How to Fix an Android That Can't Make or Receive Calls (2024)

Mobile Phones > Android

When you can neither make nor receive calls on an Android smartphone, the cause might be any number of issues. But before you go out and order a new phone, take a look at our list of proven solutions; they are simple enough for anyone to follow.

What to Do When Phone Calls Don't Work

Try these troubleshooting steps in order. Even if you don't find out precisely what's wrong, these tactics can resolve an array of Android smartphone problems.

1. Verify that you're in network. While rare, dead spots do exist. You might encounter this when underground (in a basem*nt or on mass transit) or in a rural area. Reception issuescan also happen if you're near another country's border and your phone thinks you're roaming.

   Need to make an important call but have no service? One option is to turn on Wi-Fi calling. If you have a solid Wi-Fi connection, there are also free internet phone call apps that can serve as a good substitute until you get mobile service.

   See Also

   Make calls over Wi-Fi - Phone app Help

2. Make sure airplane mode is off. When enabled, mobile networks are turned off and incoming phone calls go to voicemail. Switching airplane mode on is easy to do by accident, and it's just as simple to turn it back off.

   Even if airplane mode is off, switch it on for 5-10 seconds, then shut it back off. We've seen this fix problems with calls and mobile data, so it's a worth a shot while you're checking the setting.

3. Turn on mobile data. When your phone connects to a network, you should see your carrier's name at the top of the screen. If you don't, "not connected" or "roaming" might be displayed.

4. Clear the cache of the Phone app. This is safe (it won't delete anything) and could be all you need to do to fix incoming and outgoing call issues.

5. Reboot in safe mode to make the call. We've seen reports that this works for some people. It might not be a permanent solution, though.

6. Contact your carrier. Have you paid your bill? Even if you have auto-pay set up, it can fail due to problems with your bank or a technical glitch. Your carrier should alert you about this but it may be via snail mail. If there isn't a payment issue, technical support can help you check for other problems and inform you of network outages.

7. Restart your phone. If none of the above is the problem, a simple restart can fix many issues.

8. Check for malware. Sometimes malware hits Android phones. There are a few steps you can take to remove malicious apps from your device.

9. Reset network settings. We've seen users with this problem fix it in under a minute by resetting all the network settings. On some Androids, this option is called Reset Mobile Network Settings and is found in Settings > System > Reset options.

10. Perform a factory reset. A full software reset can take care of issues that a simple restart doesn't, but make sure you've backed up important data before doing so.

11. Contact the manufacturer. If all else fails, the issue might be due to hardware damage. Find out if it's worth repairing or how to get a replacement.If you can, bring your phone to a local store so the tech can conduct some troubleshooting.

Causes of an Android that Stops Making (or Receiving) Calls

The causes are usually pretty simple. You might be in a dead zone, airplane mode could be turned on, your bill might not be paid up, malware could be wreaking havoc on your phone, or a software issue could be at play. Because there are so many things that could be happening, just step through the listed solutions below to see which one fixes your particular issue.