Why your iPhone isn't ringing and how to fix it

Picture this scenario: You've been waiting to hear from a friend, but your iPhone® doesn't ring. Then you check your phone and see that you've missed several calls. Is your phone broken?

At Asurion, when tech breaks, we fix it—whether someone's hacked your phone or you want to reset your Samsung Galaxy® tablet. Here's what to do when your iPhone isn't ringing.

Why your iPhone won't ring

There are various reasons why your iPhone ringer isn't working on incoming calls. Here are some of the most common ones:

• The speaker port is clogged.
• Your phone is physically damaged.
• Your ringer volume is turned down.
• Your phone is on Do Not Disturb or Airplane mode.
• Your phone is paired with Bluetooth®.
• Your phone is infected with malware.

How to fix an iPhone that won't ring

If your iPhone isn't ringing when you receive a call, try these tips.

Check your iPhone for dust, dirt, and damage

Check your iPhone for any damage like dents or cracks—these could be a sign that you may need to replace it. Next, check the speaker port for any dust or dirt, which you can easily remove by blowing it off or cleaning it with a cotton swab dipped in a drop of rubbing alcohol.

Restart your iPhone

A simple restart may fix the problem of your phone not ringing.

To restart your iPhone X, 11, 12, 13 or later:

1. Press and hold the Volume button and the side button (on the right side of your iPhone) until the Power off slider appears.
2. Drag the slider, then wait around 30 seconds for your phone to turn off.
3. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until the Apple® logo appears.

To restart your iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation), 6, 7, or 8:

1. Press and hold the side button until the Power off slider appears.
2. Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your phone to power off.
3. To turn your device back on, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.

To restart your iPhone SE (1st generation), 5, or earlier:

1. Press and hold the top button until the Power off slider appears.
2. Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your phone to turn off.
3. To turn your device back on, press and hold the top button again until the Apple logo appears.

When your iPhone is back on, call your phone from another device to see if it rings.

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Check the Silent Mode switch

It may seem obvious, but it's worth checking whether the Ring/Silent switch has been accidentally turned on. Located on the upper-left side of your phone just above the Volume buttons (depending on your model), when the switch is on, a small orange line will be visible. Flick it back, and you should be back in the audible zone.

For iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users, an Action button has replaced the Ring/Silent switch. To check to make sure Silent Mode is off, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics.

Check your volume settings

Sometimes, the simplest solution is the most effective. If you're not hearing your phone ring, make sure your ringer volume isn't turned all the way down. Use the volume buttons on the side of your iPhone to adjust the ringer volume.

Turn off Do Not Disturb

Your iPhone's Do Not Disturb feature is excellent for silencing notifications during meetings or at night. However, it might have been enabled and forgotten. Check your settings to ensure you haven't unintentionally activated this feature. When Do Not Disturb mode is turned on, you'll see a crescent moon icon in the status bar and on your Lock Screen and your phone won't ring (On iPhone X, you'll see the icon in Control Center only). Here's how to turn it off:

For iOS 15 and later:

1. Swipe down from the top of your screen to open Control Center.
2. Tap the Focus button with the crescent moon. If there is no moon icon, then Do Not Disturb is not currently on.

For iOS 14 and earlier:

Go to Control Center, and tap the crescent moon icon to turn it off.

Switch off Airplane Mode

When your iPhone is in Airplane mode, it disables all wireless connections, including the ringer. Double-check to make sure it's off so you can receive calls. Go to Settings > Airplane Mode, and if it's on, tap the switch to turn it off.

Turn off Silence Unknown Callers

Apple® added a feature in iOS® 13 that silences calls from unknown numbers to help avoid spam calls. But when Silence Unknown Callers is turned on, your phone won't ring if the number isn't in your contacts.

To turn this feature off, go to Settings > Phone, then turn off the Silence Unknown Callers switch.

Make sure the number isn't blocked

If your iPhone isn't ringing when someone calls, you may have blocked the number. Here's how to unblock a number on your iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Tap the red circle beside the blocked number, and then tap Unblock.

Check your ringtones

If you're still having a problem, check your default ringtone. You may need to reinstall it. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone, then select a new ringtone.

If your phone doesn't ring when only one or several people call, try checking custom ringtones you may have set up:

1. Go to Phone > Contacts.
2. Tap the name of the person whose calls aren't ringing, then tap Edit.
3. Tap Ringtone, then select a new ringtone for this contact.

Check whether Bluetooth devices are connected

If you're not hearing a call, it's possible your device is ringing during incoming calls but sending the audio to another source, like Bluetooth® headphones or another device.

To quickly disconnect from all Bluetooth devices without turning Bluetooth off, open Control Center and then tap the Bluetooth icon.

Complete a factory reset

If you've tried all the recommended fixes and your iPhone still doesn't ring, try doing a factory reset on your phone—but only as a last resort. Your device may have been infected with malware (it's rare) or there may be other performance issues.

A factory reset on your iPhone will erase nearly all the data on your device, so be sure to back up all your important information first.