WhatsApp can now mute calls from people you haven't saved

WhatsApp has a setting that silences calls from people you have not saved as contacts. Your phone will not ring for them. The calls still show up in your Calls tab and in your notifications, so you can see who tried to reach you and decide what to do.

Who counts as an unknown caller

An unknown caller can be someone you have never been in touch with, or someone whose number you have not saved. It can also be a suspicious number. The setting also helps with people who have your number but whom you do not want to be disturbed by.

When an unknown person calls, WhatsApp shows details to help you decide. It says whether the caller is not in your contacts, whether you share any groups, and which country the phone number is registered in. You can then answer, block the number, or change your privacy settings to silence such calls.

How to turn it on

On Android, follow these steps:

• Tap the three vertical dots (More options), then Settings, then Privacy.
• Tap Calls.
• Turn on the option to silence unknown callers.

On an iPhone, the steps are similar:

• Tap Settings or your profile picture, then tap Privacy.
• Tap Calls.
• Turn on the option to silence unknown callers.

The same switch turns the feature off if you change your mind.

What happens to silenced calls

Silenced calls are not deleted. On both Android and iPhone, you can find them in the Calls tab and in your notifications. You can call someone back from the Calls tab. You can also tap the silenced unknown caller message inside a chat.

There is one catch. If you call or message a person whose calls were silenced, their calls are no longer silenced after that. That makes sense for someone you have chosen to contact, but it is worth knowing if you reach out to a number you still do not fully trust.