Apple logo appears, and that's all.

iOS 26 Call Screening Randomly Turns Off

It's quite unlikely for call screening to randomly turn off during calls, but if you are facing this issue, it's either a settings sync issue with iCloud or a carrier issue. Let's see how you can turn on iCloud Drive on your iPhone:

• Open Settings > Apple ID > iCloud.
• Under "Apps Using iCloud," turn on "Phone & FaceTime" (or just "Phone") to prevent any performance issues.

Bonus Tip: How to Change Your iPhone Location with One Click

If you are living in a region where the iOS 26 update or call screening feature isn't available, you should use a location changer. That's where PoGoskill comes in! It's a popular GPS spoofer that allows you to switch your location to anywhere on the map with just one click.

Using it, you can easily customize your routes and speeds, ranging from walking to driving, without any safety concerns. Besides smooth access to iOS 26 call screening, it also allows you to enjoy location-based games. Let's look at its key features:

PoGoskill Key Features

• Multi-spot feature allows you to plan your route on the map.
• Joystick mode that precisely simulates your GPS movement.
• Save your historical routes so you can reselect them without any inconvenience next time.
• Compatible with iOS and Android, which adds to its versatility.

How to Change Location on iPhone

Free Download

Secure Download

Free Download

Secure Download

• Step 1Download and open PoGoSkill on your PC.

  

• Step 2Connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable or WiFi.

  

• Step 3Select your desired location on the map; if you can't find it, enter it manually, and you are good to go!

  

FAQs about iOS 26 Call Screening

Why is iOS Jumping to 26?

Apple is jumping to iOS 26 to streamline operating system naming, matching the year it will be in primary use. The new update brings a new design and an overall intelligent user experience.

What Is the New iPhone Call Screening?

The new iPhone call screening is an iOS 26 feature that screens unknown calls and intercepts them to collect necessary details before sharing the data with you.

How Do You Know If Someone Is Screening Your Calls?

To know if someone is screening your calls, you should look out for static, buzzing, or clicking sounds during the call.

What is the New Icon on the iPhone Call Screen?

The new icon on the iPhone call screen is the call recording functionality to record and transcribe calls.

Conclusion

The iOS 26 call screening feature is amazing for anyone who is frustrated with dealing with unknown calls. However, if you want to change your region to access it, use PoGoskill. It'll switch your region safely so you can enjoy advanced functionalities without leaving your home.