Now that iOS 10 has been rolled out to the general public, you’re probably digging around looking for new ways to do things. Have you considered blocking spam calls? With the latest Apple OS, you can block/filter incoming spam calls so they no longer bother you. So if you don’t want to dread your iPhone ringing and having to say no constantly to nuisance callers, read on…
Preventing spam calls with iOS 10
With iOS 10, Apple has for the first time allowed developers to build apps to help with the blocking of unwanted calls. If this is something that would be useful to you, it can be set up in a few minutes.
However, as iOS 10 has only been around a few days, there aren’t many apps available that use this functionality, although this doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of this great new feature now because there are a few solutions already available via the App Store. These apps use the latest Apple APIs for this in iOS 10.
How to block spam calls in iOS 10
To begin this guide/tutorial, you need to go to the App Store and download one of two available apps:
- Who Called: This app is built on top of a community-based spam list. It can identify incoming calls and assists in preventing nuisance calls from getting through. It is available for 99 cents.
- Hiya Caller ID and Block: This app has what is called “auto span detection,” reverse phone lookup, and the ability to blacklist numbers. The app is currently free to download.
Step 1: Now that you have chosen one of the above two apps and installed it, go to the iOS 10 settings app. Once you have launched the native settings app, go to Phone –> Call Blocking & Identification.
Step 2: At the top of the Call Blocking & Identification screen, you will see the third-party applications you have installed. These apps will conform to Apple’s iOS 10 call blocking capabilities. At this point, the app you installed will be disabled, so make sure you toggle the switch to turn it on.
Step 3: Next, you should exit the settings app and launch your chosen call blocking application which you downloaded from the App Store. The app will have many options and preferences which you can configure to meet your needs.
And that’s it. You have the ability to block any unwanted calls with the swipe of a finger. However, you may want to take a look through the settings first and change a few things. Once you have the app configured to your preferences, it will work hand-in-hand with iOS 10 filtering calls.
I must, however, warn you, that it is not going to block everything 100% of the time. But it will drastically cut down on the amount of unwanted calls that you receive, so it’s worth trying.
Have you had any experience with call blocking in iOS 10? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
