What does it mean if you call someone and it goes straight to voicemail

Several users have said that their incoming phone calls are going straight to voicemail. Users have further stated that the iPhone is not ringing when they get a call.

Table of Contents Show

1. Airplane mode
2. Volume setting
3. Ring/Silent Mode
4. Do Not Disturb
6. Unknown callers
7. Blocked numbers
8. Update your iPhone
9. Other notes:
What does it mean if a call goes straight to voicemail without ringing?
Are you blocked if it goes straight to voicemail?
What does it mean when you call someone and it goes straight to voicemail without ringing iPhone?
Am I blocked or is their phone off?

This issue may occur because of a number of reasons. The worst-case scenario is that your iPhone is physically damaged. But it is highly likely that you are having this problem because you’ve inadvertently changed some settings and silenced your phone. This article lists several steps you can try to resolve and prevent this issue.

This is an important problem. It may cause you to miss important calls. If you are having problems, this means that your phone is not ringing and you are not getting any calls and you are only getting voicemail messages. This also means that people have been trying to call you will only get your voicemail.

Typically, when someone calls you, your phone rings and If the call is unanswered by you, they will be sent to your voicemail.

Before you do anything, restart your iPhone. Doing so may fix your problem.

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1. Airplane mode

If Airplane mode is enabled, your calls are sent straight to voicemail. Airplane mode disables the wireless signals on your iPhone. You can easily check this by opening the Settings app. You can touch the Airplane mode slider to change your settings, on or off. Make sure that it’s toggled off.

2. Volume setting

It is possible that the ringer volume is too low. It may seem that your phone is not ringing. You may need to adjust your ring volume. This is easy too. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Under the Ringer and Alerts section, drag the slider to the desired volume level, try to increase it. Make sure that the volume is high enough to hear. If this slider is dimmed, it is possible that your speaker is damaged and you may want to contact Apple Support.

See also: How to Make the iPhone Alarm Volume Louder

3. Ring/Silent Mode

Your iPhone has a Ring/Silent switch which is on the left side of your iPhone. The Ring/Silent switch can mute all alerts and notifications. However, your iPhone may still vibrate when you get a call. When you change the button, a notification will briefly appear on your screen.

4. Do Not Disturb

If your iPhone is in Do Not Disturb mode, you will not see any notifications including incoming calls and all calls will go straight to voicemail (please note that you can set up exceptions for certain numbers). If you see a crescent moon icon in the status bar, this means that this mode is on. You can go to Settings > Do Not Disturb to check this setting, or alternatively, open Control Center, and touch and hold the moon icon to adjust your setting.

5. Bedtime

Are you using the Bedtime feature? A lot of users use this to track their sleeping habits. By default, when you turn on Bedtime, your iPhone will automatically turn on Do Not Disturb during your sleep time. And, as stated above, your calls will be silenced.

If you are using this feature, you can turn off Do Not Disturb during bedtime. Simple, open the Clock app, and tap the Bedtime tab. Then tap Options (top-left corner) and then turn Do Not Disturb During Bedtime off. Then tap Done (top-right corner).

See also: iPhone Alarm Clock Not Working, Fix

6. Unknown callers

If you are using iOS 13 or later, there is a new anti-spam call feature called Silence Unknown Callers. If this feature is enabled, calls from people whom you have never been in contact with will be silenced and will be sent your voicemail. If you get calls from people in your contacts, recent calls, or mentioned in a text or email, these calls will not directly be sent to your voicemail, these calls will ring first. To change this setting, go to Settings > Phone and scroll down and find the Call Silencing And Blocked Contacts section.

Furthermore, if you are using a third-party app to detect spam calls, check the app’s settings so that you are not blocking calls.

7. Blocked numbers

If only some numbers are sent to voicemail, make sure they are not blocked. You can block numbers. When a blocked contact calls you, they will directly be sent to your voicemail. You can manage your blocked numbers by going to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. If you want, you can remove certain numbers from the list.

8. Update your iPhone

Please ensure that your iPhone is updated. It is very easy to update your device. Simply go to Settings > General > Software Update. This will check for updates. And if there is an update available, tap Download and Install and then follow the onscreen instructions.

9. Other notes:

If all else fails, the cause of this problem might be due to hardware damage or network problems.

Your speaker may need service. Contact Apple for service.
Contact your cellular service provider. It is possible that they may be experiencing system-wide issues.

See also: iPhone / iPad Text Sound Notifications Not Working? How to Fix

Dr. Serhat Kurt worked as a Senior Technology Director. He holds a doctoral degree (or doctorate) from the University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign and a master’s degree from Purdue University. Here is his LinkedIn profile.

What does it mean if a call goes straight to voicemail without ringing?

Among the handful of things that might automatically send your calls to voicemail is your phone's Do Not Disturb mode, blocked numbers, call forwarding, Bluetooth connections, and your phone's SIM card. Whether you accidentally activated any of these phone features or forgot you turned them on, don't fret.

Are you blocked if it goes straight to voicemail?

It may just mean the person is talking to someone else at the same time you're calling, has the phone off, or sent the call directly to voicemail. Try again later. If the one-ring and straight-to-voicemail pattern persists, it likely may be a case of a blocked number.

What does it mean when you call someone and it goes straight to voicemail without ringing iPhone?

Your iPhone typically goes straight to voicemail because your iPhone has no service, Do Not Disturb is turned on, or a Carrier Settings update is available.

Am I blocked or is their phone off?

Attempt calling on iPhone or Android First, call from your phone number. If the call goes to voicemail, listen to the message. If you receive a message that the number is unavailable, it generally means the recipient blocked you. If you don't, the recipient may not be in signal range or their phone is turned off.