Published: March 10, 2026 | Category: Android Tips | Problem Solving
Your phone is on. Battery is charged. Signal is showing. But calls are simply not coming through. People are trying to reach you — and your phone stays completely silent.
This is one of the most frustrating Android problems — and one of the most common. It happens on Samsung, Redmi, Realme, OnePlus, and every other Android phone. It happens on Jio, Airtel, Vi, and BSNL networks. And it happens without any warning.
The good news is that in 95 percent of cases this problem is completely fixable — for free — in under 10 minutes.
This complete guide how-to-fix-android-phone-not-receiving-calls-2026 covers every reason why your Android phone is not receiving calls and every fix — from the simplest one-tap solutions to advanced fixes for stubborn problems.
How to Fix Android Phone Not Receiving Calls 2026
Quick Fix — Try This First (Solves 60 Percent of Cases)
Before reading the full guide try these three steps immediately:
Step 1 — Toggle Airplane Mode: Pull down notification shade → tap Airplane Mode ON → wait 10 seconds → tap Airplane Mode OFF
Step 2 — Restart your phone: Hold power button → tap Restart → wait for phone to boot fully
Step 3 — Check Do Not Disturb: Settings → Sound → Do Not Disturb → make sure it is OFF
If calls start coming through after any of these steps — problem solved.
If not — continue reading for the complete fix guide.
Why Your Android Phone is Not Receiving Calls — All Causes
Understanding the cause helps you find the right fix faster.
Network related causes:
- SIM card not seated properly
- Network registration issue
- Wrong network mode selected
- Carrier settings outdated
- Network outage in your area
Settings related causes:
- Do Not Disturb mode active
- Call forwarding enabled accidentally
- Call barring activated
- Blocked numbers list includes the caller
- Airplane mode partially stuck
App related causes:
- Third party call blocking app active
- Dialer app corrupted
- Recent app update broke call functionality
- VoIP app intercepting calls
SIM and account related causes:
- SIM card damaged or expired
- Insufficient balance for incoming calls on prepaid
- Account suspended by carrier
- Number ported incorrectly
Fix 1 — Check Do Not Disturb Mode
Do Not Disturb is the most common cause of missed calls that most people overlook. When enabled your phone silences all incoming calls without showing any notification.
How to check and disable:
All Android phones:
Step 1 — Pull down notification shade completely
Step 2 — Look for Do Not Disturb icon — crescent moon or minus circle
Step 3 — If highlighted or colored → it is ON → tap to turn OFF
Step 4 — Test by having someone call you
Check scheduled DND — very commonly overlooked:
Step 1 — Settings → Sound and Vibration → Do Not Disturb
Step 2 — Scroll down → Schedules
Step 3 — Check if any schedule is enabled — Sleeping, Driving, or custom
Step 4 — Toggle off any active schedules
Step 5 — Also check — Bedtime Mode on Samsung and Google Pixel — this enables DND automatically at night
Samsung specific:
Settings → Sounds and Vibration → Do Not Disturb → check both manual toggle AND scheduled rules
Many users discover DND was scheduled to turn on at a specific time daily — silently blocking all calls.
Fix 2 — Check Call Forwarding Settings
Call forwarding redirects your incoming calls to another number. If accidentally activated — your phone never rings because calls go elsewhere.
How to check call forwarding:
Method 1 — Through Phone Settings:
Step 1 — Open Phone app → tap three dots menu → Settings
Step 2 — Tap Call Forwarding or Supplementary Services
Step 3 — Check all four options:
- Always Forward — must be OFF
- Forward When Busy — check if correct
- Forward When Unanswered — check if correct
- Forward When Unreachable — check if correct
Step 4 — If Always Forward is ON — tap it → Disable
Method 2 — Using USSD Code:
Open Phone dialer and dial these codes:
Check all call forwarding status:
*#21#Disable all call forwarding:
##002#Tap call button after entering code — network processes it and returns status.
This single step fixes the problem for many users who accidentally enabled call forwarding.
Fix 3 — Check Call Barring
Call barring blocks specific types of calls. If incoming call barring is enabled — no calls will come through at all.
How to check:
Step 1 — Open Phone app → three dots → Settings
Step 2 — Tap Call Barring or Additional Settings
Step 3 — Check Incoming Calls section
Step 4 — All incoming call barring options must be OFF
Step 5 — If any barring is ON → tap it → enter barring password → disable
Default call barring password is usually 0000 or 1234 — if you never set one.
