Apple released the first public beta of iOS 26 on July 24. The beta brought a handful of new features, like a new Liquid Glass design and the ability to change your alarm’s snooze length, to the iPhones of developers and beta testers. It also gave developers and beta testers the ability to screen incoming unknown calls, that way spam callers don’t bother you as much.

Call screening isn’t an Apple Intelligence feature, so any iOS 26 compatible iPhone, like the iPhone 14 Pro, will get this feature when Apple releases the iPhone update this fall. But you have to enable this feature in settings.

Here’s how to turn call screening on in iOS 26 in a few easy steps.

Don’t forget, Apple is still beta testing iOS 26. That means the update might be buggy for you, and your device’s battery life may be affected, so it’s best to keep those troubles off your primary device. If you want to try out the beta, I recommend downloading it on a secondary device. 

It’s also possible that Apple could adjust call screening, and other update features, before the final version of iOS 26 is released this fall.

How to turn call screening on

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Apps near the bottom of the menu.
3. Tap Phone. 

Under the section Screen Unknown Callers, you’ll see three options: Never, Ask Reason for Calling and Silence. Here’s what you should know about each of these options and which one is right for most people.

Which call screening option should you choose?

Choosing Never allows calls from unsaved numbers to come through and ring on your phone. It also allows missed calls to be documented in your Recents list in your Phone app, just like before call screening was available. This is your Phone app’s default option. 

If you tap Ask Reason for Calling, your iPhone will ask anyone who calls from an unsaved number the reason for their call without ringing your iPhone. After the caller answers a few questions, your iPhone will notify you with a transcript of the caller’s answers. Then you can decide whether you want to answer the call or not.

You can also pick Silence, which is the nuclear option for phone calls. Any unsaved number that calls you will be silenced and go to voicemail, no questions asked. 

Ask Reason for Calling is the best option for most people who want to screen their calls. I chose it, and while it notified me when scam callers answered some questions — which they rarely did — it also notified me when my doctor’s office called to go over some test results. If I had chosen Silence, I would have missed my doctor’s office, and choosing the “Never” option would mean I’d have to check every call if I was expecting something important. 

If you do choose Ask Reason for Calling and don’t like it, you can always follow the above steps again and choose one of the other options. And don’t forget, you can always silence your iPhone and not be bothered by any phone calls — my wife hasn’t taken her phone off silent in months and she remains blissfully unbothered by spam calls.

For more on iOS 26, here are my first impressions of the iOS version and all the new features Apple said it will bring to your device later this year.

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