The basic steps to pick up an incoming call
When your phone rings or buzzes with an incoming call, a screen appears showing the caller's number or name. On most phones, a large green button or answer icon sits at the bottom of the screen. Tap or swipe that button to connect the call. On some older phones, you may need to press a physical button on the side or top of the device instead.
Once you tap answer, the call connects and you can hear the caller through your phone's speaker or earpiece. The screen then shows how long the call has lasted, and buttons appear to mute your microphone, switch to speakerphone, or end the call. Ending the call is usually a red button or icon at the bottom of the screen — tap it to hang up.
If you miss a call, it goes to your voicemail (a recorded message system) and appears in your call history. You can call the person back by finding their number in your recent calls list and tapping the call button next to their name.
Key Takeaways
- Tap the green answer button or icon when your phone rings to connect the call.
- You can switch to speakerphone, mute your microphone, or end the call using the buttons that appear during the call.
- Missed calls appear in your call history, and you can call the person back from that list.
- If you do not answer, the call goes to voicemail, where the caller can leave a recorded message.
- Rejecting a call sends it straight to voicemail without you having to answer.
Rejecting a call you do not want to take
You do not have to answer every call. When a call comes in, you can reject it by tapping a red button or decline icon instead of the green answer button. The call then goes to voicemail, and the caller may leave a message if they choose.
On some phones, you can also swipe down or to the side to reject the call without tapping a button. Check your phone's settings or manual to see which gesture works for your device. Rejecting a call does not delete it — it still appears in your call history so you can see who called.
Answering calls on speakerphone or with headphones
By default, calls come through your phone's earpiece (the small speaker at the top). If you want others to hear the conversation, tap the speakerphone icon during the call — usually a speaker symbol at the bottom of the screen. This routes the sound to your phone's main speaker, which is louder and projects further.
If you have headphones or earbuds plugged in, the call may automatically route to them instead of the earpiece. You can switch back to the earpiece by unplugging the headphones or tapping the speaker icon. Some phones also let you connect to wireless headphones or car speakers using Bluetooth, a wireless connection standard — the call will then play through whichever device is paired.
What to do if your phone is locked when a call comes in
If your phone is locked (the screen is off or shows a lock screen), an incoming call still rings or vibrates. The answer button appears on top of the lock screen, and you can tap it to answer without unlocking your phone first. This is intentional — your phone lets calls through even when locked so you do not miss important calls.
After you hang up, your phone returns to the locked state. If you want to unlock your phone during a call to use other features (like looking up information), you can do that by entering your PIN or using your fingerprint or face recognition, depending on your phone's security settings.
Controlling who can call you and when
Most phones have a Do Not Disturb mode that silences calls and notifications during times you choose. You can turn this on in your settings and set it to allow calls only from people in your contacts, or from specific people you designate as favorites. This is useful during work, sleep, or when you need to focus.
You can also block specific phone numbers so they cannot reach you at all. Go to your phone's settings, find the blocking or privacy section, and add numbers to a blocked list. Blocked callers will not hear a ring — the call fails silently on their end, and no notification appears on your phone.
Some phones let you set up a focus mode that works similarly to Do Not Disturb but with more control over which apps can send notifications. You can create different focus modes for work, sleep, or driving, and your phone automatically switches between them based on time of day or location.
Handling spam and unknown calls
Spam calls are unwanted calls from telemarketers, scammers, or automated systems. Your phone may flag suspected spam with a label like "Spam Risk" or "Likely Spam" before the call even rings. You can reject these calls without answering.
If you answer a spam call by mistake, hang up when ready. Do not give out personal information, bank details, or passwords. If the caller claims to be from your bank, government, or a company you know, hang up and call that organization directly using a number from their official website or your statement — do not use a number the caller provided.
Most phones have a spam filter you can turn on in settings. This filter learns over time which calls are spam and blocks them automatically. You can also report spam numbers to your phone's system, which helps protect other users on the same network.
Answering calls from multiple people at once
If you are on a call and another call comes in, your phone shows a notification. You can put the first call on hold and answer the second call by tapping the incoming call notification. This pauses the first conversation — the other person cannot hear you, but the call stays connected.
While on the second call, you can switch back to the first call by tapping a button that shows the first caller's name or number. You can also merge the calls into a conference call so all parties can hear each other, though this feature depends on your phone and service provider. To end the second call and return to the first, tap the red hang-up button.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I do not answer a call?
The call goes to voicemail, a system that records messages from callers. The call appears in your recent calls list, and you can call the person back later. If the caller leaves a message, you can listen to it in your voicemail folder.
Can I answer a call if my phone is in airplane mode?
No. Airplane mode turns off all wireless connections, including the ability to make and receive calls. You must turn off airplane mode in your settings before calls can reach you. Your phone will not ring or show incoming calls while airplane mode is on.
Why does my phone show a different name than the phone number calling me?
Your phone has a contacts list with names and numbers you have saved. When someone calls, your phone matches their number to your contacts and shows the saved name instead of the number. If the name is wrong, the contact information in your phone may be outdated or incorrect.
Can I answer a call while using another app?
Yes. When a call comes in, a notification appears at the top of your screen or as a banner, and you can tap it to answer without closing the app you are using. The call runs in the background, and you can switch between the call and your app by tapping the appropriate button or notification.
What is the difference between rejecting a call and blocking a number?
Rejecting a call sends that one call to voicemail. Blocking a number prevents that person from calling you at all — their calls fail silently, and you never see them. Blocking is permanent until you remove the number from your blocked list.