How do I only accept calls from contacts on my Android phone?

Accepting calls only from contacts on your Android phone provides several benefits, including privacy, security, and convenience. Only accepting known calls prevents unwanted spam calls and robocalls from interrupting you. It also helps protect against potential scams or fraud. By limiting calls to contacts, you don’t have to worry about answering calls from unknown numbers and can focus on the people you know and want to talk to. Additionally, only accepting known calls helps minimize disruptions and distractions from unwanted callers. Overall, only allowing contacts to call you on your Android gives you greater control over who can reach you directly on your phone.

Enable Do Not Disturb Mode

One way to only allow calls from your contacts on Android is to enable Do Not Disturb mode and add your contacts as exceptions. To turn on Do Not Disturb mode:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.

2. Tap “Sound & vibration” or “Sound”.

3. Tap “Do Not Disturb”.

4. Toggle on “Turn on now” or “Turn on automatically” to enable Do Not Disturb mode on your device [1].

Once Do Not Disturb is enabled, you can customize exceptions and allow calls from your contacts:

1. In the Do Not Disturb settings, tap “Exceptions”.

2. Tap “Calls” or “Allowed calls”.

3. Tap “From contacts only”.

With this setting enabled, only calls from people in your contacts will ring through while Do Not Disturb mode is on. All other calls will be silenced [2].

Block All Unknown Callers

The easiest way to block unknown callers on Android is to enable the Block Unknown Callers feature. This will automatically block any calls from numbers not in your contacts. Here’s how to enable it:

On Pixel or Android One phones, open the Phone app and tap the three-dot menu in the top right. Go to Settings > Blocked numbers > Turn on Block unknown callers. This will block all calls from numbers not saved in your contacts (source).

On Samsung Galaxy phones, open the Phone app and tap the three lines menu. Go to Settings > Block numbers > Block unknown/hidden numbers. Toggle this on to block calls from any number not in your contacts (source).

Enabling this setting blocks all calls from numbers not saved in your contacts list. It’s an easy way to stop unwanted calls from unknown numbers. Just be aware it may occasionally block legitimate calls as well.

Use a Call Blocking App

One of the most effective ways to block unwanted calls on Android phones is by using a call blocking app. There are many great call blocking apps available, with popular options including Hiya and RoboKiller. These apps maintain databases of known spam numbers and can automatically block calls from numbers identified as spam.

Call blocking apps like Hiya and RoboKiller use advanced call filtering technology to detect and block robocalls, telemarketers, scams, and other unwanted calls. When you receive a call, the app checks the number against its database and blocks any numbers identified as spam. This prevents your phone from ever ringing for these nuisance calls.

In addition to auto blocking known spam numbers, many call blocking apps allow you to manually block specific numbers. You can input numbers you want to block directly into the app. This gives you full control to customize blocking to your preferences.

Most call blocking apps are available for free or low cost on the Google Play store. With an effective call blocking app installed, you can significantly cut down on unwanted calls and enjoy peace of mind knowing your phone won’t be blowing up with spam.

Create Contact Groups

One way to control which calls come through on your Android phone is to create contact groups. You can make a group for your most important contacts and set it so only calls from that group come through. You can also make a group for spam callers or other numbers you want to block.

To create new contact groups in the Contacts app on Android:

1. Open the Contacts app and tap the Menu icon in the top left corner.
2. Select “Contacts” or “Groups”.
3. Tap the plus icon to create a new group.
4. Enter a name for the group and select which contacts to add.
5. Tap “OK” to create the contact group.

Once you have set up your allowed and blocked contact groups, you can enable the “Only contacts” setting under Do Not Disturb preferences. This will silence calls and notifications from everyone except the contacts in your allowed groups.

Block Specific Numbers

You can block individual phone numbers from being able to call or text you on your Android phone. To block a specific number:

1. Open the Phone app and tap the More options icon (three vertical dots).

2. Select Settings > Block numbers.

3. Tap the plus icon to add a number to block.

4. Enter the phone number you want to block.

5. Tap Block.

The number will now be blocked and unable to call or text you. You can repeat these steps to block additional numbers as needed. Refer to Google’s support page for more details on blocking numbers.

Auto Reject Calls

There are several apps available on the Google Play Store that allow you to auto reject and silence unknown or unwanted calls on your Android device. Some popular options include:

Call Blocker – This app can automatically reject calls from specific numbers or unknown numbers. You can create blacklists to block certain callers. The app also has call screening and reporting features.

Call Control – With Call Control, you can set up rules to block, screen, or auto reject calls. It can send unknown numbers directly to voicemail. The app also includes other tools like call recording and caller ID.

Most auto reject call apps allow you to create custom block lists. They will then automatically end calls and send them to voicemail if they match numbers on your block list. This can help stop unwanted calls from interrupting you. Just be aware that important calls from unrecognized numbers may also get blocked.

Enable Priority Mode

Android’s Priority Mode allows you to only receive calls and notifications from contacts you specify as priority. When Priority Mode is enabled, calls and notifications from anyone not set as a priority will be muted or blocked entirely. To enable it:

1. Open the Settings app and go to Sound & vibration > Do not disturb.

2. Tap on Priority only allows. This will enable Priority Mode.

3. Under Allowed contacts, select All contacts, Starred contacts, or Contacts only depending on who you want to allow calls from. Starred contacts refers to favorites marked with a star.

4. You can customize other notification settings like allowing repeat callers and calls from your priority contacts within 15 minutes. Underneath Calls, tap on the settings to configure them.

With Priority Mode on, only calls and notifications from your selected priority contacts will make a sound or vibrate your phone. Everything else will be muted (source). This allows you to avoid unwanted calls and distractions while still allowing priority contacts to reach you.

Use Third Party Dialer Apps

One option is to download and use a third party dialer app that offers call screening and blocking features. Apps like Truecaller, Hiya, WhosCall, and Mr. Number allow you to see the caller ID for unknown numbers and block calls based on criteria like location, spam likelihood, robocalls, telemarketers and more.

These dialer apps replace your default phone dialer and provide an extra layer of screening. You can set up block lists, allow lists, and automate call blocking. The apps maintain databases of known spam numbers to protect you. Features like reverse phone lookup can identify unknown callers. Overall, third party dialer apps give you more control over call blocking compared to just using your Android’s built-in tools.

Conclusion

There are several effective ways to limit incoming calls on your Android phone to only those from contacts in your address book. The simplest option is to enable Do Not Disturb mode or Priority mode, which allows calls from favorites or contacts while silencing other callers. You can also make use of your phone’s native capabilities to block all unknown numbers or create contact groups to manage exceptions.

For more granular control, call blocking apps like Hiya allow you to identify, block, and report spam. You can also block specific numbers manually or enable auto-reject for numbers not in your contacts. Custom dialer apps like Truecaller add more advanced caller ID and blocking functionality.

In summary, utilizing Do Not Disturb, creating contact groups and priorities, downloading call blocking apps, and blocking individual numbers are all good ways to restrict calls to contacts only on an Android phone. With the right combination of these options, you can take back control of unwanted calls from unknown numbers.