How to silence one person's WhatsApp voice calls on iPhone?

November 14, 2024 5:42 AM

I need help muting the ringtone of one person on WhatsApp on my iPhone.

I need to listen to all the other calls and alerts. I need to check when this person called, and I cannot block them.

I tried the most basic instructions and they don't work (muting chat works, but putting call alerts setttings to "None" doesn't work). I tried downloading a "Silent" tone, but it doesn't show as an option on WhatsApp settings. I created a Focus on my phone to mute everything coming from that person, but it doesn't work for WhatsApp.

I am thinking this is impossible, but I wanted to check with the hivemind before giving up. Thanks!

posted by plant or animal to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

I don't use Whatsapp, but I think you can assign a specific ringtone to a person. A silent ringtone.
posted by theora55 at 6:59 AM on November 14, 2024

Response by poster: Yeah, as I specifically said in my question, that's not possible.
posted by plant or animal at 8:03 AM on November 14, 2024

I am not a user of WhatsApp, but as you mention it doesn't see the silent ringtone you've tried to add : can it see any other ringtones that you try to add for this person instead?

i'm just wondering if a completely silent sound file may cause a glitch within this software, where it won't see it, because the file would be so low in memory size or something. Whereas something with a very small sound at the start and end may be more effective, and then it may just be a few trials to see how quiet you can make that sound file, and within what minimum or maximum length is needed, for the sound file to still to be seen and played
posted by many-things at 8:15 AM on November 14, 2024

From someone who actually uses the software you're asking about - in the chat with this person, touch their name at the top, go to Notifications, and there's the call section at the bottom, including setting a ringtone and turning off vibrations. On my Samsung Galaxy I was able to set both preset and custom ringtones including a silent one, so if you have a problem at that stage, downloading another silent mp3 may help.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 8:23 AM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Yeah, it's easy to do this on Android - I am asking it specifically for iPhone. I changed those settings I clain sanctuary meantioned, but the phone keeps ringing regardless. When I add a new tone to my iPhone, WhatsApp does not list it. In fact, in only shows a partial list of ringtones in general (for instance, no "Classic" ringtones appear on the app's settings).

It would be perhaps more effective if someone who uses WhatsApp on their iPhone had a solution, I think. But I might be wrong.
posted by plant or animal at 9:28 AM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

I don’t know if there’s a way to accomplish what you want, but I am pretty certain that iOS WhatsApp (in contrast to android) still does not support user-added sounds for custom notifications, and also doesn’t actually pull from iOS for the list of options. (Also, there’s no “call section” for individual notification settings at all…)
posted by advil at 9:53 AM on November 14, 2024

It looks as if you have to do this in the contacts for iOS - but you'd have to have downloaded a silent ringtone there first - look at these instructions. I do use Whatsapp on an iphone but haven't tried this specifically fwiw.
posted by leslies at 11:48 AM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]