WhatsApp: Deactivate calls & group calls (Android/iOS)

WhatsApp: Deactivate calls & group calls (Android/iOS)


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Calls or group calls via WhatsApp can be really annoying over time. But can you deactivate annoying calls? We’ll show you what you can do here.

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Table of contents
  1. 1.WhatsApp: Disable calls from unknown people
  2. 1.1.Android
  3. 1.2.iOS
  4. 2.WhatsApp: Deactivate calls from contacts – how does it work?
  5. 3.WhatsApp: deactivate group calls – how does it work?

WhatsApp: Disable calls from unknown people

Android

  1. Tap on the top right in WhatsApp three points ⁝ and chooses “Settings” out of.
  2. Tap on “Data protection“>”Calls“.
  3. Sets the switch to “Silence calls from unknown people” on “A“.
This is how you deactivate calls from unknown people in WhatsApp (Image source: Screenshot GIGA)

This is how you deactivate calls from unknown people in WhatsApp (© Screenshot GIGA)

iOS

  1. Tap on “Settings“>”Data protection“>”Calls“.
  2. Disabled “Silence calls from unknown people“.

WhatsApp: Deactivate calls from contacts – how does it work?

You cannot deactivate calls from your contacts in WhatsApp as there is no setting for this. But you can do the following to make them less annoying:

  1. Initially rejects incoming calls via that red handset icon away.
  2. Write to the calling contact that you doesn’t want any more calls.
  3. If that doesn’t help, block that contact. However, you will then no longer receive written notifications from them.

If you don’t want to block the contact, you can mute the calls. However, this only works in Android. This function does not exist in iOS:

  1. Opens in WhatsApp the chat with the contact whose calls you want to mute.
  2. Tap on the top Name of the contact and then click “Notifications“.
  3. Tap below under “Call” on “Ringtone“.
  4. Choose “Without“ and confirm with “OK“.
  5. “Ringtone” should now say “Silent” and calls from this contact will no longer be audible to you.
  6. If you want to undo this later, do the same, but then select any ringtone again.
This is how you mute calls from a specific contact. (Image source: Screenshot GIGA)This is how you mute calls from a specific contact. (Image source: Screenshot GIGA)

This is how you mute calls from a specific contact. (© Screenshot GIGA)

WhatsApp: deactivate group calls – how does it work?

Group calls cannot be switched off in WhatsApp either. It’s best to write to the group that you don’t want any further calls. Otherwise you can leave the group. If that’s not an option for you, you can Mute group calls. This function is also available in Android, but not in iOS.

  1. Open the group in WhatsApp whose calls you want to mute.
  2. Tap on the top Group names and chooses “Notifications” out of.
  3. Below at “Calls“ you set the switch to “Mute notifications” on “A“.
This is how you mute group calls in WhatsApp. (Image source: Screenshot GIGA)This is how you mute group calls in WhatsApp. (Image source: Screenshot GIGA)

This is how you mute group calls in WhatsApp. (© Screenshot GIGA)

However, if you are already in a group call and other group participants are hearing loud background noise, you can mute individual participants. This is described as follows:

Source: German