WhatsApp has released a new feature that can automatically mute incoming calls from unknown numbers, to help screen out ‘spam, scams, and calls from unknown people.’
If you are among the very few people who answer calls from unknown numbers, you probably won’t be interested. But if like me, and a majority of users, you always avoid answering calls from unknown numbers – mostly because they are spam 99% of the time – then you will be happy to know that it is now extremely easy to mute them.
All you have to do is head to WhatsApp’s settings, hit “Privacy,” then select “Calls,” and turn on the “Silence Unknown Callers” toggle. WhatsApp says the feature will help “screen out spam, scams, and calls from unknown people for increased protection.”
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When enabled the new feature silences all incoming calls from unknown numbers, including both sound and visual alerts. The calls will however appear in your recent calls list with a “silenced unknown caller” note next to them.
WhatsApp is launching the feature after users reported an uptick in spam calls on the app. A month ago, TechCrunch reported that WhatsApp had introduced a new enforcement system that used machine learning to reduce the amount of spam calls by a claimed 50%. The new silencing feature will attempt to reduce the nuisance from any spam calls not caught by the automatic filters.
WhatsApp has released a new feature that can automatically mute incoming calls from unknown numbers, to help screen out ‘spam, scams, and calls from unknown people.’
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