Why Some iPhone Calls Have A Decline Option, And Others Don't

Even if you've been using your iPhone for a long time, there are still things that can leave you confused. For instance, you might wonder what the arrow at the top of the screen means or what the orange and green dots indicate. Another common mystery with iPhones is why you sometimes see a "slide to answer" option when receiving a call, while other times you get "Decline" and "Accept" buttons instead. 

There's a simple explanation for this. When your iPhone is unlocked, you see the red and green buttons to decline and answer the call. In the latest versions of iOS, you don't even see a full-screen alert if you're watching a video or playing a game. Instead, a banner appears at the top. You can change this in the settings if you prefer full-screen incoming call alerts. 

On the other hand, the "slide to answer" option appears when you receive a call while your iPhone is locked. However, you can still decline calls by pressing the side button twice, which sends the call to voicemail. Pressing the side button once only silences the call without rejecting it. Below, we'll explain the reason why your iPhone shows two different call screens. 

In earlier versions of iOS, specifically iOS 1 through iOS 5, Apple only offered a single incoming call screen with options to answer or decline calls. This worked well when your iPhone was already unlocked, as you were likely looking at it. However, imagine your iPhone being in your pocket or bag, and you accidentally answer or reject a call with a stray touch.

To solve this, Apple introduced the "slide to answer" option with iOS 6. This was a clever solution, as sliding the screen from left to right is much less likely to happen accidentally. If you look at Android phones, most devices offer only one incoming call screen, regardless of whether the phone is locked or unlocked. You need to swipe the green or red button upwards or sideways to answer or decline calls, which helps prevent any accidental actions.