Android phone:
Calls and privacy
This course explains how you can use some of your Android phone's Settings to protect your privacy. You'll learn how to hide your number for outgoing calls, block nuisance callers, and claim some peace and quiet by using the Do not disturb feature.
Watch our animation by pressing the Play button below, or click on the handy chapters icon in the video playbar (it is the third icon from the right) to go straight to the information you want to see, such as how to:
- manage your Caller ID
- block a caller
- add Caller ID and spam protection
- use the Do not disturb feature
- add your contact information to the Lock screen.
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Transcript
Welcome to the 'Android phone: Calls and privacy' course. In this course, you'll learn how to protect your privacy by blocking nuisance callers, keeping your number private, and controlling who calls you and when.
There are many types of Android phones. If your Android phone is a different model to the one shown in this demonstration, the steps might be slightly different, but you can still follow along. When you use your mobile phone to call another mobile phone, your number and sometimes your name will appear on their screen. This is known as Caller ID, which is short for Caller Identification. It's a useful feature that helps your friends and family know that you are calling them, but if you don't want others to know your number, you can turn this off. Here's how it's done. From the Home screen, find the phone icon and tap it. There are three options at the bottom of the phone screen, and if keypad isn't already selected, tap it to select it. When keypad is selected, you'll see a keypad which you can use to enter a phone number. Look for three vertical dots on the top right of the screen and tap them to show a list of options. From the list, look for Settings. Tap on it to open the Call settings menu. Scroll down until you find Supplementary services, and tap it. At the top of this menu, tap Show your caller ID and another list of options will pop up. If you tap Never, your Caller ID will never be visible to people you are calling. Tap Never and the pop-up list will close. From now on, when you call someone, their phone will show the words 'Private number' instead of your name or phone number.
Switching off Caller ID only works for phone calls. If you send a text message, the person will still see your mobile phone number.
To switch Caller ID back on, tap Show your Caller ID again and choose Network default from the pop-up list.
Next, we'll look at how to block a caller. If you are getting lots of nuisance calls from the same number, you can block them. This means they won't be able to call you again from that number. Let's do this now. From the Supplementary services screen, tap the back arrow at the top of the screen to go back to the Call settings screen. Scroll back up until you get to the top of the menu. The first menu option is Block numbers. Tap this to see the options. At the top of this page is an option that lets you block unknown and private numbers. This is handy because sometimes scam callers and telemarketers switch off their Caller ID. To turn this feature on, tap the switch so that it moves to the right and becomes green. This feature is now on and you won't be able to receive calls from unknown or private numbers.
Now let's look at how to block a specific caller. When you block a number, you won't be able to receive phone calls or text messages from them. If you know the number of the caller you wish to block, you can tap Add phone number, type in the number and then tap the plus symbol to add it to the list of blocked callers. If you don't know the number but the caller you wish to block has recently called you, you can tap Recents to show a list of numbers that have called you. Find the nuisance caller in the list and tap it to select it. Now tap Done, which is at the very bottom of the screen, to close the list. The number you chose now appears in the list of blocked callers and they won't be able to contact you.
If you want to block calls from someone in your contacts list, tap Contacts and your contacts list will open. Tap the contact you wish to block and tap Done. Now their number has been added to the list of blocked callers.
If you want to start receiving calls again from someone you've blocked, it's very easy to remove them from the list or unblock them. Tap the red minus sign next to the name or number of the person you want to unblock to remove them from the list of blocked callers. You will now be able to receive calls and text messages from them once more. Tap the back button at the top of the screen to return to the Call settings menu.
The second option in the Call settings list is Caller ID and spam protection. This is a handy feature, so if it isn't already turned on, tap the switch so that it moves to the right and becomes green. Now, every time you get a phone call from a number you don't know, your phone can check to see if it's coming from a number that has been listed as a scammer. When a reported scammer calls you you'll see a warning message such as Suspected Spam and you can tap the red phone icon to reject the call.
If you get a call that your phone identifies as being Suspected Spam, it's also safe to not answer it and ignore the call until it stops ringing.
Next, we're going to learn how to use the Do Not Disturb feature to temporarily stop your phone from receiving calls, texts, or emails.
To turn on Do Not Disturb, first, tap the Home button to go back to the Home screen. Now swipe up from the bottom of the screen to show the Apps screen. Find the Settings app icon, which looks like a cogwheel, and tap it to open the Settings menu. Look for Notifications and tap it. Scroll down until you find the Do not disturb option. Tap it to view the Do not disturb options. Right at the top is the main Do not disturb switch. To turn this setting on, tap the switch so that it moves to the right and becomes blue. Do Not Disturb is now switched on. You'll only want to switch this on if you do not want people to be able to contact you. If you are just looking to silence your phone, you might be better to turn on silent mode instead which will allow your phone to receive calls and messages without making any sound. If you miss a call or text message while your phone is on silent, you'll still receive a notification so you'll know that someone was trying to contact you. When Do not disturb is switched on, your phone will not be able to receive calls or messages and you won't even receive a notification if someone tries to contact you. Once you switch the Do not disturb setting off, your phone will receive notifications once more and will catch you up on any calls or messages that you might have missed.
You can even schedule Do not disturb to automatically turn on and off at times and days of your choosing. Tap Add schedule to explore these options and you'll also discover that you can set friends or family members as exceptions so they can still call you in an emergency.
To turn Do not disturb off, tap the switch next to Do not disturb so that it moves to the left and becomes white. Now that Do not disturb is switched off, your phone will be able to receive calls, text messages, and all notifications once more.
To finish this course, we're going to look at a handy feature that will help someone return your phone to you if you've left it behind somewhere. Tap the back arrow at the top left of the screen to return to the Notifications menu and tap it once more to go to the main settings menu. From the main settings screen, scroll down until you find Lock screen and tap it to see the Lock screen options. Scroll down to find contact information and tap it. A box will pop up along with the keyboard. The message that you type here will appear on the Lock screen to help others return your phone if you leave it somewhere. Include a contact number that someone can use to find you. Of course, you should use your home number or the number of a friend rather than the number of this mobile phone. When you are happy with the message, tap Done.
Now let's see your Lock screen message. First, lock your phone by pressing the Power button on the side so the screen turns off. Now wake your phone by pressing the Power button once more. The Lock screen will appear with your message visible under the clock.
You've reached the end of this course and have learned how to stop people from being able to see your number when you call, block nuisance callers, set your phone to Do not disturb, and put a contact number on the Lock screen.
If you are unsure about any steps, you can rewind the video or click the chapter headings to jump to the start of a chapter. If you are ready to move on, there are many other courses to explore on Be Connected.