Muting Unknown Calls on WhatsApp is in the Works
WhatsApp’s Communities feature has revolutionized communication, making it easy to reach thousands of people. However, the feature has opened up inboxes and phone numbers to chats and calls from strangers, causing trouble and leading to a growing number of unwanted calls. While the app has a feature that lets you report and block spammers, it currently lacks the ability to silence calls from unknown numbers.
However, recent reports suggest WhatsApp is working on a mute toggle for unknown callers. This capability was spotted by WABetaInfo, who had previously reported on another feature called Newsletters designed to simplify group communications. Despite its advantages, the Newsletter feature displays the creator’s phone number publicly, allowing anyone to contact you without your consent. The mute toggle, on the other hand, is being developed to automatically prevent you from receiving calls from unknown numbers, while still displaying the calls in the call list and notification center.
As shown in the screenshot below, the mute toggle will be located in the Settings menu. Currently, the feature isn’t available to the public, and it’s unknown when it will be released. Nonetheless, it is seen as a viable solution to the spam problem experienced by WhatsApp users.
WhatsApp has battled spam for years, with the problem manifesting in various forms, including ads posing as helpful services. A quick method for blocking spam messages has been in testing, but avoiding them altogether has been a daunting task.
Given the high volume of spam and unsolicited calls on WhatsApp, the mute toggle feature will undoubtedly be a game-changer if it becomes available to the public.
