You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

đź’ˇ Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Calls go directly to voicemail

Why are my calls going directly to voicemail?

iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 15

Posted on Feb 16, 2022 4:02 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 16, 2022 4:03 PM

FIRST: Are there missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • iOS 14 & older: Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • iOS 15: Go to Settings/Focus, and verify that all focus settings are disabled.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Accessibility/Touch/Call Audio Routing and make sure Auto-Answer Calls is off.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 16, 2022 4:03 PM in response to hi_jinxx

FIRST: Are there missed calls in Phone/Recents on the phone? If they are not the problem is in the network, because the calls aren’t getting to your phone. Contact your carrier: 

  • check with your carrier that they don’t have a local outage, and that you didn’t have any settings that would have immediately invoked voicemail
  • check up on them at Down Detector - outages


If they are in Recents here’s what to check:


  • Check the MUTE switch on the left side of the phone, above the volume buttons. It should be towards the screen
  • Check the volume setting. With the Home screen displayed, press the VOLUME UP button on the left side of the phone. It’s above the VOLUME DOWN button.
  • Go to Settings/Phone. There’s a switch for Silence Unknown Callers. If it is on any calls from numbers not in your contacts will go directly to voicemail.
  • Also in Settings/Phone: Make sure Call Forwarding is off.
  • iOS 14 & older: Go to Settings/Do not Disturb. Turn it off if it is on. Also turn off Scheduled. With both off none of the other switches there matter.
  • iOS 15: Go to Settings/Focus, and verify that all focus settings are disabled.
  • Go to Settings/Sounds & Haptics. Make sure there is a sound assigned to Ringtone.
  • Go to Settings/Accessibility/Touch/Call Audio Routing and make sure Auto-Answer Calls is off.
  • Go to Settings/Screen Time/Communications Limits. Tap each of the 2 entries and make sure both are “Everyone"
  • Restart your phone-->RESTART your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
  • If all else fails, talk your carrier into replacing your SIM card (thanks to ASC user DShelbyD)


Calls go directly to voicemail

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.