USSD code to check barring status:
*#33#USSD code to disable all barring:
#330*0000#(Replace 0000 with your barring password if different)
Fix 4 — Check Blocked Numbers List
If a specific person cannot reach you — they may be in your blocked numbers list.
How to check:
Samsung:
Step 1 — Open Phone app → three dots → Settings
Step 2 — Tap Block Numbers
Step 3 — Review list — remove any numbers that should not be blocked
Step 4 — Also check Block Unknown Callers toggle — turn OFF if enabled
Redmi and Xiaomi:
Step 1 — Phone app → three dots → Blocked Numbers
Step 2 — Review and remove incorrectly blocked numbers
Realme and Oppo:
Step 1 — Phone app → three dots → Harassment Filter or Blocked Numbers
Step 2 — Review blocked list
Stock Android:
Step 1 — Phone app → three dots → Settings → Blocked Numbers
Step 2 — Tap X next to any number to unblock
Fix 5 — Toggle Airplane Mode and Reset Network
A simple network refresh often resolves call receiving issues caused by network registration problems.
Full network reset procedure:
Step 1 — Pull down notification shade
Step 2 — Tap Airplane Mode → ON
Step 3 — Wait full 30 seconds — not less
Step 4 — Tap Airplane Mode → OFF
Step 5 — Wait 60 seconds for network to fully reconnect
Step 6 — Check signal bars — wait until full signal shows
Step 7 — Ask someone to call you
Why this works: When you enable Airplane Mode your phone disconnects completely from all networks. When you disable it your phone re-registers with the nearest tower — getting a fresh network connection that resolves registration errors causing missed calls.
Fix 6 — Check and Re-seat Your SIM Card
A loose or dirty SIM card causes intermittent network registration — your phone shows signal but cannot actually receive calls.
Steps:
Step 1 — Power off your phone completely
Step 2 — Eject SIM tray using SIM ejector tool or straightened paperclip
Step 3 — Remove SIM card carefully
Step 4 — Inspect SIM for damage — cracks, bent contacts, water damage
Step 5 — Gently clean gold contacts with dry soft cloth — no liquid
Step 6 — Re-insert SIM card firmly into tray
Step 7 — Insert tray back — ensure it clicks properly
Step 8 — Power on phone
Step 9 — Wait for full network registration — 2 to 3 minutes
Step 10 — Test incoming call
If SIM card is visibly damaged: Visit your carrier store — Jio, Airtel, or Vi — for free SIM replacement. Same number is retained on new SIM.
Fix 7 — Check Network Mode Settings
Incorrect network mode causes your phone to fail registering on the correct network band — resulting in no incoming calls even when signal bars show.
Steps:
Step 1 — Settings → Connections → Mobile Networks
Step 2 — Tap Network Mode
Step 3 — Current options you see depend on your phone and SIM:
Recommended settings by SIM:
| SIM | Best Network Mode |
|---|---|
| Jio | 5G/LTE/WCDMA/GSM auto |
| Airtel | 5G/4G/3G/2G auto |
| Vi | 4G/3G/2G auto |
| BSNL | 3G/2G auto |
Step 4 — Select auto mode for your carrier
Step 5 — Phone re-registers on network → test incoming call
If 5G is causing issues: Some areas have inconsistent 5G coverage causing constant network switching. Try setting to LTE only (4G) to stabilize connection.
Step 1 — Network Mode → LTE only
Step 2 — Test if calls come through on 4G
Step 3 — If yes — keep on 4G until 5G coverage improves in your area
Fix 8 — Update Carrier Settings
Carrier settings are small configuration files from your network provider — Jio, Airtel, Vi — that control how your phone connects to their network. Outdated carrier settings cause call issues.
For most Android phones:
Carrier settings update automatically when you connect to WiFi. To force update:
Step 1 — Connect to WiFi
Step 2 — Settings → About Phone → Software Update → check for updates
Step 3 — Also check — Settings → Connections → Mobile Networks → Network Operators → Search Networks → select your carrier manually → then select Auto
This forces a fresh carrier configuration download.
For Samsung specifically:
Settings → General Management → Reset → Reset Network Settings
This resets all network configurations and re-downloads fresh carrier settings on next boot.
Fix 9 — Clear Phone and Dialer App Cache
Corrupted cache in your phone dialer app causes call handling failures — including not receiving incoming calls.
