If your iPhone is sending incoming calls directly to voicemail without ringing or vibrating, it can cause you to miss important calls. This issue is surprisingly common and can be caused by several settings or conditions such as Do Not Disturb, Focus modes, blocked numbers, or network problems.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn the most common reasons calls go straight to voicemail, and how to fix the issue step-by-step so your phone rings properly when someone calls.
📵 Common Reasons Calls Go Straight to Voicemail on iPhone
Here are the most likely causes:
- Do Not Disturb or Focus Mode is Enabled
- Silence Unknown Callers is Turned On
- Airplane Mode is Enabled
- No Cellular Signal
- Blocked Contacts
- Call Forwarding is Active
- Carrier or SIM Card Issues
- Ringer Volume is Muted or Call Announcements Disabled
Let’s go through how to check and resolve each of these.
✅Check Do Not Disturb or Focus Mode
Do Not Disturb or other Focus modes silence incoming calls.
How to Fix:
- Go to Settings > Focus.
- Tap Do Not Disturb, Sleep, or any other active Focus.
- Toggle it OFF or adjust allowed contacts under “People”.
- Alternatively, swipe down from the top-right corner to access Control Center and disable Focus mode directly.
If Focus is set to activate on a schedule, review those settings under each Focus profile.
✅Disable Silence Unknown Callers
When Silence Unknown Callers is on, your iPhone won’t ring for calls from numbers not saved in your contacts.
How to Fix:
- Go to Settings > Phone.
- Tap Silence Unknown Callers.
- Toggle the switch OFF.
If you rely on calls from unsaved or business numbers, keeping this feature off is recommended.
✅Turn Off Airplane Mode
If Airplane Mode is on, your phone disconnects from cellular networks, and all calls go straight to voicemail.
How to Fix:
- Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner).
- If the airplane icon is orange, tap it to disable Airplane Mode.
- Alternatively, go to Settings > Airplane Mode and toggle it off.
✅Check Cellular Signal Strength
No signal or limited reception can cause missed calls.
How to Fix:
- Move to an area with better reception.
- Toggle Airplane Mode ON and OFF to refresh your network connection.
- Restart your iPhone to reset network services.
If you frequently experience low signal, consider enabling Wi-Fi Calling under Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling.
✅ Verify the Number Isn’t Blocked
You may have accidentally blocked the caller’s number.
How to Fix:
- Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts.
- Review the list and tap Edit to remove any numbers you want to unblock.
A blocked number will go straight to voicemail without ringing.
✅Check Call Forwarding Settings
Calls may be forwarded to another number if call forwarding is active.
How to Fix:
- Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding.
- If it’s enabled, toggle it OFF.
Call Forwarding is not supported by all carriers, so this option may not appear.
✅Restart iPhone and Update Carrier Settings
Temporary glitches can cause issues with call handling.
To Restart:
- Hold the Side button and either Volume button, then slide to power off.
- Turn it back on and test incoming calls.
To Update Carrier Settings:
- Go to Settings > General > About.
- If a carrier update is available, you’ll see a prompt. Tap Update.
✅Check Ringer Volume and Sound Settings
If your iPhone is muted, you might think it went straight to voicemail even though it rang silently.
How to Fix:
- Use the side volume buttons to turn up the ringer.
- Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics.
- Ensure the Ringer and Alerts slider is not turned down.
📱 Optional Fix: Reset Network Settings
If none of the above solutions work, try resetting your network settings.
How to Reset:
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- Enter your passcode to confirm.
This erases saved Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices but can fix persistent call issues.
📋 Summary Table
| Issue | How to Fix |
| Do Not Disturb is on | Settings > Focus > Turn off DND or adjust contacts |
| Silence Unknown Callers | Settings > Phone > Turn off Silence Unknown Callers |
| Airplane Mode is on | Control Center or Settings > Airplane Mode off |
| No signal | Move to better area or toggle Airplane Mode |
| Blocked contact | Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts |
| Call Forwarding enabled | Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding off |
| Volume muted | Use volume buttons or Settings > Sounds & Haptics |
| Carrier issues | Restart phone, update carrier settings |
| Network glitches | Reset Network Settings under Settings > General |
✅ Final Thoughts
When calls go straight to voicemail without ringing on your iPhone, it’s usually due to a setting that silences or redirects calls. By checking Do Not Disturb, Silence Unknown Callers, network signal, and blocked numbers, you can usually solve the issue quickly.
If the problem persists, contacting your carrier support or visiting an Apple Store for diagnostics may help identify deeper hardware or SIM-related issues.
Meta Description:
Learn why calls on your iPhone go straight to voicemail and how to fix it. Step-by-step guide for checking Focus modes, signal issues, blocked numbers, and more.
