Technipages

Smart phone, gadget and computer tutorials

iPhone: No Ringer Sound On Incoming Calls

By Mitch Bartlett 72 Comments

If you can’t hear the ringer when there is an incoming call to your Apple iPhone, there are a few things that can cause the issue. Here is a list of things to try.

1. Ring/Silent Switch

You may have overlooked whether or not the ring/silent switch is set to silence the ringer. The ring/silent switch is above the volume switch. If you can see orange on this switch, it’s set to vibrate. Switch it to ring and you should be all good.
 iPhone ringer up

2. Turn Up the Volume

Be sure not to overlook that the volume buttons on the side of the iPhone controls the ringer. From the Home screen, press the “Volume Up” button and ensure the volume is set to an appropriate level.

3. Try a Reset

Sometimes you might need to reset the iPhone to get it working correctly again. You can do this by pressing and holding the “Power” and “Volume Down” buttons simultaneously (“Power” and “Home” on older devices) for about 5 seconds. After holding the buttons, the iPhone should shut off. From there, simply power it back on and give the ringer another try.

4. It’s Stuck in Headphones Mode

Another common issue with iPhone users who have ringer issues is that the device is stuck in “Headphones Mode”. This happens when the iPhone seems to detect headphones plugged into the device. Read our post, “iPhone or iPad Stuck with No Sound” for tips on how to fix this issue.

 

Hopefully at least one set of steps above has helped you fix your ringer sound issue. Please share your experience with this problem in the comments section below.

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Comments

  1. Emmanuel says

    My I phone is still silent! Have tried all but seems not to be assisting! It’s new I didn’t drop it,nothing has happened to it! It’s just silent

  2. Mike says

    I have a new IPhone XR I upgraded from IPhone 5se
    Never had an issue until now. I can receive calls from everyone but wife. When she calls it goes straight to voice mail. It seems to be only her.

  4. Ranjith says

    I tried everything that I know of to bring back the ringer on incoming calls. Finally, the orange switch flip above the volume buttons has fixed it. Until now, I never noticed this button was there and for what it is :-)

  6. Lynn Simmons says

    My Dad’s phone wasn’t ringing. I went through everything and ended up fixing it by going to settings, sounds & Haptics, under ringer and alerts I turned off change with buttons. He had the volume all the way up above that but maybe he had the volume buttons down? I was helping him over the phone.. He said he had the volume button all the way up but I’m not sure either way, it worked.

  11. James says

    New to iPhones. Therefore was unaware of this switch. Apparently so are Apple as there was no mention of this as a possible solution upon contacting their technical support line!
    Thanks for providing the solution Apple Support couldn’t.

  12. SStuart morrison says

    Glad I’m not the only one who forgot about the mute button
    Thanks for the suggestion thought I was going mad.
    Maybe I am.

  14. Diana Jacobs says

    Thank you so much , I also forgot about that silent side button , a great help thank you

  16. Kelly says

    All of a sudden my iPhone isn’t ringing ONLY when unknown numbers are calling. I haven’t changed any settings and I.have answered phone calls from people in my contacts. Not sure why this is happening. Any insight is appreciated.

  17. Dave Jordan says

    Incoming calls will make the phone ring only once. The call is live when responding to it. How can I make the phone ring repeatedly until answered?

  18. James McFarland says

    Thanks I had forgot about the switch on the side. I had just replaced the case and must have moved the switch. That was the cause. it works fine now.
    JAMES

  19. Debbie Nelson says

    Thank you so much had no clue about the silent switch. Put a new case on and then wouldn’t work. Thanks again!!

  21. Grace Pereira says

    Thank you. Your suggestions helped. What will I do without your help. You are a legend.

  23. Claudette Arseneau says

    Thanks for the info. That small switch above the
    Volume buttons was in the wrong position due to the new cell phone case I just purchased. When snapped together the case moved the switch.

