Many users research the question, “Why is my phone not allowing me to make calls on Android?” Sometimes, the phone calls could disconnect in the background or develop other issues that make communication impossible and frustrating.
While texting has become a more popular choice for communication, phone calls give a faster and more direct approach, which is why they are still popular.
You need this feature to work for all your devices, so here are the issues and solutions dealing with Android calls;
Why Is My Phone Not Allowing Me To Make Calls On Android?
There are many potential causes for Android devices refusing to make phone calls, and you should read about them to know how to fix them. Sometimes, you are in the wrong spot without reception, so your call doesn’t go through.
You can also read: Why is My Phone Clicking On Things By Itself?
You need ways to troubleshoot and fix all your concerns, from the most basic solutions to the drastic, complicated ones. Here is a complete guide on the causes of how to deal with an Android that won’t make calls;
1. Confirm a Cellular linkup
Mobile phones use a cellular connection to reach each other, so you must be in a network to make the call. The cellular network is wireless and you should be in a place with a good enough signal to connect you to it.
You can check the top right of your screen for reception since the phone call issues can result from a network outage or you standing in a dead spot. Try moving around to a more open area if you are inside a building basement or in the woods.
You can also be disconnected from the cellular network if your last phone bill fails. In this case, you will typically receive an email or text, but sometimes the notifications go unnoticed.
2. Check Do Not Disturb Settings
You could have a problem making and receiving phone calls on Android if you turn on Do Not Disturb and haven’t configured it correctly.
This feature blocks out select apps to help you concentrate on other things or sleep without being bothered.
You could be unknowingly blocking calls from your device with this feature, so you should go into the notification settings and configure it. Ensure the feature does not block the default calls app so you receive all the notifications.
It can also be because you have enabled call forwarding on your device, so it pushes all your phone calls to another number or voicemail. Go into the phone settings and turn this setting off so all calls come to your number.
3. Force Stop The Phone App
Android offers users a force-stop option for all default apps to help them disable the applications, but you can’t uninstall them. The app could cause your phone call mishaps, and you can use this feature to check.
Force-stop the phone app and restart it after a few seconds to see if you can get a call. Press and hold the phone icon until the app info option pops up, then tap it and click force stop in the next window.
4. Turn Off Airplane Mode
Airplane mode will disable your phone network, so you can’t make a phone call if the device is in airplane mode. All incoming calls will be forwarded to your voicemail, and you won’t be able to make outgoing calls.
Pull down the top of your screen to access the quick settings and check for Flight Mode or Airplane Mode. It is usually an airplane icon; if highlighted, it keeps your phone calls from going out.
You can still make phone calls through apps like Facebook and WhatsApp if you are connected to Wi-Fi and your phone is in Airplane mode.
You can also use airplane mode to reset your phone’s network by turning it on for a few seconds and then turning it on.
This will get the phone to reset its network specifications, and it might reestablish a cellular connection and allow you to receive phone calls.
5. Check Your SIM Card
For a call to go through, it must have a clear origin and destination on the cellular network. The origin is your SIM card, which carries all the vital information about your device and the message.
You could have inserted the SIM card incorrectly in the phone especially if one is new. Additionally, there is a risk that the SIM card slot or card itself is damaged and the phone can’t connect.
Your network carrier could have blocked your SIM card for several transgressions. Remove the SIM card and make sure it’s placed correctly based on the instructions it came with.
Try making a call after reinserting the SIM card, and if it doesn’t work, try it with a different port or phone to pinpoint the problem. If it doesn’t work, contact your phone provider, who will tell you the best way to get services back.
6. Restart The Phone
Android has its fair share of glitches; random glitches can prevent your phone from making calls. Sometimes restarting your phone is the best solution to your problems, and you should try it before changing any settings.
This will be best if you have traveled a long distance and need your phone to re-calibrate network preferences for that area. Restarting will reboot all systems, including the network, to give you the best connection for your location.
7. Clear Cache Data
All the applications on your phone store small amounts of temporary data about their operation history, and the same applies to phone apps. The data can build up and cause glitches in the software, preventing you from making a phone call.
You can clear the cache for the phone app and, in doing so, delete the glitches and return the app to normal working.
This will not delete the call history or contacts, so there isn’t any risk. Go to the Apps setting, open the storage option under the phone app, and clear the cache.
8. Reset Your Network
A network reset is the go-to solution for dealing with software issues that weren’t resolved by clearing the cache.
This will also be the solution if you unknowingly change some network specifications that led to your current predicament.
A network reset will delete all network-related settings and restore the SIM and phone settings to default. If this doesn’t work, you can try restoring your device to factory defaults, but this should be a last resort since you will lose all the data in your phone.
What To Do If None Of The Tips Work
It is possible that all of the above tricks might not work for your device, but that doesn’t mean it’s the end for you. It would indicate that you have a defective SIM card, the network interface in your phone is damaged, or you are too far away from a cellular tower.
If you are in an area where you usually get reception, you can eliminate the distance problem. However, if you are out hiking or camping in a remote location, then it is likely that all the trees and distance have attenuated the signal, and that is the cause of your problem.
Physical damage is also a probable cause of connectivity issues with phone calls since it combines hardware and software.
Physical damage to the network interface, such as hits or water damage, can destroy the interfaces and prevent you from making calls.
A damaged network system will also manifest issues with Wi-Fi and text Message systems, so you need a technician if all of these services go out.
You must go to a certified repair shop if the phone call issue started immediately or soon after you dropped the phone or poured liquid on it. You can test this by trying the same SIM card in another phone to see if the calls will go through.
If the card works on other phones and not yours, you can know the problem with your phone’s hardware. You would have pinpointed the issue if your SIM card doesn’t work on all phones.
Call your service provider and have them check for the problem and recommend the best thing for you to do.
You might have to replace the SIM card, but with the proper procedure, you can recover your number and all contacts and data connected to the SIM card.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article helped you answer the question, “Why is my phone not allowing me to make calls on Android?” And you can get better use of your phone because of it.
Android is a good OS, but it could be prone to glitches that cause issues like these, especially on low-end phones.
Try software solutions like network resets or restarting the phone app and the phone to see if any will fix the problem.
If not, check the SIM card and hardware. Sometimes, the issue can be as simple as having airplane mode on, so check all the possibilities before going to a repair shop.