How to fix call failed on iPhone? 8 working tips

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iPhone call

The iPhone’s main purpose is to communicate with friends and colleagues via text messages or phone calls.

As an iPhone user, you may experience an issue where a call fails and displays a “Call Failed” notification. The situation can be frustrating considering that the call may be important or urgent.

8 ways to fix the call failed issue on iPhone

If iPhone calls keep failing repeatedly, follow these troubleshooting tips.

1. Turn the Airplane mode on

The first step to take when a call failed on iPhone is to repeatedly toggle the Airplane Mode on and off. In most cases, this solves the issue by following these steps:

  • Swipe down from the top right corner of the iPhone (or up from the bottom of the screen in other iPhone models) to display the Control Center.
  • Tap on Airplane Mode with an airplane icon at the top left corner of the Control Center to turn it on.
  • Wait for a few seconds and turn the Airplane Mode off.

READ: How do I change the number of rings before my iPhone goes to voicemail?

2. Restart your iPhone

The iPhone may be experiencing system glitches and bugs like any other smartphone. The solution to this is to restart the device after a few minutes using the following steps:

  • Press and hold the Volume button and Side button until the power off slider appears on the screen.
  • Drag the slider and wait for 30 seconds before it turns off.
  • Wait for a few minutes before turning it on by pressing and holding the side button until the Apple logo appears.

3. Check for blocked phone numbers

Call blocked

Your calls may be failing because you may have blocked the caller’s number, accidentally or intentionally, and have forgotten. You can check this situation using the following steps:

  • Open Settings and select Phone.
  • Select Blocked Contacts.
  • Ensure that the caller’s number is not in the blocked numbers list and if it is, you should unblock it.

4. Check on your SIM card

Other than a blocked phone number, another reason why your iPhone call failed immediately may be because of a damaged SIM card. Check for any scratches or damages using the following guideline:

  • Open the SIM tray using a SIM eject tool or a paper clip.
  • Remove the SIM card.
  • Check for any damages or scratches on the SIM card. If it has any, get a new SIM card and if not, reinsert it in the SIM tray and try making the call again.

5. Reset the networks settings 

Your carrier network may be experiencing issues resulting in your calls failing. It, therefore, needs to be reset to default settings. It should be noted that this is the last option to fix your call failed issue.

Once you do this, your currently saved settings like Wifi passwords, VPN settings, Bluetooth connections, and preferred networks will be erased completely. 

Below are the steps to reset your network settings:

  • Tap on the Settings icon and select General.
  • Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
  • Select Reset.
  • Select Reset Network Setting. It will prompt you to enter your passcode.

READ: Top 10 free calling apps for iPhone and Android

6. Update your iPhone’s iOS

In some cases, this issue occurs because of outdated software or iOS. The updated versions contain bug fixes that help in the smooth operation of the phone. You can check if there is an available update by:

  • Tap on the Settings icon and tap on General.
  • Select Software Update.
  • If there is an update available, there will be a Download and Install option. Tap on it and wait for it to download.

7. Contact the network carrier

You may have tried all the fixes above but the phone calls are not going through. There may be a problem with your phone number or SIM card. If this is the case, contact your network provider and tell them the issue. 

8. Contact Apple Support

If you have tried all the above troubleshooting tips and the problem still persists, contact Apple Support and explain the problem. Follow the steps they give you to solve the problem.

Final word

It can be frustrating when your iPhone call fails when calling someone, whether the call was urgent or not. It may be caused by system glitches or bugs, or even obsolete software.

If so, you can troubleshoot them with easy fixes. If the problem, however, still persists, contact Apple Support or a network provider to help you fix the issue.