How to fix an iPhone 11 that cannot receive phone calls but can make calls after updating iOS to version 13.2.3

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If calls are not coming in, it’s either you’re not getting any phone calls at the moment or something is blocking your iPhone from getting incoming calls. If it’s the latter, then you’ve got a problem to fix. There are many possible reasons as to why calling issues like this manifest. Tackled in this post is a relevant issue on the iPhone 11 that cannot receive phone calls but able to make calls after updating to iOS 13.2.3. If by any chance, you’d bump into the same problem on the same iOS device following the latest iOS update, I’ve lined up a few handy tweaks for you to try on. Read on and get help.

Troubleshooting an iPhone 11 that cannot receive phone after updating iOS to version 13.2.3

Incoming call problems in mobile devices are usually due to network connectivity issues such as temporary outages. Other factors that can trigger calling problems are account-related issues, invalid settings, random system errors and post-update bugs. In worst case scenarios, a damaged SIM card or other hardware components can be the underlying cause. To rule out software-related factors that might have hindered your iPhone from receiving phone calls after an iOS update, performing the following solutions can help. You can refer to this guide to troubleshoot your iPhone before rushing to a service center. 

 

First solution: Restart your iPhone (soft reset).

Various types of system issues could arise from an update. When this happens, adverse symptoms are triggered depending on which apps or features are directly obstructed. That said, it’s possible that the Phone app was interfered by some unexpected software bugs from the recent update and thus incoming calls have stopped working. The simplest yet very effective solution to random post-update issues like this would be a soft reset or restart on your iPhone. Aside from rectifying minor post-update errors, a soft reset is also a way of dumping junk files piling up in the internal memory. Just follow these steps if you haven’t already:

  1. Press and hold both the Side button and Volume Up button for a few seconds.
  2. Release both buttons when the Slide to Power off bar appears.
  3. Swipe or drag the bar to turn your device off.
  4. After about 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button and then release when the Apple logo appears.

Allow your iPhone to finish rebooting and re-establish cellular network signal. When the signal gets stable, you can try placing a test call using your other phone to your iphone 11 and see if that will go through this time. If not, then you’ll have to continue troubleshooting to rule out other possible impediments.

ALSO READ: How to fix an iPhone 11 that cannot make phone calls but can receive after updating to iOS 13.2.3

Second solution: Turn off Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, Call Forwarding features OFF.

Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb and Call Forwarding are three iOS features that can hinder incoming calls on your iPhone. Thus, it is also imperative to disable these features to ensure that none of them is barring your device from receiving incoming calls as it should. 

When enabled, Bluetooth can route incoming call alerts to a Bluetooth-enabled accessory that’s currently paired with your iPhone. Hence, you won’t be able to hear your iPhone ringing for incoming calls. To rule this out, turn off Bluetooth on your iPhone 11 with these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Scroll to and select Bluetooth.
  3. Toggle the Bluetooth switch to turn the feature OFF.

Another feature that can route or block incoming calls on your iPhone 11 is the so-called Do Not Disturb or DND feature. When enabled, calls from certain contacts or all calls may be blocked for privacy reasons, unless some exceptions are specified. To eliminate this from the possible causes, disable Do Not Disturb feature on your iPhone 11 with these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Select Do Not Disturb.
  3. Toggle the Do Not Disturb switch to turn the feature OFF.

Call Forwarding is another feature you should consider turning off to ensure that none of your calls will be forwarded to a specific phone number. When enabled, your calls will be routed or forwarded to the number you’ve specified. That said, your phone won’t be receiving the call but rather the device using the number. To make sure this isn’t the underlying cause, follow these steps to disable Call Forwarding feature on your iPhone 11:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Tap Phone.
  3. Tap the Call Forwarding switch to turn the feature OFF.

After disabling these features, open the phone app then place a test call to your own number using another device to see if your iPhone is already able to receive the call.

 

Third solution: Toggle Airplane Mode on and off to fix your iPhone 11 that cannot receive phone calls.

