How to Decide Whether to Return a Call on Your iPhone

Receiving a missed call on your iPhone can leave you wondering whether to return it. With the prevalence of spam and robocalls, it's essential to assess the legitimacy of the call before dialing back. Here's how you can make an informed decision:

How Can I Identify the Caller?

Your iPhone offers built-in features to help identify incoming calls:

• Call Blocking & Identification: This feature allows your iPhone to identify incoming calls using information from Apple Business Connect, supported carriers, and supported call identification apps. To enable it:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Phone.
2. Tap Call Blocking & Identification.
3. Turn on one or more of the following:

• Business Call Identification: Caller information is identified by Apple Business Connect or your carrier.
• Call Identification Apps: Caller information is identified by supported caller ID apps.

By enabling this, your iPhone can display the name of the caller if it's recognized. (support.apple.com)

How Can I Screen Unknown Callers?

To further filter unknown calls:

• Screen Unknown Callers: This feature automatically answers calls from unknown numbers and asks the caller to state their name and reason for calling. You can then decide whether to answer the call based on their response. To activate it:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Phone.
2. Tap Screen Unknown Callers.
3. Choose Ask Reason for Calling.

This method effectively filters out robocalls and deters scammers who don't want to leave identifying information. (tomsguide.com)

How Can I Block Specific Numbers?

If you identify a number as unwanted:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Tap the Info button next to the number or contact you want to block.
3. Scroll down and tap Block Caller.

This action prevents the blocked number from calling, texting, or FaceTiming you. (support.apple.com)

How Can I Use Third-Party Apps for Enhanced Call Screening?

For more robust call identification and blocking, consider third-party apps like Robokiller. Robokiller uses artificial intelligence to block 99% of spam calls and texts, offering features such as:

• Spam Call Blocking: Automatically identifies and blocks spam calls.
• Text Blocking: Filters out unwanted text messages.
• Call Screening: Provides real-time information about the caller, enabling informed decisions.

Robokiller has over 12 million installs in the U.S. alone and has won awards for its technology. (robokiller.com)

How Can I Decide Whether to Return a Call?

After utilizing the above features, if you're still uncertain about returning a call:

• Search the Number Online: Enter the number into a search engine to see if it's associated with known businesses or reported as spam.
• Check Voicemail: If the caller left a voicemail, listen to it to gauge the legitimacy of the call.
• Use Reverse Phone Lookup Services: Websites and apps can provide information about the caller based on the number.

By combining your iPhone's built-in features with third-party apps and online resources, you can make informed decisions about returning calls and avoid unwanted interruptions.