Sometimes, you might not want to answer a call, but you also don’t want to block the person. Maybe you’re doing homework, playing a game, or just need some quiet time. The good news is that there are simple tricks to make your phone seem busy or unavailable! Here are five easy ways to do it.
1. Turn on Airplane Mode ✈️
This is the quickest and easiest trick! When you turn on Airplane Mode, your phone disconnects from mobile networks, Wi-Fi, and even Bluetooth. That means when someone calls, it will look like your phone is off or out of service. They won’t get a busy signal, but they also won’t be able to reach you.
📱 How to turn it on:
- On iPhone: Open Settings, then tap Airplane Mode to turn it on. You can also swipe down from the top-right corner and tap the Airplane icon.
- On Android: Swipe down from the top of your screen and tap Airplane Mode in Quick Settings.
When you’re ready to take calls again, just turn off Airplane Mode, and your phone will reconnect!
2. Use Call Forwarding 📞➡️📞
Call forwarding is a clever way to make it seem like your phone is already in use. This feature redirects incoming calls to another number, such as an old phone or a landline that no one answers. When someone tries to call you, it might ring a few times and then stop, making it seem like you’re busy on another call.
📱 How to set it up:
- On iPhone: Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding, then type in another number to send calls to.
- On Android: Open the Phone app, tap the three dots (⋮) or Settings, then find Call Forwarding and enter a different number.
📌 Bonus tip: If you want to know if someone called while you were “busy,” you can look up your country’s call forwarding codes online. Some carriers send a notification when someone tries to reach you.
3. Turn on Do Not Disturb (DND) Mode 🔕
Sometimes, you don’t want to reject calls completely, but you also don’t want your phone ringing or vibrating. Do Not Disturb (DND) mode is perfect for this! When it’s on, your phone won’t ring, vibrate, or light up when someone calls. The caller won’t hear a busy signal, but they might think you’re not near your phone.
One great thing about DND mode is that you can customize it! You can allow calls from certain people (like family) while keeping others silent.
📱 How to turn it on:
- On iPhone: Go to Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb, then adjust who can call you.
- On Android: Open Settings > Sound or Digital Wellbeing > Do Not Disturb and set your preferences.
This is a great trick for when you need some quiet time but still want to receive important calls.
4. Enable Call Barring (Blocks Calls and Sends a Busy Signal) 🚫📞
Call barring is a more advanced trick that prevents certain calls from coming through. When someone calls, they will hear a busy signal, making them think your phone is in use. This is a great option if you don’t want to block someone completely but still want to avoid their calls.
📱 How to turn it on:
- Go to your Phone Settings, look for Call Settings or Additional Settings, and find the option for Call Barring.
- Some phones might require a PIN code from your mobile carrier to activate this feature.
Once enabled, certain calls won’t go through at all, making it seem like you’re on another call every time they try.
5. Send an Auto-Reply or Reject a Call with a Message 💬
If you don’t want to ignore a call completely, you can send a quick message instead. Both iPhones and Android phones let you reject a call and send a text message at the same time. This way, the caller knows you’re busy instead of thinking you’re ignoring them.
📱 How to do it:
- When a call comes in, look for the “Send Message” or “Decline with SMS” option.
- Tap it and choose a message like “I’m busy right now. I’ll call you later.”
- Some phones let you customize your auto-reply messages in the settings.
This is a polite way to avoid answering calls without upsetting the person trying to reach you.
Final Thoughts 💡
By using these five tricks, you can easily make your phone seem busy whenever you need a break. Whether you turn on Airplane Mode, use Call Forwarding, or simply send a quick auto-reply, these methods help you control when and how people can reach you.
Try them out and see which one works best for you! 😊
