Who can message or call you
Two settings control who can reach you: one decides who may start a new conversation with you, and one decides who may call you.
Who can message you
- Everyone (the default)
- Your contacts only
- People you follow
- Nobody
Who can call you
- Everyone
- Your contacts only
- People you've messaged (the default)
- Nobody
With the default for calls, someone you have never chatted with can't call you unless you widen the setting.
Message requests
With Everyone, a first message from someone outside your circle (not a contact, not someone you follow) arrives as a message request. It appears in your chat list like any conversation, with Accept and Block in the thread.
Until you accept, the sender can write you one text message, with no photos or attachments, and can't call you. Accepting opens the conversation fully, and replying accepts it too. Block removes the request, and the person can't message you again.
The messaging setting applies to starting a new conversation. Conversations you already have keep working whatever you choose.
These settings do not apply to groups: a group member can add you either way. To stop a particular person, block them. A blocked person can't message or call you at all.