How to Unsilence Calls on iPhone in 9 Different Ways

Missing an important phone call due to it being silenced is a severe issue. Activation of the Do Not Disturb mode or accidental switching to the silence mode can lead to this problem. To resolve the issue, you can apply solutions like adjusting the ringer, turning off silent mode, etc. In this post, we will share how to unsilence Calls on iPhone

sofia albert
Sofia Albert updated on May 09, 2024 | Home > iOS & Mac Topics

Did you miss a crucial call due to your iPhone being silent? At times, silencing spam calls becomes necessary. However, missing out on critical phone calls can be disastrous. 

Recently, iPhone users have been encountering the silencing of the calls on their devices. But there is no need to panic. Various reasons can lead to this issue. The primary one is the Silence Unknown callers features. Due to the feature, the phone becomes silent when an unknown number calls. 

Luckily, there are solutions you can adopt to handle calls being silenced on iPhone. This article will dive deep into the reasons and discuss the fixes!

Why Are My Calls Being Silenced on My iPhone

Are you wondering why your calls are being silenced on the iPhone? Don't worry! Multiple reasons can explain why this is happening. 

The most precise cause is an accidental switch to Silent Mode. You won't hear incoming calls if your call setting is silent. Another reason could be the activation of the Do Not Disturb feature in the Control Center. In that case, you will need to change the settings. 

Some users opt for the Bedtime feature available in iOS 13. That can lead to the silencing of calls after a specific period. Toggling off that feature will help. Moreover, it can also be due to the "Silence unknown callers" feature. You might be unknowingly silencing unknown callers. 

Have you ever thought about your headphones? Yes, that's right! Your device could be stuck in headphone mode or have forgotten to increase the volume level. In that case, you might need to contact Apple Support. 

How to Unsilence Calls on iPhone | 9 Ways

Do you want to fix the Unsilencing calls on iPhone problem? Check out the solutions listed here –

1. Turn Silence Mode Off

Have you checked the ringer volume? You might have accidentally turned on the Silent Mode. As a result, you won't hear any incoming calls.

For this, look at the left side of the device and check above the volume button. It would be best if you saw the position of the switch button. It would be best to turn it up to get the ringer mode. 

2. Turn Off the Do Not Disturb Mode

One primary reason the calls are unsilenced on iPhone is the DND or Do Not Disturb feature. Here is how you can turn it off –

Step 1. Open Settings. Tap on Focus. 

Step 2. Go to Do Not Disturb. 

Step 3. Turn the toggle off or add the schedule so that you can unsilence calls on your iPhone at that time. 

Step 4. Now, go to Control Center. For that, swipe up from the bottom of the device. 

Step 5. Look out for a moon-shaped icon called Focus. 

Step 6. Tap on it to turn off Do Not Disturb silencing. 

turn ooff do not disturb mode

Note: Remember that you can always tweak the settings to get notifications from people you want. For that, you don't have to turn off the Do Not Disturb feature. You can go to Settings and select Do Not Disturb. Press Phone and then tap on Allow Calls From. Here, you can choose the contacts you want under the Groups feature. 

3. Turn off Silencing Unknown Callers

iOS 13 and later versions offer the "Silence unknown callers" feature. In this feature, anyone not on your contacts list is considered an unknown person. As a result, the call gets silenced. You need to turn the setting off to get all incoming calls. 

Step 1. Go to Settings. 

Step 2. Choose Phone settings.

Step 3. Select the Silence Unknown Callers option. Turn it off if it is on. 

4. Adjust Your Ringer Volume

Another reason you can't hear incoming calls is the ringer's low volume. In that case, you will need to increase it. For that, take a look at the steps you need to follow -

Step 1. Open Settings. 

Step 2. Go to Sounds & Haptics. 

Step 3. Choose Ringer and Alters. 

Step 4. Drag the slider to select the volume you want. 

Step 4. Now go to Change with Buttons and turn it on. 

Step 5. You can adjust the volume of the ringer via the volume buttons now. 

open sound and haptics setting

5. Disable Call Forwarding

The call-forwarding feature prevents incoming calls from coming to your device. In that case, you must turn it off. Take a look at the steps –

Step 1. Open Settings. 

Step 2. Select Phone. 

Step 3. Go to Call Forwarding. 

Step 4. Turn the toggle to turn it off. 

turn off call forewarding

6. Check If Bluetooth Is Enabled

Is your iPhone connected to Bluetooth devices? Sometimes, you might get silenced calls if Bluetooth is enabled. In that case, you need to turn off Bluetooth. You can do so from the Control Center. Tap on the Bluetooth icon to disable it. 

Another alternative to turn off Bluetooth is to do it via settings. Check out the steps –

Step 1. Go to Settings. 

Step 2. Click on Bluetooth. 

Step 3. Turn off the toggle.

7. Turn Off the Sleep Schedule

Enabling the sleep schedule can lead to phone calls being silenced. To get call notifications, you need to turn off your sleep schedule. 

Check out the steps –

Step 1. Open the Health App. 

Step 2. Click on Browse. 

Step 3. Go to Sleep.

Step 4. Select Show All Sleep Schedules. Please note it will show only if you have sleep schedules assigned previously.

Step 5. Turn on the toggle. 

turn off sleep schedules

8. Disable Call Audio Routing

Call audio routing is a vital accessibility feature that allows users to listen to audio during calls. Here are the steps to disable it –

Step 1. Open Settings. 

Step 2. Go to Accessibility. 

Step 3. Select Touch. 

Step 4. Press Call Audio Routing. 

Step 5. Choose Automatic and make sure a blue tick mark appears. 

set call audio routing

9. Turn Off the Screen Time

Are you wondering what the Screen Time feature is? Well, this feature indicates the amount of time spent on the device. Turning it off can aid in unsilencing calls. 

Take a look at the steps –

Step 1. Go to Settings. 

Step 2. Select Screen Time. 

Step 3. Choose Communication Limits. 

Step 4. Tap on During Screen Time. 

Step 5. Press Everyone. 

allow communication during screen time

FAQs on Unsilencing Calls on iPhone

Unsilencing calls on iPhone are easy. To acquire more knowledge, take a look at the questions and answers listed below –

1. Why are my calls silenced on my iPhone?

Your calls are being silenced on your iPhone for various reasons. It can be due to the activation of the Do Not Disturb feature. It can also be a result of the silent mode or bedtime feature. 

2. How do I turn a silenced call off?

To turn the silenced call off, open Settings. Now go to Phone and look out for Silence Unknown Callers. Please turn it off. You can also go to Settings and choose Do Not Disturb. Make sure to turn the toggle off for that feature.

The Conclusion

Calls being silenced on iPhones is a severe issue. Can you imagine the impact of missing an important phone call? Several reasons explain why phone calls are silenced. It can be due to the Do Not Disturb or Silence Unknown Calls feature.