iOS 26 Unknown Call Filter Badge Won’t Go Away : iPhone 17/16

Apple’s iOS 26 introduced several new features to improve user privacy and call management, but some iPhone users are noticing unusual behavior with the Unknown Call Filter.

When the filter is turned on, the Phone app displays a badge count for all unknown calls. The problem? The badge doesn’t disappear after viewing the call list — instead, the only way to clear it is to delete all the unknown calls.

Unknown Call Filter Badge Won’t Go Away : iPhone 17/16

This has left many wondering: Is this a bug or an intentional design change in iOS 26?

The Issue Explained

Normally, iOS badges disappear once the notification has been seen or opened. For example, when you open Messages, the red badge icon goes away after reading your texts.

But with Unknown Call Filter in iOS 26, the Phone app badge keeps counting unknown numbers as “unread,” even after you open the call log. Users report that:

The badge persists until the unknown calls are manually deleted.
Simply viewing or acknowledging the calls does not reset the count.
This behavior appears across multiple iPhone models running iOS 26.

For those who rely heavily on badges to manage missed calls, this change is confusing and disruptive.

Is It a Bug or Intended Behavior?

As of now, Apple has not officially clarified whether this is a bug or a new system behavior. However:

In past iOS versions, unknown calls were logged but did not permanently stick to the badge counter.
Some users believe this is Apple’s way of forcing users to manually manage unknown calls rather than just viewing and ignoring them.
Others suggest it’s simply a bug in the Phone app that may be fixed in an upcoming patch.

How to remove Unknown Call Filter Badge : iPhone 17/16

If you’re facing this problem, here are a few troubleshooting steps that have worked for some users:

1. Turn Badges Off > Restart > Turn Badges Back On

Go to Settings
Tap Phone
Turn off Badges
Restart your iPhone
Go back to Settings > Phone
Turn Badges back on

This can sometimes reset the counter logic and clear the badge.

2. Clear Calls Manually

Until Apple addresses this issue, the most reliable way is to delete the unknown calls from your log. Not ideal, but it guarantees the badge disappears.

3. Report the Bug

Go to the Feedback app (if on beta) or Apple’s official Feedback page and report this issue. The more reports Apple receives, the more likely it will be addressed in the next update.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve noticed the Unknown Call Filter badge refusing to clear in iOS 26, you’re not alone. For now, the only surefire method is to delete the unknown calls or temporarily disable badges. Hopefully, Apple will clarify or fix this in an upcoming update.

Have you run into this issue on your iPhone? Let us know your experience in the comments below.