Top 8 Ways to Fix Call Failed Issues on iPhone

You pick up your iPhone and dial a number or a contact in your directory. The call does not complete and a Call Failed error message appears on your screen. You try again but get the same error. Why is this happening? And what could be responsible for the malfunction? We explain everything in this guide.

It is also common for this error message to appear in the middle of an ongoing conversation. This problem is usually caused by low signal strength in your area. Other system configurations and call settings can also be responsible for the Call Failed error. Fortunately, you can easily fix this problem on your own. We are confident that at least one of the solutions listed below would get you back to uninterrupted calls on your iPhone. Check them.

1. Use airplane mode

Simply switching to Airplane Mode on your iPhone (or iPad) and turning it off after a few seconds can make the magic work. I have used this method several times and it works. You should try it too. Open your iPhone control center and tap on the airplane icon. Wait a few seconds and press the icon again to turn off airplane mode.

Otherwise, launch the iOS settings menu, turn on airplane mode and turn it off.

If you still receive the Call Failed error message, proceed to the next troubleshooting solution below.

2. Show caller ID

Hiding your iPhone’s caller ID is another reason that outgoing calls sometimes fail. If you often encounter the failed call error, check that your caller ID is visible. A quick way to view your caller ID on iOS devices is to dial the code * # 31 # in the Phone app. This will make your Caller ID visible and fix the Called Failed error.

You can also change the visibility status of your iPhone’s caller ID in the iOS settings menu. Follow the steps below to do so.

Step 1: Launch the Settings app and select Phone.

2nd step: Tap “Show my caller ID”.

Step 3: Make sure the “Show my caller ID” option is enabled.

3. Unblock contact

You may encounter the Call Failed error if you call a number that you have blocked. If you only receive the error message when you call a particular number, you may not be able to communicate with the person because they have been blocked. The best solution, in this case, would be to check your iPhone’s blocked contacts list.

Step 1: Go to Settings and select Phone.

2nd step: Scroll to the bottom of the Phone menu and select Blocked Contacts.

Step 3: Select Edit and then tap the red minus icon to remove a contact from the blocked contacts list.

Step 4: Then select Unblock.

Another solution is to open the contact information and select Unblock Contact.

4. Deactivate call forwarding

This is another solution that many affected users have pronounced effective fix for Call Failed error. Apart from this problem, call forwarding is also responsible for other malfunctions related to calls on your iPhone. Go to Settings> Phone> Call forwarding and verify that the option is turned off.

5. Restart the device

If the error persists after trying all of the above, restarting your iPhone may be a solution. For iPhone X and newer generations, press and hold the power button and one of the volume buttons until the power off slider appears on your screen. For older generations of iPhones (iPhone 8 or older), they just hold the power button for about 3 seconds until the cursor appears on the screen.

Move the slider to the right to turn off your device. Wait a few seconds and turn your iPhone back on.

6. Reinsert the SIM card

If restarting your phone does not give any positive results, another thing you can do to resolve this problem is to eject and reinsert your SIM card into your phone. We recommend that you clean the contact panel of the SIM card with a dry cloth before reinserting it into your iPhone.

7. Reset network settings

This is another proven solution for this problem. This guide will walk you through the whole process to achieve it, as well as everything there is to know about resetting your iPhone’s network settings. Take a minute to check it out.

Point: Go to Settings> General> Reset> Reset Network Settings to reset your iPhone’s network settings. You will also be prompted to enter your phone’s access code.

8. Update iOS

Running an outdated, buggy, or corrupted iOS version on your iPhone can also be responsible for this error. If nothing resolves the error, updating your iPhone to the latest iOS version might help. To do this, go to Settings> General> Software Update and install the updates in the section.