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Why is my iPhone silencing calls?

After the last iOS update, my iPhone 11 Pro Max (iOS 13.6) has decided to silence calls from any number outside of My Favorites list, and it will also not ring/vibrate when receiving ANY texts, regardless of who they are from. This only appears to happen when the phone is locked.


In settings, "Do Not Disturb" is turned off, but the checkbox under "Silence" is still on (see image). The only choices there are "Silence Always" or "Silence When Phone is Locked." Calls are being allowed from Everyone.


On the phone itself, side switch is up, and volume is at full.




[Re-Titled by Moderator]



iPhone 11 Pro Max

Posted on Aug 7, 2020 6:54 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 29, 2020 5:06 PM

I finally figured it out! Since the most recent update, it will automatically silence unknown numbers unless you go in to change it. Go to SETTINGS then PHONE then down to SILENCE UNKNOWN CALLERS and CALL BLOCKING AND IDENTIFICATION.

290 replies

Jan 20, 2021 6:40 AM in response to S-mgoodwin

FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


Feb 9, 2021 6:48 AM in response to Hummingbirdsfly

Hummingbirdsfly wrote:

I am having the same issue and I’ve missed important calls from office. I’m a nurse and those calls are to see patients. Time is of essence in patient care. I’ve tried everything the same as you have. Thank you for bringing issue up. Hope it can get resolved.

FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


Feb 19, 2021 5:34 PM in response to Chiqui024

FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


Apr 23, 2021 6:39 AM in response to Kattvan

Your Do not Disturb is off, so all of the other settings on that page are ignored.


Did you REALLY go through EVERY step in this checklist? Post back the results of following each of the troubleshooting steps:


Go to Settings/Accessibility/Face ID & Attention and turn off Attention Aware. But that’s only if you have truly tried everything else suggested in this 10 page thread, INCLUDING this checklist:


FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Supportyour 
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


May 28, 2021 7:01 AM in response to SanRand

FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Supportyour 
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


Mar 18, 2021 6:57 AM in response to margielmarshall

FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


Apr 7, 2021 5:18 PM in response to Skeezycs

Go to Settings/Accessibility/Face ID & Attention and turn off Attention Aware. But that’s only if you have truly tried everything else suggested in this 10 page thread, INCLUDING this checklist:


FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Supportyour 
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


Jul 1, 2021 12:03 PM in response to Jopow

Jopow wrote:

Nothing has helped. All suggestions have been tried and calls are still being silenced.

So you have gone through ALL of these troubleshooting steps carefully:


FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


You have really done EVERY ONE OF ABOVE CHECKS? Including talking to your carrier?

Jul 22, 2021 9:37 AM in response to Katpro87

FIRST: Are the missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


Oct 14, 2022 2:05 PM in response to Sharmax2

FIRST: Are there missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail, such as call forwarding.
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • iOS 14 & older: Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • iOS 15 or later: Go to Settings/Focus, and verify that all focus settings are disabled.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Accessibility/Touch/Call Audio Routing and make sure Auto-Answer Calls is off.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


Jan 6, 2021 8:38 AM in response to wirker

wirker wrote:

After exhausting everyone's cure I found one for myself.
My phone was silencing unknown callers even with Do Not Disturb off.
got to Settings, scroll down to Phone and open it, scroll down to Silence Unknown Callers and turn it off.

I use D

Yes! As mentioned in this post on the first page of this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251664372?answerId=253559225022#253559225022

Why is my iPhone silencing calls?

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