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How To Fix an Android That Can't Make or Receive Calls

When your phone stops doing its job, try these tips

By Molly McLaughlin Molly McLaughlin Senior Editor & Content Strategist Molly K. McLaughlin has been a technology editor and writer for over a dozen years. She runs product reviews for Lifewire, overseeing the process from hands-on testing to publishing. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 30, 2022 Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Android Switching from iOS When you can neither make nor receive calls on an Android smartphone, the cause might be any number of issues. Here's where to start when trying to get back on speaking terms with your phone. If you can make outgoing calls, but your phone isn't ringing when you get an incoming call, that's a separate issue.

What to Do When Your Phone Isn' t Working

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. Verify that you're in network. While relatively rare, dead spots still exist. You might encounter this when underground (in a basement or on mass transit) or in a rural area. Reception issues can also happen if you're near another country's border and your phone thinks you're roaming. Make sure that airplane mode is not on. When this mode is enabled, mobile networks are disabled, and incoming phone calls go to voicemail. If Wi-Fi is on, you can still surf the web and send messages using data, though. Pull down from the top of the phone's screen to access Quick Settings, or go to Settings > Network & internet > Airplane mode to check the status. Check that mobile data is enabled. When your phone connects to a network, you should see your carrier's name. If not, a message of "not connected" or "roaming" might display. Contact your carrier. Have you paid your bill? Even if you have auto-pay set up, that can fail due to problems with your bank or a technical glitch. Your carrier should alert you to 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 alert you to area outages. Restart your phone. If none of the above is the problem, this action can fix many issues. Check for malware. Sometimes malware hits Android phones. There are a few steps you can take to remove malicious apps from your device. Rebooting your phone in safe mode is an excellent way to identify issues. Perform a factory reset. A hard reset can take care of issues that a simple restart doesn't, but make sure you've backed up important data before doing so. Contact the manufacturer or carrier. If all else fails, the issue might be due to hardware damage or malware. 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. The 9 Best Android Phones, Tested by Experts

Keeping Your Phone Secure

Once you’ve figured out the problem and fixed it, do a security audit on your device: Check that it has the latest security updates.Uninstall unused apps.Download apps and files only from trusted sources, such as the Google Play Store. How to Fix a 'Not Registered on Network' Error on Samsung Galaxy FAQ Why is my Android phone not receiving texts from iPhones?
If you recently switched from iPhone to Android, your phone number may still be linked to iMessage. You can deregister and turn off iMessage on Apple's website.
Why can't my Android phone receive texts from one person? If you can't receive texts or calls from one specific person, then the problem probably lies on their end. They will need to troubleshoot their own device.
Why is Gmail not working on my Android phone? If Gmail is not syncing on Android, go to Menu > Settings > your account and check Sync Gmail. Make sure the device is online and not in airplane mode. If you still have trouble, update the app, clear the app data, and restart your device. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix It When WhatsApp Isn't Working 8 Solutions for When Your iPhone Says No SIM How to Fix It When Your iPhone Has No Service 12 Ways to Fix It When FaceTime Is Not Working How to Fix Wi-Fi Authentication Problems on Android How to Block Cell Phone Numbers On Android or iPhone (iOS) How to Fix It When Mobile Data Is Not Working How to Fix It When Discovery Plus Is Not Working How to Fix a "Failed to Obtain IP Address" Android Error Why Does My Phone Keep Freezing? How to Fix the Green Line on an Android Phone How to Fix It When You're Not Receiving Texts on Android YouTube TV Not Working? Here's How To Fix It 10 Ways to Speed Up a Phone That's Running Too Slowly How to Fix it When iPhone Call Volume Is Low How to Reset a Voicemail Password in Android Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies