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Comment by mikestew | Hacker News Reader

AFAIK, it's still the case that I can't block everything but numbers in my contacts, right? That's all I'm asking, and it can't be that hard. Add that simple feature that should have been there ten years ago and the problem is solved for me.

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Yes, this, exactly. It's mind-boggling you can't do this. (You can kind of, sort of approximate it w/ do-not-disturb mode, but turns off other notifications too, unfortunately. It needs to just be a separate option. I have zero interest in picking up calls from non-contacts in real-time.)

There are Android apps that block calls from non-contact numbers. Including open-source apps on GitHub. Maybe there are such apps for iOS also? It baffles me that this functionality isn't built-in.

edit: Nevermind I can block non-contact calls in Do Not Disturb mode in the LG phone I'm using: https://i.imgur.com/ZcRSXlK.png Maybe iOS DnD has this too?

This solution would require using the phone in DND mode at all times. It's not ideal since you might actually want to use DND.

You can do this, just set your phone to Do Not Disturb and then set it to "allow calls from my contacts"

I've seen that, but doesn't it take SMS/iMessages with it? IOW, I won't be notified of messages no matter who sends it? Regardless, it's just phone calls I want to block, I don't get enough spam SMS to care about who is sending it.

I guess I'm going to have to fiddle around with when the wife gets home and gather some empirical evidence.

> I've seen that, but doesn't it take SMS/iMessages with it?

Indeed it does, which makes it a non-solution for me. I apparently have the same desire you do - an option for voice calls to go direct to voicemail unless they are in my favorites list, without having to use the more general Do Not Disturb mode.

On Samsung phones you can allow texts from noon contact numbers even if you are blocking calls. You also can allow any alarms through.

This is only partially true on iOS. It doesn't take into account when you're using the phone, then it just lets everything through. Which is SUPPERRRRR annoying.

That’s one of the options you can flip in the settings.

Oh cool that seems new? I turned it on.

I go a step further and turn off all notifications. I’ll just periodically check the Phone app to see if anyone called & call back.

Unfortunately, they can just call you from one of your contacts... it's not like a zillion apps haven't already grabbed that information (from one source or another). Alternately, your name (reverse lookup) and your parents names and phone numbers are easily found.

The amount of scam callers able to do this is approximately zero.

And here you go... calling from a contact for a phishing attack.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2019/01/apple-phone-phishing-sca...

I think you mean the number willing to do it. Anyone with access to the internet can do it. It just raises the cost above zero.

> I can't block everything but numbers in my contacts, right?

I use an app called Should I Answer? which has that feature. It also uses a crowd-sourced database to know what numbers to block, if you want that instead.

yes, just send non-contacts directly to voicemail. then i might actually answer my phone once in awhile.

Buy a silent ringtone and set it as your default. Then assign a ringtone to the contacts you want to come through. Now all calls are silent except those you specify.

only an apple use can come up with idea about buying "silent". :D

Apple won't do this because they don't want to field a million support requests from angry users about missing calls when they turn this on and forget about it.

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