To stop or at least drastically cut down spam calls on your iPhone, use a combo of built‑in settings, carrier tools, and a couple of smart habits.

Quick Scoop

  • Turn on Silence Unknown Callers so strangers go straight to voicemail instead of ringing your phone.
  • Block repeat spam numbers and keep a list of Blocked Contacts updated.
  • Use Call Blocking & Identification with your carrier’s spam filter or a trusted third‑party app (Hiya, Truecaller, Nomorobo, etc.).
  • Enable Silence Junk Callers (if your carrier/iOS shows it) for extra filtering.
  • For hardcore peace and quiet, mix Focus / Do Not Disturb with “Contacts Only.”

1. Core iPhone Settings (Do These First)

A. Silence Unknown Callers

This is the fastest “set it and forget it” way to quiet spam and robocalls.

  1. Open Settings → Phone.
  2. Tap Silence Unknown Callers.
  3. Turn it On.

What happens:

  • Calls from numbers not in Contacts / recent outgoing calls / Siri Suggestions go straight to voicemail.
  • Your phone doesn’t ring , but you still see them in Recents and can listen to voicemail.

When this is great:

  • You mostly talk to friends, family, and known businesses.
    When it’s risky:

  • You’re expecting important calls from unknown numbers (jobs, deliveries, doctors). In that case, you may want to keep it off or only enable it during busy hours.

B. Block Specific Spam Numbers

This won’t stop all spam (they change numbers constantly), but it’s good against repeat offenders.

  1. Open the Phone app → Recents.
  2. Tap the ⓘ next to the spam call.
  3. Scroll down → tap Block this Caller → Block Contact.

To review or unblock:

  • Settings → Phone → Blocked Contacts.
  • Edit or remove numbers as needed.

2. Extra Protection: Spam Filters & Focus Modes

A. Call Blocking & Identification (Carrier + Apps)

Modern iPhones integrate with carrier and third‑party spam filters.

  1. Go to Settings → Phone → Call Blocking & Identification.
  2. If your carrier offers spam protection (e.g., “Call Filter”, “Scam Shield”), make sure it’s enabled.
  1. If you install a spam‑filter app (Hiya, Truecaller, Nomorobo, etc.), enable it here so it can identify/block spam in real time.

These services can:

  • Label calls as Spam , Scam Likely , or Telemarketer.
  • Auto‑silence or block known bad numbers, using huge shared databases.

B. Silence Junk Callers (if available)

Some carriers + iOS versions show a Silence Junk Callers toggle in the same Call Blocking & Identification area.

  • Turn it On to send calls your carrier confidently marks as junk straight to voicemail.
  • This adds an extra filter layer on top of Silence Unknown Callers and spam apps.

C. Use Focus / Do Not Disturb as a Shield

If spam is relentless, you can use Focus to only allow calls from your Contacts.

  1. Settings → Focus → select a mode (e.g., Do Not Disturb) or create a custom one.
  2. Tap People → Allow Calls From → Contacts Only.
  3. Turn that Focus on when you want peace (work hours, evenings, weekends).

Effect:

  • Only people in Contacts can ring you; everyone else is silenced while Focus is active.

3. Power User Tips & Real‑World Expectations

Spam blocking isn’t perfect, but you can make it manageable.

  • Spammers constantly spoof new numbers , so blocking individual numbers is limited; rely more on Silence Unknown Callers + filters.
  • Keep iOS up to date so you have the latest call‑filtering improvements.
  • Consider putting your number on your country’s Do Not Call registry, which can reduce some legitimate telemarketing but not scammers.

A common “real‑life” setup many iPhone users swear by:

  • Silence Unknown Callers: On.
  • Carrier spam filter: On.
  • Third‑party spam app: On , integrated via Call Blocking & Identification.
  • Focus: used during work/sleep with calls from Favorites or Contacts only.

4. Quick Feature Overview (HTML Table)

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Feature Where to find it What it does Best use case
Silence Unknown Callers Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown CallersSends non‑contacts and unknown numbers straight to voicemail, no ring.Cut most spam without blocking real callers who leave voicemail.
Blocked Contacts Settings → Phone → Blocked ContactsStops specific numbers from calling or messaging you.Persistent spam from the same number, personal harassment, etc.
Call Blocking & Identification Settings → Phone → Call Blocking & IdentificationLets carrier and third‑party apps detect, label, or block spam calls.Extra automatic filtering and “Scam Likely” labels.
Silence Junk Callers Settings → Phone → Call Blocking & Identification (if available)Sends calls your carrier flags as junk directly to voicemail.Heavier filtering when your carrier’s spam detection is good.
Focus / Do Not Disturb Settings → Focus → Choose mode → PeopleLets only selected groups (Contacts, Favorites) ring you while active.Work, sleep, or times when you want calls from trusted people only.

5. SEO Bits (for your post)

  • Focus keyword ideas: stop spam call iphone , stop spam calls on iPhone, silence unknown callers iPhone, block robocalls iPhone.
  • Meta description example:

Learn simple, up‑to‑date ways to stop spam calls on iPhone using Silence Unknown Callers, carrier filters, and Focus modes so only the calls you care about get through.

TL;DR: Turn on Silence Unknown Callers, enable your carrier’s spam filter and a good spam‑blocking app, and use Focus to limit calls to Contacts when you need absolute quiet.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.