  24. Simon Clark says

    Thanks, that worked straight away. I suppose l should of read the booklet first as l didn’t even know the phone had that option of a silent switch. Also it’s so easy to be taken in by other websites that predict doom and gloom

  28. Eddy says

    Thanks for the info. That small switch above the
    Volume buttons was in the wrong position due to the new cell phone case I just purchased. When snapped together the case moved the switch.

  30. Susanne Kimo says

    All these steps failed for my phone but a total factory reset (Erase All Content and Settings) did the trick!

  37. Dave says

    Got my ringtone back! You showed, and explained it so much more plainly than even Apple’s own tech geebos did! Thanks!

  38. Ellen says

    Thank you! I saw the orange above the volume switch and moved it away and then I got the ringer back! I don’t know how it got to be orange but it’s back on ringer now!

  40. T. Papciak says

    Couldn`t hear ringer tone. Tried the silent to normal switch….BINGO. Outstanding.
    Thank you.

  45. Cariann says

    I’ve done everything that I can to have my sounds come thru on my iPhone 8+ brand new and Idk but can’t hear rings but I have it all up and on it only vibrates

  46. Marlene Brace says

    Thanks so much, I didn’t know the switch on the side silenced the ringer, I obviously touched it when adjusting the volume. Superb advice, bless you!

  48. Dawn says

    Thank you so much. II couldn’t understand why my phone didn’t ring. Checked everything and then you showed the little switch on side to switch from silent to normal.

  50. Phyllis says

    Tried all three steps.I do not hear my phone ring. However, if I go to sounds I can hear the ring tones fine.

  53. Michael Andre says

    I have an iphone 4s. I have checked all what was said to be done and did them but yet, I am not hearing the ringer for Watts App calls only. I hear it for other calls. I only hear the ringing when I plug in a headphone/earbud, I just reset my iphone completely tonight and it is the same. What can I do to resolve this issue?

  56. Sheila Smith says

    Can’t change the phone to answer when it rings after two times. I need it to ring at lease four times before Phone answers. How do you set this for I phone X?

  57. Desiree de Grandi says

    When I am at home or work, my iphone 5s does not ring with incoming calls. I received a loan phone whilst mine went back to the store. The same is happening with the loan phone. If the caller rings for long enough, then I will only receive a sms stating “you missed a call from….”
    I do not receive a missed call notification.
    I can receive whatsapp calls.
    I have checked all the settings.
    I received a new phone as I was still under warranty. 10 days later the same thing happens to the new phone.
    When I am away from the work or home, I have no problem with receiving incoming calls.
    The cellular company has tested the signal and strength in both my home and work areas.

    .

  58. Ceri says

    So simple when you know how, I had the button above the volume control switched to off!
    Thank You, saved the day??

  60. Steve says

    I’ve had my 5C for almost five years and never knew about the little switch. I have it in an otter case, took it apart to clean it and somehow shut that off.

  62. Clifford E says

    Please in the future remember to note that the mute switch is not a simple push-on push-off like many others, but a slide-toward-face, slide-toward-gack switch. It took me a long time to figure this out. Thank you.

  65. Natalia says

    Thank you sooooo much!!! It was the ring/silent switch!!! I never even knew it was there!!

  67. jmuhj says

    THANK YOU SO MUCH! I haven’t had tones for months and I’ve visited apple community, various sites, etc. VERY frustrated. YOU just solved my problem. It’s my first iPhone so hopefully I may be forgiven. ;)

  69. Jaya singh says

    I have iPhone 5s iOS 10.3.3 ringer sound is not coming. I have cleaned earplug jack, reset my cell. Nothing works. Please help me with this

  70. Carrie says

    Thanks so much – suggestion 1 worked!!
    Had no idea that button did anything.
    GREAT site by the way x

  71. John Kernot says

    My iphone 4 sometimes has the ring tone muted. Can be restored using the volume button, but this is a problem if i haven’t noticed. Sometimes appears to happen after i have been in the car and bluetooth has connected to the car speakers. Any suggestions?

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