Steps:
Step 1 — Settings → Apps → see all apps
Step 2 — Find Phone or Dialer app
Step 3 — Tap Storage → Clear Cache
Step 4 — Also tap Clear Data — this resets dialer settings but does not delete call history on most phones
Step 5 — Repeat for these apps:
- Phone
- Contacts
- Call Management (Samsung)
- IMS Service or IP Multimedia Subsystem
Step 6 — Restart phone
Step 7 — Test incoming call
Fix 10 — Check Third Party Call Blocking Apps
If you have installed any call blocking, spam filtering, or truecaller-type app — it may be blocking calls incorrectly.
Common culprits:
- Truecaller — spam filter may be too aggressive
- Mr Number
- Hiya — Caller ID
- Any call recorder app with blocking features
- Some antivirus apps with call protection
Steps:
Step 1 — Settings → Apps → review all installed apps
Step 2 — Find any call-related app
Step 3 — Open app → check blocked numbers and spam settings
Step 4 — Temporarily disable the app completely
Step 5 — Test if calls come through
Step 6 — If yes — the app was blocking calls → adjust its settings or uninstall
For Truecaller specifically:
Truecaller → three lines → Settings → Block → review block list and spam settings → reduce sensitivity of spam blocking
Fix 11 — Reset Network Settings
If multiple fixes have not worked — resetting all network settings to factory default often resolves stubborn call issues.
Important: This resets all WiFi passwords, Bluetooth pairings, and mobile network settings. You will need to reconnect to WiFi networks.
Steps:
Samsung:
Step 1 — Settings → General Management → Reset
Step 2 — Tap Reset Network Settings
Step 3 — Read warning → tap Reset Settings
Step 4 — Enter PIN if prompted
Step 5 — Phone resets network settings and restarts
Step 6 — Reconnect to WiFi → test incoming call
Redmi and Xiaomi:
Settings → Additional Settings → Backup and Reset → Reset Network Settings
Realme and Oppo:
Settings → Additional Settings → Backup and Reset → Reset Network Settings
OnePlus:
Settings → System → Reset Options → Reset WiFi Mobile and Bluetooth
Stock Android:
Settings → System → Reset Options → Reset WiFi Mobile and Bluetooth
Fix 12 — Check WiFi Calling Settings
WiFi Calling allows voice calls over WiFi when mobile signal is weak. Misconfigured WiFi Calling sometimes interferes with normal cellular call receiving.
Steps:
Step 1 — Settings → Connections → WiFi Calling
Step 2 — If WiFi Calling is ON but your carrier does not support it properly → toggle OFF
Step 3 — Test if calls come through on cellular network
Indian carriers and WiFi Calling support:
| Carrier | WiFi Calling | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Jio | Yes — supported | Keep ON only if in weak signal area |
| Airtel | Yes — supported | Keep ON only if needed |
| Vi | Partial support | Turn OFF if causing issues |
| BSNL | No | Turn OFF |
Fix 13 — Update Android and Phone Software
Software bugs in older Android versions cause call receiving failures. Keeping your phone updated fixes known bugs.
Steps:
Step 1 — Settings → Software Update or System Update
Step 2 — Tap Download and Install
Step 3 — If update available → download on WiFi → install
Step 4 — Phone restarts → test incoming calls
Step 5 — Also update your Phone and Dialer app through Play Store
Fix 14 — Check Google Phone App Settings
On phones using Google Phone app — specific settings control incoming call behavior.
Steps:
Step 1 — Open Google Phone app
Step 2 — Tap three dots → Settings
Step 3 — Check Calls section:
- Caller ID and Spam → adjust spam blocking sensitivity
- Assisted Dialing → ensure not interfering
- Accessibility → check any call answering automation
Step 4 — Tap Spam and Call Screen → Filtered Calls → review if legitimate calls were filtered as spam
Specific Problem — Phone Not Receiving Calls From One Particular Number
If your phone receives calls from everyone except one specific person — the cause is almost always one of these:
Cause 1 — You blocked that number: Phone → Settings → Blocked Numbers → check if their number is listed → remove
Cause 2 — They blocked you: If they blocked you — you cannot fix this from your end. When you call them you hear — “The number you are trying to reach cannot receive incoming calls” or the call goes directly to voicemail.
