Stop Election Robocalls on Your iPhone With One Setting

Election season tends to bring a flood of automated calls, from polling robots to fundraising pitches, and most of them come from numbers you don't recognize. iPhone owners have a built-in way to deal with much of it, and it doesn't require installing a third-party app.

The feature is Silence Unknown Callers. On recent versions of iOS, you can find it under Settings, then Apps, then Phone, or under Settings and Phone on older releases. Turn it on and calls from numbers that aren't in your Contacts, recent calls, or Siri Suggestions ring silently. The caller is sent to voicemail, and you can check the transcript or the missed call list later if something important comes through.

The tradeoff is real. A doctor's office, a delivery driver, or a child's school calling from a new number can also go to voicemail, so it's worth checking your voicemail more often while the setting is on. If you want a middle ground, a Focus mode can allow specific people or groups through while still blocking everyone else.

Reporting robocalls also helps. You can forward a spam text to 7726, which is "SPAM" on most keypads, so your carrier can act on it. Political robocalls that use an automated or AI-generated voice without consent are also prohibited under U.S. telephone rules, and complaints can be filed with the Federal Communications Commission.

Note that this article is based on the headline of the source item, which did not include the full details of the tip. The setting described above is the standard iPhone option that matches that description, and it may vary slightly depending on your iOS version.