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You are here: Home / Not working? / 12 Fixes for iPhone Not Making or Receiving Calls in iOS 16

12 Fixes for iPhone Not Making or Receiving Calls in iOS 16

Last Updated: June 14, 2022 by Dave Johnson

Your iPhone won’t make or receive calls in iOS 16 and you don’t know why. This problem is incredibly frustrating, especially if you’re expecting or want to place an important call. In this article, I’ll explain exactly why your iPhone is not making or receiving calls in iOS 16 and show you exactly how to fix the problem for good!

When you can neither make nor receive calls in iOS 16, the cause might be any number of issues. We’ve put together an outline of things you can try when your iPhone is not making or receiving calls in iOS 16. This spans everything from the simple to the more involved. Regardless of why your iPhone is not making or receiving calls after iOS 16 update, it should get you back up and running again.

Try these troubleshooting steps in order. Even if you don’t find out precisely why your iPhone can’t make or receive calls in iOS 16, these tactics can resolve an array of iPhone problems.

Contents show
1 1. Verify that you’re in network
2 2. Turn off Airplane Mode
3 3. Make sure that Focus mode is not on
4 4. Check for blocked numbers
5 5. Restart your iPhone
6 6. Remove and reinsert SIM Card
7 7. Update iOS
8 8. Update Carrier settings
9 9. Reset network settings
10 10. Reset all iPhone settings
11 11. Contact network carrier
12 12. Contact Apple Support
13 iPhone not making or receiving calls in iOS 16? Fixed

1. Verify that you’re in network

In order to make/receive calls or even connect to the internet with mobile data, there must be network coverage. Yes, it’s possible to lose network coverage. It occurs most times when you’re in a location far from the network mast, or when you’re in a basement, or when on a flight.

You will automatically detect this if the signal indicator bar on your status bar is empty or the network name is not showing up.

To be sure there’s network coverage and the problem is not from your iPhone, try asking people near you if they have network coverage on their phone, and if they can make calls. Even a single bar should indicate enough of a signal to make and receive calls. However, if the signal occasionally drops out so that you see “No Service,” you may find that calls don’t work.

If this is the case, you should try moving to an area or location with a stronger signal. Note that certain locations and premises — such as tunnels and underground car parks — will prevent you from receiving any signal. As such, look for places on or above ground that aren’t too remote (i.e., that aren’t out in the middle of nowhere).

2. Turn off Airplane Mode

When checking the signal bar, you may instead find a symbol indicating Airplane Mode (this will usually look like a plane). If you do, this means Airplane Mode is activated and that you can’t receive any kind of communications signal. It also means you’ll have to switch it off if you want to make or receive calls. You can do this in iOS 16 by following these steps:

Step 1: Swipe down from the top-right of the display.
Step 2: If the Airplane Mode symbol is orange, this means it’s on. Turn it off by tapping it so that it turns clear.

3. Make sure that Focus mode is not on

As with Airplane Mode, it’s also a good idea to check whether you have Focus mode on. This shouldn’t stop you from making calls, but it generally stops you from receiving them. Or, at least, it will stop you from hearing an incoming call since the Focus mode only silence calls rather than disabling them completely.

You can turn off Focus mode by swiping down from the top-right corner. Next, tap the Focus Mode icon to turn it off.

4. Check for blocked numbers

If you’re expecting a call from a particular number, but it never comes (even when the other person tells you they’re trying to phone), you may want to check if you’ve previously blocked it. Blocking a number prevents that person from calling you, so if you want to receive calls from the number, it’s time to unblock.

You can unblock numbers by going to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. Next, tap Edit in the top-right corner and tap the red Minus icon next to the number you want to block before tapping Unblock.

If you can’t call a particular number, check that the person hasn’t blocked you; call the person with another number to find out.

5. Restart your iPhone

If your iPhone is not making or receiving calls in iOS 16 after following the above solutions, try restarting the phone. Especially if you’ve been using your phone for a couple of days, restarting it can help fix a lot of software-related issues. Go to Settings > General > Shut Down.

6. Remove and reinsert SIM Card

Next, you should try removing your SIM card and inserting it again. While you’re at it, make sure to inspect your SIM card for any damages too. If possible, try putting your SIM card in another smartphone to check for any issues with the card. If the card is fine but your iOS 16 device can’t make or receive calls, move to other solutions.

7. Update iOS

Yes, we’re starting to get a little desperate now, but updating to the latest available version of iOS can often help in cases where your iPhone won’t make or receive calls in iOS 16.

Head to Settings > General > Software Update. Your phone will then tell you if an update is available.

8. Update Carrier settings

If you’ve tried all of the above steps and you still can’t make or receive phone calls in iOS 16, you may want to update carrier settings.

To update your carrier settings, go to Settings > General > About.

If there is an update available, the option to update will appear here.

9. Reset network settings

Misconfigured networks can lead to all kinds of network issues with Wi-Fi, Voicemail, cellular data, and so on. Resetting network settings can help you quickly change all the settings to their default values, thereby fixing the problem of iPhone not making or receiving calls in iOS 16.

Remember, you should only use this as a last resort. You’ll lose all saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth connections, and other network settings in the process.

Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

10. Reset all iPhone settings

If you’ve tried all of the above steps and your iPhone still can’t make or receive calls in iOS 16, you may want to consider resetting all iPhone settings by following the steps below:

Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset all Settings.

11. Contact network carrier

If your iOS 16 device can make and receive calls with another SIM card, you should contact your network carrier —with another number or via social media channels— to confirm that the affected SIM card is active and hasn’t been blocked. If the SIM is active, you might be provided with useful information to resolve the issue with your SIM card.

12. Contact Apple Support

If all else fails, the issue might be due to hardware damage. Find out if it’s worth repairing or how to get a replacement. If you can, take your phone to a nearest Apple Store so the Genius Bar can conduct some troubleshooting.

iPhone not making or receiving calls in iOS 16? Fixed

I hope one or a combination of the above solutions helped you fix iOS 16 call issues. In the comments section below, let us know your opinion and which method worked for you. If you have additional questions, then feel free to ask us.
See also: iOS 16: Fix iPhone Not Sending or Receiving Texts Messages!

About Dave Johnson

Dave Johnson is the editor-in-chief of iPhoneArena. He covers how-to guides, and troubleshooting instructions for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

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