Cause 3 — Their number is being filtered as spam: Open Truecaller or your spam filter app → search their number → check if marked as spam → unmark
Cause 4 — Network routing issue between carriers: If you are on Jio and they are on Airtel — sometimes inter-carrier routing has temporary issues. Usually resolves within hours. Test by calling from a different number.
Cause 5 — Their phone or account has a problem: Ask them to call someone else to verify their outgoing calls work. If their calls are not going through to anyone — problem is on their end.
Specific Problem — Phone Can Make Calls But Not Receive Them
This specific symptom — outgoing works but incoming does not — points to these specific causes:
Most likely cause 1 — Call Forwarding: Your incoming calls are being forwarded elsewhere. Follow Fix 2 above — disable all call forwarding immediately.
Most likely cause 2 — Network Registration Issue: Your phone has registered as outgoing-only with the tower. Airplane Mode toggle (Fix 5) resolves this in most cases.
Most likely cause 3 — Incoming Call Barring: Incoming call barring was activated. Follow Fix 3 above.
Most likely cause 4 — VoLTE issue: Your phone is making calls over VoLTE but receiving calls over older circuit — mismatch causes issue.
Fix: Settings → Connections → Mobile Networks → VoLTE Calls or Enhanced 4G LTE → toggle OFF → wait 30 seconds → toggle ON
Specific Problem — Cannot Receive Incoming Calls — Please Try Again Later
This error message — “Cannot receive incoming calls at the moment please try again later” — is a carrier-side message meaning:
Cause 1 — Account suspended: Your prepaid account may have expired or postpaid bill is overdue. Check account status by calling carrier customer care:
- Jio — 199
- Airtel — 121
- Vi — 199
- BSNL — 1500
Cause 2 — Incoming call service not activated: Rarely — incoming call service needs to be activated separately. Contact carrier.
Cause 3 — Number porting issue: If you recently ported your number — during the porting process incoming calls may fail temporarily — usually resolves in 24 to 48 hours.
Cause 4 — SIM expired: Prepaid SIMs expire if not recharged for extended periods. Visit carrier store with ID proof for SIM revival.
Specific Problem — Samsung Phone Not Receiving Calls
Samsung phones have additional settings that can interfere with incoming calls:
Fix 1 — Check Samsung Bedtime Mode:
Settings → Digital Wellbeing → Bedtime Mode → ensure it is OFF or check schedule
Bedtime Mode enables DND automatically — silencing all calls.
Fix 2 — Check Focus Mode:
Settings → Digital Wellbeing → Focus Mode → ensure OFF
Focus Mode can block incoming calls depending on configuration.
Fix 3 — Disable Samsung Call and Message Continuity:
Settings → Advanced Features → Call and Message Continuity → toggle OFF
This feature shares calls with other Samsung devices — can cause conflicts.
Fix 4 — Check Samsung Secure Folder Phone:
If Phone app inside Secure Folder has different settings — incoming calls may route incorrectly.
Open Secure Folder → Phone app → check DND and blocking settings inside.
Specific Problem — Why is My Phone Not Allowing Me to Make Calls
If you cannot make OR receive calls — this is a more serious network issue:
Step 1 — Verify SIM is active: Dial 199 (Jio) or 121 (Airtel) to check account status
Step 2 — Check if number is active: Ask someone to send you an SMS — if SMS delivers your number is active
Step 3 — Check emergency calls: Try dialing 112 — if emergency calls work your SIM hardware is fine — problem is account or network
Step 4 — Try SIM in another phone: Insert your SIM in a different phone — if calls work in other phone problem is your phone settings. If calls fail in other phone too — problem is SIM or account.
Step 5 — Contact carrier: If all above fail — contact your carrier customer care directly.
Complete Fix Summary — Try in This Order
Follow this exact sequence for fastest resolution:
| Step | Fix | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turn off Do Not Disturb | 30 seconds |
| 2 | Toggle Airplane Mode on and off | 1 minute |
| 3 | Restart phone | 2 minutes |
| 4 | Check Call Forwarding — dial ##002# | 1 minute |
| 5 | Check Blocked Numbers list | 2 minutes |
| 6 | Check Call Barring — dial #330*0000# | 1 minute |
| 7 | Clear Phone app cache | 2 minutes |
| 8 | Check network mode — set to auto | 2 minutes |
| 9 | Re-seat SIM card | 5 minutes |
| 10 | Reset Network Settings | 3 minutes |
| 11 | Check third party call blocking apps | 3 minutes |
| 12 | Contact carrier if all above fail | 10 minutes |
When to Visit Service Center
If every fix above has been tried and calls are still not coming through — the problem may be hardware:
Hardware issues causing missed calls:
- Damaged antenna — phone dropped or water damaged
- SIM card slot damaged
- Baseband processor fault
Signs it is hardware:
- Emergency calls also fail
- SIM works in another phone but not yours
- Problem started after phone was dropped or got wet
- Signal bars constantly fluctuate or show no signal
Visit authorized service center for hardware diagnosis. Do not attempt self-repair for antenna issues.
