Calls go straight to voicemail, your phone doesn't ring, or texts from someone never show up. Usually a setting is quietly blocking them: Do Not Disturb or a Focus, a blocked number, a spam or unknown-caller filter, or call forwarding. These checks are free and quick.
⚡ The short version
- Turn off Do Not Disturb (or any Focus or Mode).
- Turn Airplane mode on, wait five seconds, then off.
- Check blocked numbers and unblock anyone blocked by mistake.
- Add important people to Contacts, so spam and unknown-caller filters let them through.
- Still nothing? Restart the phone and contact your carrier.
iPhone: calls not ringing or going to voicemail
Turn off Focus and Silent mode
Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center. If a Focus such as Do Not Disturb, Sleep or Work is highlighted, tap it to turn it off. Also check Settings → Focus → Do Not Disturb, and make sure Silent mode is off.
Check unknown-caller and spam settings
Go to Settings → Apps → Phone. Under Screen Unknown Callers, choose Never if you want calls from numbers not in your contacts to ring. Under Call Filtering, you can turn off Unknown Callers. Apple's tip: add family, doctors and other important numbers to Contacts so their calls always ring.
Check blocked contacts and call forwarding
In Settings → Apps → Phone, tap Blocked Contacts. To unblock someone, swipe left and tap Unblock. Then tap Call Forwarding and make sure it's off.
Airplane mode and updates
Turn Airplane mode on, wait five seconds, and turn it off. Check for a carrier settings update and an iOS update.
Last step: reset network settings
Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings. Apple warns this erases saved Wi-Fi passwords and VPN settings, so have your Wi-Fi password handy.
iPhone: texts not sending or arriving
- Red exclamation point and “Not Delivered”? Check your connection, tap the red exclamation point, then tap Try Again. Still stuck? Tap it again and choose Send as Text Message.
- Messages arrive on your iPad but not your iPhone? Go to Settings → Apps → Messages → Send & Receive and choose your phone number.
- Restart the iPhone, check you entered the right number, and make sure the phone has enough free space for photos and videos.
Android
Menus vary by phone maker. These steps are from Google.
Turn off Do Not Disturb
Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Do Not Disturb to turn it off. If you use Do Not Disturb or other Modes on purpose, open Settings → Modes, choose the mode and, under Notification filters → People, allow calls and messages from the people who matter. Allow repeat callers lets someone through if they call twice in 15 minutes.
Texts in Google Messages
Google suggests these checks:
- Update the Google Messages app, and make sure it's your default texting app.
- Make sure your SIM card is inserted properly, you have signal, and Airplane mode is off.
- Check your plan or balance, and check whether you blocked the person.
- Check their number is correct (you may need the country code, like +1 for the US).
- Switched from an iPhone? Make sure iMessage is turned off for your number.
- If your phone is low on space, Messages may not send or receive. See Phone storage full.
Still missing calls or texts?
Contact your carrier. Apple suggests checking that your account is set up for your phone, there's no outage in your area, and there's no billing block on the account.
Sources
- Apple: If your call fails or you can't receive calls on your iPhone
- Apple: If calls don't ring and go straight to voicemail on your iPhone
- Apple: Manage unknown callers on iPhone
- Apple: If you can't send or receive messages on your iPhone or iPad
- Google: Limit interruptions with Modes & Do Not Disturb on Android
- Google: Fix problems sending, receiving, or connecting to Google Messages