Top 8 Ways to Fix Call Failed Issues on iPhone

You take your iPhone and dial a number or contact from your phone book. The call is not going and you have the Call Failed error message on your screen. You try again but you 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 pop up in the middle of an ongoing conversation. This issue is usually caused by weak signal strength in your location. Other system configurations and call settings may also be responsible for the Call Failed error. Fortunately, you can easily fix this on your own. We are sure that at least one of the solutions listed below will get you back to making uninterrupted calls on your iPhone. Check them out.

1. Use Airplane Mode

Turning Airplane mode on on your iPhone (or iPad) on and back after a few seconds can work the magic. I’ve used this method several times and it works. You must try too. Open your iPhone’s Control Center and tap the airplane icon. Wait a few seconds and tap the icon again to turn Airplane Mode off.

Alternatively, launch the iOS settings menu, turn Airplane Mode on and off again.

If you are still getting the Call Failed error message, continue to the next troubleshooting solution below.

2. Show Caller ID

Hiding your iPhone’s caller ID is another reason why outgoing calls sometimes fail. If you are encountering the Call Failed error frequently, check if your caller ID is visible. A quick way to show your caller ID on iOS devices is to dial *#31# in the Phone app. This will make your caller ID visible and fix the Called Failed error.

You can also change your iPhone’s caller ID visibility in the iOS settings menu. To do this, follow the steps below.

Stage 1: Launch the Settings app and select Phone.

Step 2: Tap on ‘Show My Caller ID’.

Stage 3: Check if ‘Show My Caller ID’ is turned on.

Unblock 3rd Person

If you call a number that you have blocked, you may encounter the Call Failed error. If you only get the error message when calling a certain number, you may not be able to reach the person because they are blocked. The best course of action in this situation would be to check your iPhone’s Blocked Contacts list.

Stage 1: Go to Settings and select Phone.

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

Stage 3: To remove a contact from the blocked contacts list, select Edit and then tap the red minus icon.

Step 4: Next, select Unblock.

Another way to get around this is to open contact information and choose Unblock Contact.

4. Disable Call Forwarding

This is another solution that many affected users have reported as an effective fix to the Call Failed error. Apart from this issue, call forwarding is also responsible for other call-related malfunctions on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and check if the option is turned off.

5. Reboot Device

If the error persists after trying all of the above, restarting your iPhone may work as a solution. For iPhone X and newer generations, tap and hold the power button and one of the volume buttons until the Power Off slider appears on your screen. On older generation iPhones (iPhone 8 or older), simply press and hold the power button for about 3 seconds until the slider 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 SIM Card

If restarting your phone does not give a positive result, another thing you can do to fix this problem is to remove your SIM card and reinsert it 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 fix for this issue. This guide will walk you through the entire process of doing this, as well as everything else you need to know about resetting your iPhone’s network settings. Take a moment to check it out.

Fly: To reset your iPhone’s network settings, go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. You will also be asked to enter your phone’s password.

8. Update iOS

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

Check With Your Carrier

The iPhone Call Failed error can sometimes be caused by connection issues on your carrier’s end. Likewise, you may encounter this error if your carrier has disconnected your phone due to unpaid phone bills.

Next: Is your iPhone making random calls without your knowledge? Check out five (5) easy ways to fix the problem in the article linked below.