How do I fix an iPhone that misses calls or alerts?
Answer
Turn off Do Not Disturb and other Focus modes, disable Silence Unknown Callers if you want unknown numbers to ring, then toggle Airplane Mode briefly. Confirm Auto-Lock and ringer settings match how you expect the phone to behave.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Do not share one-time codes with anyone who calls claiming there is a problem with your iPhone.
Follow these steps
Turn off Focus and Do Not Disturb
Go to Settings > Focus and turn off Do Not Disturb and any other Focus schedule that is active. Also open Control Center and make sure Focus is not enabled there.
You should see: Focus is off and the moon or Focus status icon is gone.
Allow unknown callers if needed
Open Settings > Phone and turn Silence Unknown Callers off if you want calls from numbers not in Contacts to ring normally.
You should see: Unknown numbers can ring instead of going straight to voicemail or being silenced.
Refresh the wireless radios
Open Control Center, turn Airplane Mode on for about 5 seconds, then turn it off and wait for cellular and Wi-Fi to reconnect.
You should see: Signal returns and incoming calls can reach the phone again.
Confirm Auto-Lock and sound settings
Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and set a timeout you prefer. Then check Settings > Sounds & Haptics and the side mute switch so ringtones play as expected.
You should see: The screen and ringer behave the way you expect for incoming calls and alerts.
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Extra tips
What to look for: A crescent moon or Focus icon in the status bar, Silence Unknown Callers turned on under Settings > Phone, and whether the mute switch is on the silent side.
Before you change anything: Note whether you miss only unknown callers or all calls and texts. Check that the side mute switch is not on silent. Avoid factory reset for notification issues. Never share passwords or codes with unexpected callers.