If you are on Airtel or Vi, spam call labelling is already switched on and you never had to do anything. Both operators run it at network level, free, with no app involved — which makes a large amount of the advice on this topic several years out of date.
What you still have to configure is everything around it. Here is what each operator actually gives you, and what you need to set up yourself.
Airtel: On by Default, Cannot Be Turned Off
Airtel’s AI spam detection has run at network level since September 2024. It evaluates calls and messages against roughly 250 parameters and applies a label before your phone even rings.
What you get without lifting a finger:
- Suspected spam calls arrive tagged “Airtel Warning: SPAM” on your screen
- Spam SMS are flagged in the same way
- Malicious links are blocked on Airtel mobile data and Airtel Wi-Fi
It is free, automatic, and there is no opt-out. One real limitation worth knowing: the link blocking does not work over a VPN or a custom DNS, because your traffic no longer passes through Airtel’s resolver. If you run a VPN permanently, that layer is off.
Note the label is advisory. Airtel flags the call; it does not block it. The decision stays with you.
Vi: Same Idea, With One Handset Condition
Vi Protect is also free, automatic and network-level, with no activation and no app. It has five parts:
- SMS flagged as “Suspected SPAM”
- AI spam labelling on calls — VoLTE handsets only
- Country of origin displayed for international calls
- CNAP, showing the caller’s registered name — again VoLTE only
- Malicious link blocking
The VoLTE condition is the catch. On an older handset without VoLTE you get the SMS flagging but not the call labelling. If you are on Vi and seeing no call labels, check whether VoLTE is enabled in your phone’s network settings before assuming the feature is broken.
Report missed spam through the Vi app. Anything that looks like actual fraud rather than nuisance marketing should go to Sanchar Saathi instead.
Jio: Different Approach
Jio does not offer an equivalent AI network-level spam labelling product. What it gives you is preference management — DND controls through MyJio under More → Do Not Disturb, or on the web at your Jio account under Settings → Service Settings → DND.
That is a meaningfully weaker position on labelling, so Jio users depend more on the handset-level controls below. Set those up properly and the gap narrows considerably.
Android: The Settings That Do the Real Work
Your phone’s own filtering is not optional extra credit — for most people it removes more nuisance than anything the operator does.
In the Phone app → Settings → Caller ID and spam, turn on See caller and spam ID and Filter spam calls. Filtered calls do not ring; they go straight to a separate list you can review.
In Messages → Settings → Spam protection, enable spam protection so flagged messages divert to their own folder.
Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi and others add their own layer on top with similar wording — look for Smart Call, Caller ID and spam, or Harassment filter in the dialler settings.
iPhone: Screen Unknown Callers
The strongest single setting on iOS sits under Settings → Apps → Phone → Screen Unknown Callers, with three options: Never, Ask Reason for Calling, and Silence.
Silence sends every number not in your contacts, recent outgoing calls or Siri suggestions straight to voicemail without ringing. Nothing is lost — the calls appear in your recents and any voicemail is transcribed — but the interruptions stop entirely.
Calls your carrier has identified as spam are silenced automatically and moved to a separate Spam list. FaceTime has its own Silence Unknown Callers control.
Be aware of the tradeoff: delivery drivers, cab drivers and clinics calling from unsaved numbers get silenced too. Check recents if you are expecting something.
The Truecaller Question
The misconception worth correcting: you do not need Truecaller to get spam labels on Airtel or Vi. Both do it at network level by default, and the app adds nothing to the flagging itself.
What a third-party app does add is a crowd-sourced name database, which is genuinely broader. What it costs is your contact list, an ad-supported experience, and your own number being listed. That is a real trade, and worth making deliberately rather than by habit. Our Android privacy checkup covers reviewing what apps like these have already been granted.
Register DND As Well
Network labelling and DND solve different problems. Labelling warns you about a call that has already arrived; DND is a legal preference that registered telemarketers must respect.
Register by sending START 0 to 1909 for full DND, or dial 1909. It activates within 24 hours. The mechanics, the seven category options and the complaint process are covered in our guide to stopping promotional calls with DND.
When It Is Fraud, Not Marketing
There is a line between a nuisance and a crime, and they go to different places.
A persistent marketing call is a DND complaint to 1909. A call impersonating your bank, a courier, an electricity board or the police is fraud, and belongs on the Chakshu module at Sanchar Saathi — see our Sanchar Saathi guide. If money has already moved, call 1930 immediately.
If the call claimed to be law enforcement and involved a video call, read how the digital arrest scam works before doing anything else. We keep this kind of India-specific telecom and safety guidance current at Techleez com.
A Ten-Minute Setup
Register DND on 1909. Turn on spam filtering in your phone’s dialler and messaging apps. On iPhone, set Screen Unknown Callers to Silence. On Vi, confirm VoLTE is enabled. Then stop expecting perfection — the residue comes from unregistered telemarketers using ordinary SIM cards, which no filter fully catches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an app to block spam calls on Airtel?
No. Airtel’s AI spam detection runs at network level, is free, and is on by default with no app and no opt-out.
Why am I not seeing spam labels on Vi?
Call labelling and CNAP on Vi require a VoLTE handset. Check that VoLTE is enabled in your phone’s network settings.
Does Jio have AI spam call detection?
Jio does not offer an equivalent network-level labelling product. It provides DND preference management through MyJio, so handset-level filtering matters more for Jio users.
Does Airtel’s link blocking work with a VPN?
No. A VPN or custom DNS routes traffic away from Airtel’s resolver, so that protection layer does not apply.
Is DND the same as blocking spam calls?
No. DND is a legal preference binding on registered telemarketers. It does not stop unregistered callers using ordinary SIM cards.
Where do I report a fraud call rather than a marketing call?
Use the Chakshu module on Sanchar Saathi for fraud attempts, and call 1930 if money has already been transferred.
Fold Smith
Fold Smith is a technology journalist and the lead editor of The Techleez, an India-first publication that decodes technology, digital payments, streaming and online culture for everyday readers. From UPI and fintech explainers to OTT streaming guides, Android tips and online-safety checklists, he personally tests the apps, tools and services featured on the site before recommending them. His focus is practical, research-backed guidance that helps Indian readers make smarter digital decisions — spend less, stream better and stay safe online. When he is not writing, he is usually tracking NPCI circulars, first-day-first-show box office numbers, or the next big OTT premiere.
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