How to silence spam calls on WhatsApp

Cast unknown callers back into the fiery chasm from whence they came.
 By 
Shannon Connellan
 on 
An illustration of a woman in a pool looking at her smartphone.
Banish those spam calls without lifting a finger. Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable

If you're sick of getting unknown callers that are usually spam calls on WhatsApp, there's a tool that lets you shun them automatically without having to battle them through fire and water, from the lowest dungeon to the highest peak.

The Meta-owned messaging app update called "Silence Unknown Callers" lets users do just that. SILENCE THEM. Calls from unknown callers won't actually ring on your phone, but will instead be visible in your list of calls in case it's someone you actually want to hear from.

"Silence Unknown Callers is designed to give you more privacy and control of your incoming calls," a WhatsApp blog post reads. "It helps to automatically screen out spam, scams, and calls from unknown people for increased protection."


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The feature is live for all users now, and here's how to use it.

How to silence unknown callers on WhatsApp

Total Time
  • 2 minutes
What You Need
  • Smartphone
  • WhatsApp app (updated)

Step 1: In WhatsApp, open "Settings"

Hit the Settings tab in the bottom right of the app.

Step 2: Hit the "Privacy" section

You'll find this about halfway down the screen under "Account".

Step 3: Open "Calls"

You'll find this under the "Live Location" section.

A screenshot of WhatsApp settings and the "Calls" section.
Credit: Shannon Connellan

Step 4: Toggle on "Silence Unknown Callers"

Calls from unknown numbers will be silenced, and they'll be instead shown in the Calls tab, second from the left in the WhatsApp menu at the bottom of the app.

A screenshot of the WhatsApp settings showing a switched on "Silence Unknown Callers" feature.
Credit: Shannon Connellan

Topics WhatsApp

A photo portrait of a journalist with blonde hair and a band t-shirt.
Shannon Connellan
UK Editor

Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror.

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