How to protect missed calls on your iPhone Lock Screen

Find out how to strengthen your privacy by hiding the caller’s name from the Missed Call banner, and preventing other people from returning the missed call shown on your iPhone Lock Screen.

Option to call back or send message after you touch and hold the missed call banner on iPhone Lock Screen

When you get a missed call, an alert is displayed on the iPhone Lock Screen, and tapping that alert will automatically return the call to that person. People who are in possession of your iPhone can simply tap that notification on the Lock Screen in order to return a missed call. They can also touch and hold the missed call banner and send a text.

However, if you do not want to allow others around you to call back the person, you can block this feature from your iPhone Settings. After that, your device will need Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode authentication before calling back the missed call entry from the Lock Screen.

Related: Top 12 tips to secure your iPhone Lock Screen notifications for increased privacy

Protect missed calls on your iPhone Lock Screen

  1. Open the Settings app and tap Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode.
  2. Type your iPhone passcode to enter.
  3. Scroll down to the ‘Allow Access When Locked’ section and turn off the switch for Return Missed Calls.
Turn off Return Missed Calls in iPhone Passcode settings

Now, when the device is locked, and you tap a missed call notification, you’ll be asked to enter your passcode or authenticate using Face ID or Touch ID before the call can be returned. Tapping and holding the notification will no longer show the options to call back or send a text.

Missed call from Tim Cook on iPhone Lock Screen

Extra info: For further protection, disable the Reply with Message feature. Doing so will require authentication before replying to a text from the Lock Screen.

Hide the missed caller’s name from your iPhone Lock Screen

By default, the missed call banner on the iPhone Lock Screen shows the person’s name. If you want to make that private, you have the option to do so.

  1. Open the Settings app and tap Notifications.
  2. Select Phone from the list of apps.
  3. Tap Show Previews under the ‘Lock Screen Appearance’ heading.
  4. Choose When Unlocked.
Show Phone notification previews only when iPhone is unlocked

After this, you will have to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode before the missed caller’s name is revealed.

iPhone Missed call banner showing caller name and one not showing it

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