It happens to all of us to be bothered more and more often during the day by unwanted calls on our cell phones. The phenomenon, which was supposed to be contained by the opposition register to cell phone numbers, is always present and annoying.
For this reason, mobile users are looking for ways to protect themselves; one of these is the Truecaller app that, in a simple and practical way, reveals who is calling us so that we can better protect ourselves from spam calls .
What is Truecaller and how does it work?
This is a handy app , available for free for both Android and iOS, that works through a vast database of phone numbers collected from various sources, including the address book of users who have agreed to share their contacts, and reports from the same in the event of spam. When you receive a call from a number not present in your address book, Truecaller searches for that number in its database . If it finds it, it shows you the name associated with that number, or a warning in case of suspected malicious call.
You should know that Truecaller requires a connection to work properly. . After downloading and installing the application, you have to register by providing some personal details, such as your name and phone number. Once you have completed registration, you can easily customize the application settings according to your preferences, such as choosing which types of calls you want to block or which notifications you prefer to receive.
Some people turn up their noses at Truecaller, because it creates its own database by taking names and contacts from their address books with the consent of users. The intent of the service is to create a mega database to allow everyone, or almost everyone, to always identify who calls them. If sharing your address book is a problem for you, check out the post below dedicated to the best alternatives to Truecaller .
How to install Truecaller?
Installing the app for both Android and iOS (therefore for iPhone) is really simple: just go to the Play Store or App Store and press the install button.
Once the download and installation of the package is complete, you can press on the app and perform the first configuration . This phase is important, because you will have to give the app all the permissions required, otherwise it will not be able to work properly.
After the mandatory initial authorizations, you will have to press “ Accept and Continue ” to accept the privacy policy and terms of service. Afterwards, Truecaller will make a call to your number to confirm its validity . At this point, you will be asked to set up a profile: you can do so using your Google or Facebook account, or by manually entering your data.
Finally, you will be asked if you want to set Truecaller as your default SMS app. Again, the decision is up to you.
Once you complete the setup, the app will start working for you, based on your choices, by alerting you or blocking the detected nuisance calls.
How do I see who called me with Truecaller?
Finding out who called you with Truecaller is the most natural thing in the world, because once you receive a call, the app will check if the name is in its database and will inform you according to the data it has, without you having to do anything.
Through the app, you cannot know if another user in your address book is also using it.
How to block a specific number or prefix with the app?
To implement a prefix block with Truecaller , you only need a few simple steps. First, you will have to open the application. Once on the main page, you will notice a gray shield icon in the top right, you will then have to press on it. Next, you will have to scroll to the ” block someone manually ” section, then press on the ” Country code ” item, finally you can select the country in the appropriate drop-down menu and then the relative prefix to block and confirm by pressing the ” Unwanted ” button.
Does Truecaller allow you to record calls?
The answer pre Android 10 was yes, unfortunately with the new versions of Android Google has imposed restrictions that no longer allow applications to record calls . Therefore, applications like Truecaller, which rely on the accessibility API to record calls with the user’s consent, are no longer able to perform this useful function.
Recording calls was in fact a good way to defend yourself against scams and malicious people. Unfortunately, it can now only be done on smartphones from some manufacturers that have included specific options in their custom interfaces, such as Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo and Samsung.
What are the best alternatives to Truecaller?
If this app hasn’t quite convinced you, but you still want to get rid of annoying commercial calls, then here’s a list of competing apps you might want to give a try.
- Hiya( Android and iOS ) This solution offers a special emphasis on privacy protection. This app allows for very accurate caller identification, effective spam call blocking, and does not require access to your address book to function.
- Among the apps of this kind, CallApp( Android ) stands out above all for its integration with social media, allowing you to conveniently view photos and recent posts from your contacts.
- Whoscall( Android and iOS ) is a good alternative to Truecaller, having a huge database of phone numbers. It is also appreciated because it also offers an offline search function, which allows you to identify callers even when you do not have an Internet connection.
- Should I answer?( Android ), no point in hiding, this app has long been the best against annoying calls, unfortunately since 2019 it is no longer the same, since the launch of a premium version that base has become unusable, between too infrequent database updates and invasive advertising. We have included it in this ranking only in the secret hope that it returns to its former glory.
