iOS 17.4, can't enable wi-fi calling

UPDATE, this procedure helped in my case, after contacting with carrier support they recommended to:

• turn on "airplane mode" in your phone
• turn off phone for more than 5 minutes
• turn on phone
• turn off "airplane mode"

now "wi-fi calling" can be enabled without problem :)

UPDATE!! In the US, AT&T is now admitting it is their fault. They are having a problem with eSIMs and iOS 17.4. They pushed a fix today and are now telling affected users to go to AT&T store to troubleshoot. The fixes are: 1) ensure you are on one of the new "next Gen" plans, 2) after verifying and or updating plan, reset your cellular settings to 5G (old plans are "5GE" and that kicks users off 5G), and if you are still having a problem have the store delete eSIM and generate a new eSIM for your phone.

ALSO: The AT&T store employees with iPhone 15s and 17.4 were all getting kicked off as well...

Hello everyone, I found a workaround for this problem of Wi-Fi calling enablement and disablement, traveling through Eastern Europe. My Wi-Fi calling disabled on its own or when I restarted the phone, the workaround is to use VPN connected to the US and the Wi-Fi calling can be enabled, looks like Wi-Fi calling cannot be enabled when you’re using wi-Fi router or cellular, Internet in some countries, I think this is an Apple problem together with the carriers. I also think it might have something to do with 911 rules and regulations that might have changed, so most likely they’re trying to implement new SOP, most likely carrier and APPLE are not communicating how to proceed correctly so customers don’t have problems.

Hello everyone, I found a workaround for this problem of Wi-Fi calling enablement and disablement, traveling through Eastern Europe. My Wi-Fi calling disabled on its own or when I restarted the phone, the workaround is to use VPN connected to the US and the Wi-Fi calling can be enabled, looks like Wi-Fi calling cannot be enabled when you’re using wi-Fi router or cellular, Internet in some countries, I think this is an Apple problem together with the carriers. I also think it might have something to do with 911 rules and regulations that might have changed, so most likely they’re trying to implement new SOP, most likely carrier and APPLE are not communicating how to proceed correctly so customers don’t have problems.

In case this helps anyone this is my experience

After software update to 17.4.1 (iPhone 13 mini) I lost the following

-wifi call (the switch was on but the phone did not show wifi call connection and indeed only did cellular calls)

-personal hotspot (the switch in settings went missing)

-wifi password sharing with other of my devices

I tried...wifi on/off, airplane on/off, airplane on-shutdown-wait-restart-airplane off, network settings reset multiple times, force restart multiple times...none of these worked

Then I did a full back up of phone on my MacBook in finder, and did a full system reinstall...(apart from the the fact that the system reinstall hung for ages and needed to be fixed with a force quit on finder and MacBook restart)...and now all is fine...I have no idea what the issue was that caused the problem.....

I have the same problem: since update to iOS 17.4 Wi-Fi calling could not be enabled on my regular carrier. (It was working OK so far)

What is more confusing: if I use SIM card from another carrier - it works fine, Wi-Fi calling can be enabled...

my device: Apple iPhone SE (A2296)

If WiFi calling stops working in two iPhones right after updating to 17.4 while it was working flawlessly for months before that, it is the iOS problem, not a carrier‘s.

It may manifest itself in conjunction with particular carrier’s settings but it should be reported to Apple nevertheless.

piotrpiano wrote:

If WiFi calling stops working in two iPhones right after updating to 17.4 while it was working flawlessly for months before that, it is the iOS problem, not a carrier‘s.

It may manifest itself in conjunction with particular carrier’s settings but it should be reported to Apple nevertheless.

If it was an iOS problem, then Wifi calling wouldn't work for everyone who uses Wifi calling on iOS 17.4. And that is simply, utterly not true. As I mentioned, on iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, both on iOS 17.4, Wifi calling works just fine.

You and anyone else who are having issues with it, likely need a carrier update.

But believe what you choose to believe. It just doesn't make what you believe, actual fact.

If you want to report your issue to Apple, you haven't done that here. This is a user to user only forum. You can let Apple know what you believe using this link --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple

If you contact Apple, they'll tell you this is a carrier issue, however.

Hi SravanKrA,

I confirm, after phone has been updated to ios 17.4 (EU) customers…wifi calling stopped to work. I contacted my network operator and wifi calling is active for my SIM card. (It was working fine before the update). My operator said that this is problem caused by Apple and it has to be fixed by Apple…

How great Job Apple is doing now :(.

I was about to change my phone to new Iphone but after this great update which is making my phone usless in some locations…Im going to switch to Samsung S24Ultra. My SIM card and wifi calling is working well on Samsung.

I’m not going to wait another weeks for next update which will fix this problem and bring new one ;)

[Edited by Moderator]

Carriers often do the leasts they can possibly do to make you go away. I have updated two iPhone's to iOS 17.4 and WiFi calling is working just fine on both devices. Don't let your carrier get away with doing the least possible. Push them on this. iOS 17.4 didn't take the feature away at all.

If wifi calling was working just fine before the update and stopped working just after (it has been automatically deactivated after the update and now it is not possible to activate it again) its telling me that this is related to the update. I already contacted my carrier and they are pushing back to Apple. For now I dont have any reason to do not belive my operator as only thing changed is iOS update.

Perhaps your carrier didn't send an update to your iPhone as they should have when iOS 17.4 was released. So, it appears for you, Wifi calling stopped working as a result of the update. When iOS 17.4 was released, AT&T, my carrier updated my cellular on my iPhone at the same time, so for me Wifi calling works just fine.

Again, Apple doesn't deliver cellular service to your phone, which includes Wifi calling. Only your carrier can resolve this. And that's a fact. Please note that carriers are NOTORIOUS for the blame game. They will do the least they can for you, even though you ultimately pay them more in a year for cellular service than you likely paid for your phone. It's reprehensible, tbh, but it is your carrier who needs to resolve this.

What I wrote is not based on belief, but on experience.

A few years ago, I had a problem with Wi-Fi calling on my (brand new at hat time) iPhone XS where the incoming calls made via Wi-Fi calling would not reach me. Instead, I would just get an sms message from my carrier, informing me about the missed call. It worked fine on my wife’s iPhone 7, it worked fine on my iPhone XS with a different SIM card (different carrier), but it didn’t want to work with my particular carrier.

It took a while to figure out the culprit and a few long calls to Apple support during which they were running some test on my phone. They didn’t tell me exactly what it was, but they admitted the bug and fixed it in the following iOS update.

So the fact that iOS 17.4 works well for some users doesn’t automatically mean that it cannot contain a bug that touches others in a slightly different configuration.

I've said all that needs to be said on this. You don't have to believe me and that's fine. Feel free to call Apple. If you're in the US, you can call them at 800-MY-APPLE. Don't be surprised when they tell you Wifi calling is a carrier specific feature.

Hello ~ Go ahead and call Apple they will tell you exactly what *lobsterghost1* was kind enough to advise you. It is a carrier feature not an Apple feature. Click on below…

Call with Wi-Fi Calling - Apple Support

Many things coincidentally happen in conjunction with an update and may seem to be the update but in fact are just that coincidence. I updated with no issues. If it were indeed the update this forum would be flooded with millions of questions about it. Also remember here in this forum you are being helped by volunteers who are willing to give of their time in order to try and assist you… so being kind and appreciative is a good thing. That is based on belief and experience. Take care.

~Katana-San~