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In iOS 27, use Call Screening to ask unknown callers who they are and why they’re calling before your iPhone rings. Use Hold Assist separately, during a call, to get notified when a live agent is ready. Set screening in Settings > Apps > Phone; start Hold Assist from More > Hold Assist on the call screen.
How to screen unknown calls on iPhone
To have your iPhone ask an unknown caller for their name and reason for calling before you decide whether to answer:
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- Open Settings.
- Tap Apps, then Phone.
- Tap Screen Unknown Callers and choose Ask Reason for Calling.
Apple says Siri speaks in the iPhone’s default language when screening calls. The caller’s response is presented to you so you can decide whether to answer. See Apple’s iOS 27 guide to screening and blocking calls.
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| Setting | What happens to calls from unsaved numbers |
|---|---|
| Never | Call Screening is off, so those calls ring normally. |
| Ask Reason for Calling | The caller is asked for their name and reason before your iPhone rings. |
| Silence | Calls are silenced, sent to voicemail, and shown in Recents. |
Use Ask Reason for Calling when you want a chance to hear why an unknown person is calling and still choose whether to answer. Choose Silence if you do not want those calls to ring; it does not screen them and relay the caller’s reason.
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Call Screening is not the same as call filters
In Phone settings, Unknown Callers moves calls from unknown numbers out of Recents into an Unknown Callers list. The separate Spam filter silences calls identified by your carrier as potential spam or fraud, sends them to voicemail, and places them in a Spam list. These filters are distinct from choosing how Call Screening handles unknown numbers.
How to use Hold Assist on iPhone
Hold Assist is for a different situation: you are already on a call and the other party has put you on hold. To start it:
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- While on the call, open the call controls.
- Tap More, then tap Hold Assist.
Apple says Hold Assist can notify you when a live agent is available and provide a transcript of the portion you missed. Use the on-screen answer or rejoin control to return to the conversation. The steps are in Apple’s iOS 27 guide to options during a call.
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Check that your iPhone can alert you
Before stepping away, make sure you can hear an incoming call. Apple warns that Silent mode or Do Not Disturb can prevent you from hearing the return call when the agent becomes available.
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Phone can detect hold music and prompt you to start Hold Assist. Apple’s iOS 27 guide points to Settings > Apps > Phone for Hold Assist Detection; its dedicated support article says detection is on by default. Check the setting on your own iPhone rather than assuming it is enabled or disabled.
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Apple lists Hold Assist for iPhone 12, iPhone SE (3rd generation), or later, and says availability varies by country or region. Check Apple’s Hold Assist support article and its linked feature-availability information for your location. These model requirements are for Hold Assist; do not assume that every feature or setting is available in every region.
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Apple says Hold Assist’s real-time transcription is processed entirely on device, discarded when the call connects, and not stored by Apple. Apple also says the call is not recorded.
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