How to Prevent This Problem in Future
Prevention tips:
Check DND schedule monthly: Once a month verify no unintended DND schedule is active — Settings → Sound → Do Not Disturb → Schedules
Never activate call forwarding accidentally: Be careful when dialing — codes starting with * and # can accidentally activate forwarding if dialed incorrectly
Keep carrier account active: For prepaid — recharge before expiry date to maintain incoming call service
Keep Android updated: Software updates fix call handling bugs before they affect you
Avoid unknown call blocking apps: Only use trusted call filtering apps like Truecaller — and review their blocked lists regularly
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to fix Android phone not receiving calls Samsung? A: For Samsung specifically — check Do Not Disturb and Bedtime Mode in Digital Wellbeing, disable Call and Message Continuity in Advanced Features, clear Phone app cache, and reset network settings through General Management → Reset → Reset Network Settings.
Q: Phone not receiving calls but can make them — what causes this? A: This specific symptom is almost always caused by Call Forwarding being enabled or Incoming Call Barring being activated. Dial ##002# to disable all forwarding and #330*0000# to disable call barring. Both take under 30 seconds.
Q: Why my phone cannot receive incoming calls from a particular number? A: Check your blocked numbers list first — Phone app → Settings → Blocked Numbers. If they are not blocked — they may have blocked you, or Truecaller is filtering their number as spam. Also possible is a temporary inter-carrier routing issue.
Q: What does cannot receive incoming calls at the moment please try again later mean? A: This message comes from your carrier — not your phone. It means your account may be suspended, SIM expired, or incoming call service is deactivated. Call your carrier customer care — Jio 199, Airtel 121, Vi 199 — to check account status.
Q: Why is my phone not allowing me to make calls Android? A: If both incoming and outgoing calls fail — check account balance and status, try SIM in another phone to isolate whether problem is phone or SIM, and contact carrier if SIM fails in other phone too.
Q: The number you are trying to reach cannot receive incoming calls — what does this mean? A: This message means the person you are calling has an issue with their incoming call service — their account may be suspended, they may have call barring enabled, or their SIM has a problem. The issue is on their end — not yours.
Q: How do I fix incoming calls on Android without resetting? A: Try in order — turn off DND, toggle Airplane Mode, check call forwarding by dialing ##002#, check blocked numbers list, and clear Phone app cache. These fixes work for most cases without any reset required.
Q: Will resetting network settings delete my contacts? A: No — resetting network settings only resets WiFi passwords, Bluetooth pairings, and mobile network configurations. Your contacts, messages, photos, and app data are completely unaffected.
Final Verdict
Android phone not receiving calls is almost always a software or settings issue — not a hardware problem. In 95 percent of cases the fix is one of — Do Not Disturb being on, Call Forwarding being enabled, Call Barring being active, or a network registration issue resolved by toggling Airplane Mode.
Start with the Quick Fix at the top of this article. If that does not work follow the numbered fixes in order. Most users find their solution within the first 5 fixes.
If you have tried every fix in this guide and calls are still not coming through — contact your carrier customer care directly. The problem is almost certainly account or network-side rather than your phone.
Quick Summary
- Check Do Not Disturb first — most common overlooked cause
- Dial ##002# to disable all call forwarding instantly
- Dial #330*0000# to disable all call barring
- Toggle Airplane Mode for 30 seconds to refresh network registration
- Check Blocked Numbers list in Phone app settings
- Clear Phone app cache in Settings → Apps → Phone
- Reset Network Settings if multiple fixes fail
- Samsung users — check Bedtime Mode and Focus Mode in Digital Wellbeing
- Cannot receive calls from one number — check blocked list and Truecaller spam filter
- Cannot receive calls message — contact carrier to check account status
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