Troubleshooting Guide: How to Fix iPhone 7 Not Ringing on Incoming Calls

Has your iPhone 7 suddenly stopped ringing for incoming calls? Don’t worry – this is a common issue that can often be fixed quickly. Here are the things to try if your iPhone 7 won’t ring:

iPhone 7 not ringing

1. Check That Your Ringer Volume Is Up

The most obvious reason your iPhone 7 won’t ring is that your ringer volume is set too low or muted. To adjust the ringer volume:

  • Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringer and Alerts.
  • Drag the slider to turn up the volume. Make sure it’s not muted.
  • You can also use the volume buttons on the left side of the iPhone to adjust ringer volume.
  • Check that the switch next to “Change with Buttons” is turned on if you want to control ringer volume with the buttons.
Ringer volume

2. Turn Off Silent Mode

Flipping the ring/silent switch on the left side of the iPhone to silent mode will stop it ringing.

To check if silent mode is on:

  • Look for an orange line on the switch. If you see it, silent mode is on.
  • Flip the switch towards the screen to turn off silent mode.
  • You’ll get a pop-up confirming silent mode is off.

3. Disable Do Not Disturb

If Do Not Disturb is enabled, your iPhone 7 will not ring for calls. To turn off Do Not Disturb:

  • Open Control Center and check if you see a moon icon. Moon = Do Not Disturb is on.
  • Tap the moon icon to turn Do Not Disturb off. The moon will become hollow.
  • You can also turn off Do Not Disturb in Settings > Do Not Disturb. Toggle off.
Do not Disturb

If these quick fixes don’t work, keep reading for more ways to troubleshoot an iPhone 7 that won’t ring.

4. Check If Your Contacts Are Blocked

If your iPhone won’t ring for specific people, you may have blocked their numbers. To check:

  • Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts to see blocked numbers.
  • Tap Edit, then tap the red circle next to a number to unblock it.
Check Blocked contacts

5. Try a Different Ringtone

A custom ringtone that’s not working properly could prevent your iPhone from ringing.

To set a new ringtone:

  • Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone.
  • Select a new ringtone from the options.
ringtone

You can also try changing ringtones for individual contacts:

  • Open Phone > Contacts > [Contact Name] > Edit > Ringtone.
  • Choose a new ringtone for that person.

6. Check for Damage or Debris

It’s possible hardware damage or debris is preventing your iPhone 7 speaker from working properly.

  • Physically inspect your iPhone for any cracks or dents that could affect the speaker.
  • Check the speaker ports for any dust, lint or debris and gently clean out with a toothbrush.

7. Reset Your iPhone

If you’ve tried everything, resetting your iPhone to factory settings may fix software issues causing problems with the ringer.

Important: This will erase your data, so backup your iPhone first!

To reset:

  • Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Rese t> Erase All Content and Settings.
  • Enter your passcode if asked.
  • Tap Reset to confirm and wait for your iPhone to reset.
Erase All content and settings

8. When to Contact Apple Support

If you still can’t get your iPhone 7 to ring after trying all troubleshooting steps, the issue likely requires professional service. Contact Apple Support online or schedule a Genius Bar appointment for further help.

A hardware problem like a damaged speaker could be preventing your ringer from working properly. Let the experts take a look!

Summary

  • Check ringer volume, Do Not Disturb, and silent mode settings first.
  • Make sure contacts aren’t blocked, test different ringtones.
  • Inspect for damage, debris, and reset your iPhone.
  • If issue persists, contact Apple Support for service.

With a few simple checks and resets, you should be able to get your unresponsive iPhone 7 ringing again in no time.

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