Why am i not receiving phone calls

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Why your Android phone is not ringing and what to do

Updated on April 24, 2021

Missed calls are annoying, but, in most cases, there’s an easy fix.

What Causes Android Phones to Stop Ringing?

When your Android phone isn’t ringing, there are several possible causes. In the worst cases, the phone might be physically damaged or infected with malware. Most likely, however, you inadvertently silenced your phone, left it on Airplane or Do Not Disturb mode, enabled call forwarding, or there’s an issue with a third-party app.

How to Fix a Non-Ringing Android Phone

1. Check your volume settings. On most Android phones, there are four sliders: media volume, call volume, ring volume, and alarm volume. Ring volume is what you need to adjust. Call volume adjusts sound during a phone call. Can you hear other types of audio, like music, videos, or alarms? Try switching to a different ringtone. If you’re using a third-party ringtone, try one of the built-in options.

2. Verify that Airplane mode is not on. When this mode is enabled, phone calls are sent straight to voicemail. You can check this by pulling down from the top of the phone's screen to access Quick Settings or by going to Settings > Network & internet > Airplane mode. Make sure it's toggled off.

3. Make sure Do Not Disturb is disabled. When this feature is on, you won’t receive any notifications, including incoming calls. Also, check that Do Not Disturb is not set to turn on automatically at certain times of day by going to Settings > Sounds > Do Not Disturb > Turn on automatically.

4. Check that call forwarding isn’t on. Some apps, such as Google Voice, use this feature to forward voicemails. Ensure your calls aren’t being forwarded to a third-party calling app, such as Skype. Some older Android phones have call forwarding settings. For newer models, go to the app settings.

5. Restart your phone if none of the above is the problem. Doing so fixes many issues even if you never find the cause.

6. Sometimes Android phones can get infected with malware. There are a few steps you can take to remove malicious apps from your device. Rebooting your phone in safe mode is an excellent way to identify issues.

7. Try doing a factory reset, which can take care of removing malicious apps and other problematic data. Make sure to back up your phone before doing so.

8. If all else fails, the cause of this issue might be due to physical damage. Contact the manufacturer or carrier about getting it repaired, if possible, or getting a replacement. 

Once you’ve fixed the issue, do a security audit on your device. Check that your phone has the latest security updates, uninstall apps you never use, and only download apps and files from trusted sources.

These issues can happen on any Android phone, regardless of the operating system or manufacturer. The layout of your Settings app varies depending on if you have stock Android or a modified version from Samsung or another company.

FAQ

• Why is my phone just vibrating?

  When the phone is on Silent Mode, it vibrates instead of ringing when you receive a call. Go to Settings > Sound & Vibration and toggle the settings to switch vibration off.
  

• Why is my phone not ringing with my downloaded ringtones?

  Try switching to a default ringtone. If it works, there is likely an issue with the ringtone you downloaded.

• What does it mean if an outgoing call doesn't ring?

  If you cannot place any outgoing calls, the problem is likely a downed line, poor service, or an unpaid phone bill. If the phone doesn't ring when calling a specific number, the problem lies with the number you're trying to reach.

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