Android phone not ringing? 10 fixes for Samsung and Pixel
When calls arrive silently, one setting is almost always to blame. Some of them are hidden deep in Accessibility and Modes.
Why is my Android phone not ringing?
The fix
Check these 10 things in order
- 1
Set Sound mode.
On Samsung go to Settings › Sounds and vibration and choose Sound, not Vibrate or Mute. On Pixel, press a volume button and tap the bell icon until it shows Ring.
- 2
Raise the ringtone volume.
Samsung: Settings › Sounds and vibration › Volume › Ringtone. Pixel: Settings › Sound & vibration › Ring & notification volume.
- 3
Turn off Do not disturb.
Swipe down for Quick Settings and tap Do not disturb so it turns off. Check for schedules in its settings too.
- 4
Check Modes and Routines (Samsung).
Modes like Sleep, Driving or Work can silence calls. Open Settings › Modes and Routines and turn off any mode you do not need.
- 5
Turn off Mute all sounds (Samsung).
Go to Settings › Accessibility › Hearing enhancements and make sure Mute all sounds is off.
- 6
Turn off Flip to Shhh (Pixel).
Pixel phones go silent when placed face down. Check Settings › Digital Wellbeing & parental controls › Flip to Shhh.
- 7
Disconnect Bluetooth devices.
Earbuds, a car or a smartwatch may be taking the ringtone. Turn off Bluetooth for a test call.
- 8
Pick a built-in ringtone.
Custom or downloaded ringtones can fail. Choose one of the phone’s own ringtones.
- 9
Turn off call forwarding.
Open the Phone app, tap ⋮ › Settings › Supplementary services (Samsung) or Calls › Call forwarding, and turn it off.
- 10
Clear the Phone app cache and update.
Go to Settings › Apps › Phone › Storage › Clear cache, then install any software update. If calls still do not ring, test the speaker by playing music out loud.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Samsung not ring when I am using an app?
Incoming calls may be set to show as a small pop-up while you use apps, and the ringtone can be quieter or muted by the app. Check Phone app › Settings › Call display while using apps, and raise the ringtone volume.
Why do calls go straight to voicemail without ringing?
Call forwarding may be on, the number may be blocked, or the phone may have no signal. Check call forwarding in the Phone app settings and your blocked numbers list.
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