Make unknown callers explain why they're calling

You know the feeling. Your phone rings, you look down and see a number you do not recognize. Now you have to decide whether to answer or let it go to voicemail. That choice gets harder when you are expecting a call from a doctor, repair person or someone else who may not be in your contacts.

Fortunately, your phone can now help figure out who is on the other end before you get involved. With iOS 27, your iPhone can ask an unknown caller for their name and why they are calling. Google Pixel phones have their own Call Screen feature. Compatible Samsung Galaxy phones can also use AI-powered call screening. Here is how each one works on the latest software.

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Apple's Call Screening feature can automatically answer calls from unknown numbers without interrupting you. The caller gets asked for their name and the reason for the call. After they respond, your iPhone rings and shows you what they said. That gives you a little more information before deciding whether to answer.

Once you turn it on, calls from unknown numbers are asked for more information before your iPhone rings. Apple also gives you two other options in the same section. Never turn Call Screening off. Silence sends calls from unsaved numbers directly to voicemail and keeps them in your Recents list. For many people, Ask Reason for Calling may offer a useful middle ground. You can still hear from someone important without immediately answering every unfamiliar number.

While you are in the Phone settings, you can also review Apple's call filtering options. Go to Settings → Apps → Phone, then scroll to the call filtering section. Turning on Spam lets your carrier identify potential spam or fraud calls. Those calls can then be silenced, sent to voicemail and moved into the Spam list. You can also turn on Unknown Callers. That moves calls from unknown numbers out of your main Recents list and into a separate Unknown Callers list.

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Samsung has also brought call screening to compatible Galaxy phones. Samsung says the feature is available on supported Galaxy phones running One UI 8.5 or later. However, feature availability can still vary by Galaxy model, carrier and region. Galaxy Call screening can answer the caller and ask why they are calling. You can then read the caller's response as a live transcription.

Samsung also lets you choose a transcription language and customize the assistant's voice. If you prefer to decide which calls get screened, you can do that manually. When an incoming call appears, tap Call assist, then tap Call screening. The AI assistant answers for you and asks the caller to state the purpose of the call. Their response then appears as text on your screen. If you do not see Call screening, check for the latest Galaxy software update. You should also make sure the Samsung Phone app is current. Some Galaxy models may not support the feature.

Google Pixel phones take a slightly different approach with Call Screen. The feature can answer certain calls for you and ask the caller why they are calling. Depending on your Pixel and settings, Google can also screen some calls automatically.

On newer Pixel phones, you may see Maximum protection, Medium protection and Basic protection. Medium protection is Google's recommended setting and screens suspicious calls while declining known spam. Maximum protection screens unknown numbers more aggressively, while Basic protection mainly declines known spam. You can still screen a call manually. When an unfamiliar number comes in, tap Screen call. Call Assist will ask who is calling and why while you watch the response appear as a live transcript. From there, you can answer the call, hang up or use one of the suggested responses.

Sending every unfamiliar number straight to voicemail certainly cuts down on interruptions. However, it can also send legitimate callers there. Maybe you are waiting for a medical office to call from a number you have never seen. Perhaps a service technician needs to reach you from a work phone. Call screening gives that person a chance to explain why they are trying to reach you. You can then make the call about whether to answer.

There is also a security benefit. Scam callers often count on getting someone on the phone quickly. Screening puts another step between the caller and you. However, do not assume someone is legitimate simply because they answered the screening question. Scammers can still lie about who they are. Caller ID can also be spoofed.

Call screening gives you information. It does not verify someone's identity. If a caller claims to represent your bank or another company and suddenly asks for money or login information, end the call. The same advice applies if someone asks for a one-time security code. Instead, contact the organization yourself through its official app or website. For financial accounts, you can also use the phone number printed on your card or statement. This is especially important because phone scams continue to get more convincing. Scammers can spoof familiar numbers and create a sense of urgency to push you into acting quickly.

I like the idea of making an unknown caller explain themselves before they get my attention. With iOS 27, iPhone owners can have unfamiliar callers provide a name and reason before the phone rings. Pixel owners can use Google's Call Screen, while compatible Galaxy phones offer their own call screening feature. For me, screening makes more sense than automatically silencing every unfamiliar number. There are plenty of legitimate reasons someone outside your contacts may need to reach you. Still, treat the screening response as information rather than proof. If the conversation turns to passwords, money or account access, hang up and contact the company yourself.

Would you rather have your phone screen every unknown caller first, or do you still prefer sending unfamiliar numbers straight to voicemail? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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