If you find yourself unable to receive calls on your iPhone despite being able to call others, it could be due to certain settings that silence incoming calls or direct them straight to voicemail. Fortunately, reversing these settings can resolve the issue. We will guide you through the process.
1. Disable Airplane Mode
When confronted with issues related to phone calls or cellular data, initiating this step is paramount.
Access Control Center, select the Airplane icon, allow 15 seconds to pass, then select it again. Your phone will re-establish connections with cellular services, subsequently enabling you to receive phone calls.
Disable Silent Mode
If you’ve muted your device, you might miss incoming calls. To unmute an Apple iPhone, switch the ringer toggle to the on position and adjust the volume using the volume buttons for incoming calls. On Android devices, use the volume buttons to increase the volume for incoming calls.
2. Check Cellular Coverage
Inspect the signal bar located at the top of your iPhone. If it displays no bars, relocate to an outdoor area or a more open space where your phone may acquire a signal.
Additionally, performing a manual network selection can be beneficial. Navigate to Settings > Cellular > Network Selection and disable Automatic. This action prompts your iPhone to conduct a signal search. If your carrier’s name emerges during this process, select it.
3. Check Your Mobile Data Plan
If you’re unable to receive calls despite having a cellular signal, it could be due to your carrier suspending outgoing and incoming calls on your SIM card. This typically occurs when you haven’t paid your postpaid bill or your prepaid recharge has expired.
Utilize your carrier’s app or website to review your plan’s remaining balance and validity.
4. Turn Off Call Forwarding
It’s possible that Call Forwarding was activated on your iPhone, either by you or someone else with access to it, causing incoming calls on your number to be redirected to another line.
Navigate to iPhone Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and ensure that it’s deactivated.
5. Review Your Block List
Have you perhaps blocked a bothersome number or a friend? If so, you won’t receive phone calls, FaceTime calls, emails, or texts from them.
To confirm, go to iPhone Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts and check if their number or name appears in the list. If it does, swipe left on their entry and select Unblock. Subsequently, you will resume receiving incoming calls when this person attempts to reach you.
6. Disable Silence Unknown Callers
Your iPhone might be set to automatically silence calls from numbers not saved in your contacts. Consequently, you won’t receive alerts for incoming calls from unfamiliar numbers. This setting could cause you to miss important calls, such as those from delivery services or customer support.
To adjust this setting, navigate to iPhone Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers and deactivate it.
7. Disable Third-Party Spam Call Management Apps such as Truecaller
Are you using Truecaller or a similar call screening app on your iPhone? Occasionally, this could result in missed incoming phone calls. While the call won’t show up on your phone screen, you’ll still receive a missed call notification on the Lock Screen and in the Recents section of the iOS Phone app.
To resolve this issue, navigate to iPhone Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification and deactivate all switches for Truecaller or any other similar apps listed. By doing so, you’ll ensure that you don’t miss incoming calls, particularly from unknown individuals, on your iPhone.
8. Disable Wi-Fi Calling
In certain instances, Wi-Fi Calling, designed to enhance connectivity in areas with weak cellular signals, may contribute to call disruptions. Navigate to iPhone Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling and switch it off.
9. Turn Off Bluetooth
If your Bluetooth headphones or TWS device is connected to your iPhone, incoming calls may ring on the connected device instead of your phone. You should disable Bluetooth from the Control Center menu and try again.
10. Check Connectivity for VoIP Calls
If you’re experiencing issues receiving calls on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Skype, or other VoIP apps, verify that your iPhone is connected to either cellular data or Wi-Fi.
11. Update Third-Party Calling Apps
Missed calls could also result from bugs in outdated apps. To address this, visit the App Store and install the latest version of the respective calling app.
12. Remove and Reinstall the SIM Card
A recent iOS update might have caused corruption within your phone’s SIM card system, potentially leading to issues with its calling functions or call drops. Reinstalling the SIM card can aid in resolving this problem. In addition to refreshing the SIM card system, it also eliminates the possibility of the SIM card being loose.
- Remove the SIM card, gently wipe it with a soft cloth to ensure cleanliness, and then reinsert it. Afterwards, attempt to make a call to determine if this action resolves the issue.
This procedure can also address other network-related glitches on the phone, making it a valuable initial troubleshooting step. Before removing the SIM card, ensure the phone is completely powered off.
13. Attempt Disabling the Second SIM Line
Are you utilizing two or more SIM cards on your iPhone and encountering difficulties receiving calls on one of the lines?
Navigate to iPhone Settings > Cellular > select the other SIM card and toggle off the switch labeled “Turn On This Line.” Subsequently, check to see if you can receive incoming phone calls on the remaining active SIM.
14. Turn Off Spam Filters
Certain carriers provide call blocking and identification features. If you’ve activated this option, it could potentially block calls on your iPhone. Here’s how to disable it:
- Open Settings on your iPhone and scroll to Phone.
- Tap on Call Blocking & Identification.
- Disable the option from the subsequent menu.
15. Ensure Your iPhone is Up-to-Date
Issues with incoming calls could be attributed to bugs in the iOS. Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest available version of the operating system for your iPhone.
16. REVIEW PHONE NOTIFICATIONS
Have you inadvertently disabled phone notifications on your iPhone? Let’s ensure this option is enabled in iPhone Settings.
- Navigate to the Phone app within iPhone Settings.
- Choose Notifications.
- Toggle the Allow Notifications switch to enable it.
Below Banners, Lock Screen, and Notification Center, ensure the checkboxes are selected.
17. Reset All Network Settings
As a final troubleshooting step, consider resetting all network settings if the aforementioned suggestions have not resolved the issue. This action typically rectifies most problems related to carrier phone calls, texts, and mobile data.
18. Contact Your Carrier
The most effective solution is to reach out to your carrier directly. Provide them with your phone number and iPhone details. They are likely familiar with such cases and can assist you in diagnosing whether there are any issues with your phone numbers or if your iPhone needs to be unlocked.