Apple iPhone • Sound & screen • 5–15 minutes
My phone isn't ringing — Apple iPhone
Check for a software update
Go to Settings, then General, then Software Update. Updates fix bugs that can stop the ringer from working. If one is available, install it first, then test a call.
Make sure the phone is not on silent
Look on the left side, above the volume buttons. If you see a small switch you can slide (iPhone 15 and older): if you can see orange in the switch, the phone is on silent. Slide it forward, toward the screen, until the orange is gone. If you see a button instead of a switch (iPhone 15 Pro and newer, this is the Action Button): it most likely does the same job as the old switch, since that's the default setting and most people never change it. Press and hold the button. If the phone was on silent, this turns the ringer back on, and the bell with a line through it disappears from the top of the screen. If pressing and holding opens something else instead, like the camera or flashlight, that means the button was changed from the default. Leave it as is and turn the ringer on from Settings instead: go to Settings, then Sounds and Haptics, and at the top turn Silent Mode off.
Turn up the ringer volume
Go to Settings, then Sounds and Haptics. Drag the Ringer and Alerts slider to the right. While you're there, check the ringtone listed under Ringtone. If it's set to None, tap it and pick a tone.
Check Do Not Disturb and Focus modes
Swipe down from the top right corner to open Control Center. If the moon icon is lit up, tap it to turn Do Not Disturb off. Also go to Settings, then Focus, and check Sleep, Work, or any other Focus listed there. Any active Focus can silence calls. Turn off the one that's on, or check if it has a schedule turning it on automatically.
Check Silence Unknown Callers
Go to Settings, then Phone, then Silence Unknown Callers. If it's on, calls from numbers not in your contacts go straight to voicemail without ringing. Turn it off if you're missing calls from new numbers.
Check blocked numbers
Go to Settings, then Phone, then Blocked Contacts. If the person calling you is on this list, their calls never ring. Tap Edit and remove them if they shouldn't be blocked.
Check Bluetooth
If your phone is connected to headphones, a car, or a speaker, the ring may be playing there instead of on the phone. Go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and disconnect the device, or turn Bluetooth off for a test call.
Check call forwarding
Go to Settings, then Phone, then Call Forwarding. If it's on, your calls are being sent to another number. Turn it off.
Restart the phone
Hold the side button and either volume button, slide to power off, wait 30 seconds, then hold the side button to turn it back on.
If nothing worked, reset all settings
Go to Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Reset, then Reset All Settings. This does not delete your photos, apps, or messages, it just puts settings back to defaults. After that, check the silent setting and Do Not Disturb again.