iPhone 6s Plus Can’t Make or Receive Calls? Here’s How to Fix It
If your iPhone 6s Plus is dropping calls, sending them straight to voicemail, or refusing to connect at all, don’t worry—you’re not alone. These issues can be caused by anything from bad network signals to software glitches or even a misconfigured setting. Here’s how to troubleshoot the problem and (hopefully) get your phone calls working again.
1. Check Your Signal Strength
Before diving into settings, make sure you have a strong signal. If you see “No Service” or “Searching” in the top bar, move to an area with better coverage or try toggling Airplane Mode on and off.
To toggle Airplane Mode:
- Go to Settings > Airplane Mode
- Turn it on, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back off
Or swipe up for Control Center and tap the airplane icon.
2. Restart Your iPhone
A simple reboot clears up many minor glitches.
Steps:
- Press and hold the Power button until the slider appears
- Slide to turn off
- Wait a few seconds, then press Power again to turn it on
3. Remove and Reinsert the SIM Card
Your SIM card might have a bad connection. Try reseating it.
How to do it:
- Power off your iPhone
- Remove the SIM tray using a SIM tool or paperclip
- Reinsert the SIM carefully and power the phone back on
4. Check Call-Related Settings
A few misconfigured settings can block calls completely.
Airplane Mode
Must be off for calls to work.
Do Not Disturb (DND)
Silences calls and sends them to voicemail.
- Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb and turn it off
- Or tap the crescent moon icon in Control Center
Blocked Numbers
Make sure the number you’re trying to call isn’t blocked.
- Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts
Call Forwarding
Make sure your calls aren’t being sent somewhere else.
- Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and turn it off
5. Reset Network Settings
If calls still aren’t going through, try resetting your network.
Warning: This will erase saved Wi-Fi passwords and VPN settings.
- Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings
- Enter your passcode if prompted and confirm
6. Switch Cellular Network Bands
Sometimes the phone has trouble connecting to a certain network band (like LTE or 3G). Try disabling LTE temporarily.
To switch:
- Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options
- Tap Enable LTE and set it to Off, Voice Only, or try a different option
7. Enable Cellular Data
Some users found that calls only work when cellular data is on.
- Go to Settings > Cellular
- Make sure Cellular Data is turned on
8. Disable Noise Cancellation (If Audio Is Glitchy)
Some users report that Phone Noise Cancellation messes with call clarity.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual
- Turn off Phone Noise Cancellation
Still Not Working?
If you’ve tried everything above and you still can’t make or receive calls:
- Contact your carrier to check for outages, billing issues, or account problems
- Visit an Apple Store or authorized repair center if you suspect a hardware fault