Level 1

96 points

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

Top-ranking reply

Lawrence Finch

Community+ 2025

Level 10

229,168 points

Posted on Jan 20, 2021 6:40 AM

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

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Similar questions

290 replies

Aug 23, 2022 8:06 AM in response to FireEscape133

FireEscape133 wrote:

Go to "Settings", scroll down to "Phone" and open that up. In the 4th widget box down is "Silence Unknown Callers". If you select that you can turn it on and off. If someone is not in your contacts, that is considered an "Unknown caller" and therefore silences the call.

The original poster, to whom you replied, had this to say on 09/30/2020 the last time this same suggestion was made:

That didn't fix the issue. Silence Unknown Callers is off, and no one is being blocked.

Oct 16, 2020 11:29 AM in response to dianne104

Hey I called EE and their advice was to reset the phone and that has worked HS no problems since . Hope that helps you too

Lukasjo

Level 1

8 points

Feb 20, 2021 2:27 AM in response to dromanell

The above didn't help with my issue.

Try to switch off: Phone - Wi-fi Calling

Worked for me

ArneFar

Level 1

8 points

Apr 16, 2021 10:47 PM in response to dromanell

Exact Same Problem, but solved by turning off "Attention Aware Features" in "Face ID & Attention" options in "Accessibility" in "Settings".

Aug 12, 2021 2:58 AM in response to dromanell

I just checked mine as mine was doing the same, go into settings and select phone, the “silence unknown numbers” was ticked.

Nikijt

Level 1

8 points

Sep 14, 2021 8:29 AM in response to dromanell

I went into phone settings and found since the last update my phone notifications were off and also I had no ringtone selected 🤷🏼‍♀️

Sep 27, 2021 7:48 AM in response to KindlyRespond

If Do Not Disturb is off then the Silence When Locked and Always Silence switches are ignored. So that is not the cause of your problem.

jlw2271

Level 1

8 points

Sep 27, 2021 4:34 PM in response to zinhle273

My carrier had to change my SIM card. Problem was fixed.

Apr 2, 2021 5:46 PM in response to dromanell

I had this same problem recently and spent time reading through and trying all the offered responses. I have iPhone12. I found the answer after looking up Silent Mode. Apparently there is a switch above the side volume buttons on the phone. This is what switches the Silent Mode on and Off.

May 5, 2021 3:02 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Restarting phone fixes problem temporarily for a few days. Everything works unless someone not in my list calls then it shows the missed call but never rings. Tried everything and silence unknown is never on and again phone works a few days perfect then glitches again.

Jun 3, 2021 9:09 PM in response to nancylove48

Unfortunately, if you have a 'scheduled' time when calls are silenced, this suggestion does not work as

then 'everyone' can phone when you have calls silenced. I get so many spam calls in the middle of the night, I use this option

to get sleep, only allowing favourites to call.

However, I have switched off 'silence unknown callers' and switched on 'announce calls' this is most annoying but

at least I get all my calls.

so this is my best solution (that works) until I get another update to fix my problem.

leegunn

Level 1

12 points

Oct 19, 2021 8:06 PM in response to dromanell

check the simple stuff first - is your silent button on - see side of your phone - the top little button should be switched up toward the screen and not down. "Bang" phone can be heard ringing now. Or power off and then on can also do the trick

Jan 5, 2022 6:54 AM in response to rosyn68

rosyn68 wrote:

Oh my calls are being silenced what can I do about it

Start by reviewing the post in this thread marked "Apple recommended". Then, take a look at some of the other suggestions made in the 15 previous pages of this thread.

Mar 5, 2021 8:57 AM in response to golfwendy1

Go to Settings/Do not Disturb and turn it off. Also turn off Scheduled.

ilona232

Level 1

4 points

Apr 14, 2021 12:04 PM in response to BenTheK

Try going to

Settings

SleepTime

Always Allowed

to add APIs you need notifications from when phone is locked

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Why is my iPhone silencing calls?