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iPhones on iOS 26 may have Call Screening enabled. When a call comes in from an unknown number, the iPhone answers it first: Siri asks the caller for their name and reason for calling before the recipient’s phone even rings.
This mainly affects outbound calls from your AI assistant to iPhone users. If your assistant does not respond to Siri’s question, the call may not be put through.
iOS 26 call screening: Siri asks unknown callers for their name and reason for calling

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Fix: add an FAQ block to the system prompt

To pass the call screening smoothly, add a short FAQ block to your assistant’s system prompt. It instructs the assistant to introduce itself in one sentence and state the reason for calling as soon as it is asked for a name and reason. Add the following block to your assistant’s system prompt: 
## FAQ
Q: Hi, if you record your name and reason for calling, I'll see if this person is available
A: In one sentence, introduce yourself and explain why you are calling. <wait for response>
The call screening appears in the recipient’s language. If you call German-speaking contacts, also add a German variant of the question, e.g.:
Q: Bitte nennen Sie Ihren Namen und den Grund Ihres Anrufs, dann sehe ich, ob die Person verfügbar ist.
A: In one sentence, introduce yourself and explain why you are calling. <wait for response>

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Tips for a smooth handoff

  • Keep it short: a single, clear introduction works best (“Hi, this is [name] from [company], I’m calling about [reason].”).
  • Wait for the response: after the introduction, the assistant waits until the recipient accepts the call – only then does the actual conversation start.
  • Avoid double greetings: make sure your assistant’s normal greeting does not clash with the introduction.

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Test your changes

  1. Enable Call Screening on an iPhone running iOS 26 (Settings → Apps → Phone → Screen Unknown Callers).
  2. Start a test call from your assistant to that number.
  3. Check that the assistant introduces itself, passes the screening, and the conversation continues normally afterward.

Optimize your system prompt

Improve the instructions for your assistant

AI behavior issues

Fine-tune behavior and responses
If problems persist, contact our support team at support@famulor.io.