Performing this old simple trick can also be the key to resolving problems with incoming calls on your iPhone 11, especially if random cellular flaws are the main trigger. This trick works by simultaneously restarting the phone’s wireless radios and relevant features. Any associated errors are likewise obliterated in the process. If you wish to try your luck in this trick, simply follow these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Airplane Mode.
  3. Toggle the Airplane Mode switch to turn the feature ON. Doing so disables your iPhone’s wireless radios and associated features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. 
  4. While Airplane Mode is turned on, reboot or soft reset your iPhone to clear out network cache.
  5. After it reboots, go back to Settings-> Airplane Mode menu.
  6. Then toggle the Airplane Mode switch to turn it OFF again.

Wait for your iPhone to re-establish cellular network signal and once the signal becomes stable, retry placing a test call to your iPhone and see if the call goes through already.

ALSO READ: How to fix iMessage that’s not working at all after updating iOS to version 13.2.3

Fourth solution: Install carrier updates available.

Carrier updates are separate updates rolled out by network service providers/carriers for network system enhancements and optimization. These updates also contain dedicated network patches to address widespread issues affecting network-related features on the phone, including cellular data. If your iPhone can connect to the Internet, you can manually check for and install a carrier settings update with these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Tap About.

An option to update your carrier settings will show up if an update is available. You can view the version of carrier settings on your iPhone by going to Settings-> General-> About menu then scroll down to the Carrier section. You can also tap the version number to view additional carrier information.

 

Fifth solution: Reset network settings on your iPhone.

Some software updates override network settings on the receiving devices. On some devices, these overrides won’t do any harm but on others they will, especially if settings conflicts arise. To clear this out, performing a network reset is recommended. This reset will erase all current network settings from your iPhone including faulty update overrides that caused incoming call errors. Just note your network password beforehand as you’ll have to re-enter it later to join and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network. Just follow these steps whenever you’re all set to reset network settings on your iPhone 11:

  1. From the Home screen, tap on Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
  4. Tap to select Reset network settings from the given options.
  5. Enter your passcode if prompted to continue.
  6. Tap on Reset network settings again to confirm action

Your iPhone will restart automatically when the reset is finished and then restores the default network values and options.

To use network features on your iPhone, particularly those that are turned off by default, you will need to re-enable them individually.

ALSO READ: How to fix iMessage Waiting for Activation error after updating to iOS 13.2.3

Last resort: Erase your iPhone and restore its factory default settings.

Complex system errors and stubborn update bugs that ruined your iPhone’s incoming call system usually require more advanced solutions in order to be rectified. At this point, your next option would be a factory reset. This will wipe everything from your iPhone system along with stubborn phone app bugs from the recent iOS update. Before you begin, back up all your important files to iCloud or iTunes so you’d still be able to recover them afterwards. Once your backup is secured, follow these steps to factory reset your iPhone 11 through settings:

  1. From the Home screen, tap Settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Scroll down and tap on Reset.
  4. Select the option to Erase all content and settings. This will erase everything from your iPhone system including all saved data on the internal memory.
  5. Enter your device passcode if prompted to continue.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm that you want to erase your iPhone and restore its factory default settings.

When the reset is finished, everything is restored to its factory defaults. This denotes the need for you to set up everything as new. For faster setup, you can use the start-up wizard.

What to do if your iPhone 11 still cannot receive phone calls?

If your iPhone cannot receive phone calls only from certain callers or phone number, check for any blocked phone numbers on your iPhone. That number may be listed among the blocked contacts and thus incoming calls from that number won’t go through.

  • To check for any blocked phone numbers on your iPhone 11, go to Settings-> Phone-> Blocked Contacts menu. 

Search for the number in the blocked contacts. If it shows up in the list, just remove it to allow or receive incoming calls from that number.

ALSO READ: Common calling and texting problems on iPhone 11 after iOS 13.2.3 update