Change FaceTime Incoming Call Settings on iPhone

This guide shows you how to control how FaceTime calls appear and behave when someone calls you on your iPhone. You’ll learn to turn off notifications, silence unknown callers, choose which devices ring, and set up call forwarding when you’re unavailable.

What You’ll Need

• An iPhone running a recent version of iOS (the steps are based on iOS 17 and 18).
• Your Apple ID signed in to FaceTime (Settings > FaceTime).
• If you want calls on other devices, those devices must be signed into the same Apple ID.

Step-by-Step

1. Open Settings. Tap the gray gear icon on your home screen.
2. Scroll to FaceTime. It’s usually near the top, between “Phone” and “Messages.” Tap it.
3. Toggle FaceTime On. If the green switch at the top is off, tap it to enable FaceTime. If it’s already on, leave it.
4. Adjust Call Notifications. To change how you’re alerted (banner, sound, badge), go back to the main Settings screen, tap “Notifications,” then scroll down and tap “FaceTime.” From here you can:
   • Allow notifications entirely (top switch).
   • Choose alert style: Lock Screen, Banner, or none.
   • Turn sounds on/off.
   • Set badge app icon.
5. Silence Unknown Callers. In Settings > FaceTime, toggle on “Silence Unknown Callers.” Calls from numbers not in your contacts, not in your outgoing calls, or not shared with you via Siri will go to voicemail and appear in your recent calls list. They won’t ring your phone.
6. Choose Which Devices Ring. In Settings > FaceTime, tap “Calls from iPhone” (or “Calling” on some versions). Make sure the switch for “iPhone” is on. Other devices (iPad, Mac, Apple Watch) connected to your Apple ID will also ring if they have FaceTime enabled and are on the same Wi-Fi or cellular network.
7. Set Up Call Forwarding (for when you’re unavailable). FaceTime doesn’t have its own forwarding; it uses the Phone app’s forwarding. Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding. Turn it on, then enter the number you want calls forwarded to. This forwards all cellular calls, including FaceTime audio calls that come through your carrier.
8. Use Do Not Disturb / Focus. To block all FaceTime calls during certain times, go to Settings > Focus. Create a new Focus or edit an existing one. Under “Allowed Notifications,” tap “People” and choose “Allow Calls From” > “Everyone” or “Contacts Only.” Then toggle FaceTime off (or leave it on if you want certain people to ring through).
9. Block a Specific Caller. To block someone from calling you on FaceTime, open the FaceTime app, find the call in your Recents, tap the “i” icon, scroll down and tap “Block this Caller.” You can also manage blocked numbers in Settings > FaceTime > Blocked Contacts.

Common Mistakes

• Turning off notifications for FaceTime but still hearing sounds. If you mute notifications, ensure the ringer switch on the side of your iPhone isn’t on silent (orange). Also check that the volume isn’t turned up.
• Silencing Unknown Callers doesn’t work. This only works if you haven’t called the number before. If you’ve called them, they’ll ring through.
• Expecting call forwarding to work without carrier support. Call forwarding is a carrier feature. If it doesn’t work, contact your carrier or check your plan.
• Forgetting that Focus modes apply to FaceTime. If you set a Focus to allow calls from everyone, FaceTime calls will still be silenced if the Focus is active.

Tips

• Use Focus for work/life balance. Create a “Work” Focus that only allows calls from your boss and team, and a “Personal” Focus that only allows calls from family.
• Set up a custom ringtone. In Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, you can assign a specific ringtone to FaceTime calls (though it’s shared with regular calls).
• Turn on “Live Voicemail” for unknown callers. In Settings > Phone > Live Voicemail, you can see a live transcription and pick up if it’s important.
• Use “Share Play” to watch movies together. Not a call setting, but a fun feature: during a FaceTime call, open a streaming app and tap the Share Play icon to watch together.

Troubleshooting

• FaceTime calls still ring when you’ve silenced them. Check that you’ve toggled “Silence Unknown Callers” on, and that the caller isn’t in your Contacts. Also, restart your iPhone.
• No FaceTime calls come through at all. Go to Settings > FaceTime and make sure it’s on. Check that you’re signed in with your Apple ID. If you’re on cellular, ensure FaceTime is allowed in Settings > Cellular > FaceTime.
• Call forwarding doesn’t work. Turn it off and on again, then re-enter the forwarding number. If it still fails, contact your carrier.
• You don’t see “Calls from iPhone” option. This appears only if you have other devices signed into the same Apple ID. If you don’t, it won’t show.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the ringtone for FaceTime calls specifically?

No, FaceTime uses the same ringtone as regular phone calls. You can change it in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone.

How do I stop FaceTime calls from appearing on my iPad?

On your iPad, go to Settings > FaceTime and turn off “Calls from iPhone.” You can also turn off FaceTime entirely on that device.

Will “Silence Unknown Callers” affect regular phone calls too?

Yes, it applies to all calls, including regular cellular calls. Unknown numbers will go to voicemail.

Can I forward FaceTime calls to another number?

FaceTime doesn’t have its own forwarding. You can set up Call Forwarding in Settings > Phone, which forwards all calls, including FaceTime audio calls that use your carrier number.

How do I block someone from FaceTime but not from regular calls?

You can’t block FaceTime separately. Blocking a contact in FaceTime blocks them in Phone and Messages too. To block only FaceTime, you’d need to block the contact entirely.

Why do some FaceTime calls ring on my Mac but not my iPhone?

Check that your Mac is signed into the same Apple ID and has FaceTime enabled. Also, ensure your Mac is on the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone, or has cellular data enabled if it’s a cellular model.

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