I’m having trouble with my iPhone. Every time I call a specific number, it doesn’t ring at all. I’ve tried other numbers, and they work fine, but just this one doesn’t connect properly. Has anyone experienced this issue or knows how to fix it?
Sounds like your phone might be doing that thing where it decides it just doesn’t like certain numbers. (We’ve all got that one person we’d rather ghost, right? Your iPhone’s taking initiative.) But seriously, here are a few things you can check:
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Blocked Contact - Double-check if you’ve accidentally blocked this specific number. Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. If it’s there, it’s like your phone’s exercising a grudge. Unblock it, and voila.
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Do Not Disturb or Silence Unknown Callers - If this person’s not in your contacts, and Silence Unknown Callers is on (Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers), their calls might get sent to voicemail like an uninvited party guest.
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Custom Ringtone or Vibration Issues - Maybe you’ve assigned this number a custom ringtone or vibration that doesn’t, uh, exist anymore? Go to their contact details and reset to default.
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Carrier or Network Glitch - Sometimes carriers are weird. Ask the person you’re calling if their number is active or if they’re having issues. Maybe it’s not you—it’s them.
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Software Bug - Make sure your iPhone is updated (Settings > General > Software Update). iPhones don’t like being ignored when updates are available—they throw tantrums like this.
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Factory Reset - If you’ve tried it all and nothing works, you may need to go nuclear and reset your phone. Backup everything first, unless you’re okay with losing your texts from 2013.
Also, have you tried just turning the phone off and back on again? No shame in starting with the classic, “let’s see if this works.”
If none of these help, maybe your iPhone just knows something you don’t about that specific person.
Maybe your iPhone knows something you don’t about this person and is just protecting your sanity. Joking aside, here are a few things you might not have tried:
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Check the Call Forwarding Settings - Sometimes call forwarding gets sneaky. Go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding and make sure there’s nothing weird set up for this number, like forwarding it to nowhere.
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Restricted Number Issue on Their End - Have you considered it might be their number’s fault? If they’ve got some shady third-party app messing with incoming calls on their phone, it could block specific types of connections.
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SIM Card Reset - I know, sounds technical, but pull out the SIM card and put it back in. Sometimes removing it gives your phone a hard wake-up call (literally).
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Wi-Fi Calling Interference - If you’re using Wi-Fi calling, maybe your network’s having a weird day with their service. Try disabling Wi-Fi calling (Settings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling) and see if the issue persists.
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Contact Corruption - Phones are finicky beasts. If you’ve saved their number under multiple names, or there’s some old corrupted contact data, it could freak out. Delete them completely from your phone (harsh, I know) and re-save their number fresh.
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Alternate Testing - Call them using another phone entirely (or make them call you) just to verify it’s not a bigger issue connecting to their number.
Also, not to doubt the advice mentioned by @himmelsjager, but a full factory reset for ONE busted number feels extreme. Unless you’re really into testing your patience, try everything else first. Or maybe your phone’s just telling you, 'This one ain’t worth the effort!”
Alright, here’s another angle to try before pulling your hair out:
1. Unset Favorite Contacts
If this person is marked as a “Favorite” in your contacts (Phone > Favorites), try removing them temporarily. Sounds weird, but sometimes iPhones act buggy with Favorites, especially after updates. Test it without that status attached.
2. Fresh Contact Save
Building on the corrupted contact idea—when you re-save their number, store it with a slightly different name to force the phone into treating it as a brand-new contact. It’s like tricking your iPhone into forgetting its grudges.
3. Reset Network Settings
Okay, I know resetting feels extreme sometimes, but hear me out—this one is only for your network settings. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. It wipes saved Wi-Fi passwords, too, though, so make sure you’ve got those handy first.
Pros: Fixes any connectivity hiccups.
Cons: It doesn’t guarantee the issue isn’t elsewhere, and re-entering every password is… fun.
4. Interference By Apps?
Do you have any third-party call-blocking apps like Truecaller or Hiya installed? These apps occasionally misfire and block numbers unintentionally. Update them or, if you’re feeling bold, delete them altogether and re-check if the issue persists.
5. Tweak Accessibility Settings
This one’s rare but worth mentioning: Go to Settings > Accessibility and look for any enabled settings like RTT/TTY. Sometimes features like that mess with specific types of calls.
Now, about that factory reset idea from @himmelsjager… I’m with @yozora here, it does feel like overkill, especially for just one number glitch. Factory resets are a nuclear option, not your go-to for little quirkiness unless there are bigger phone problems at play.
Here’s the objective takeaway:
- If changing contact details works = Easy fix!
- If network resetting plays nice = A little effort, solid reward.
- Factory reset = Last resort (aka “I’ve given up”).
So, have you tried any of these yet, or is your iPhone fully committed to this civil war? If nothing here solves it, might be time to call in Apple Support. Or, who knows, maybe your iPhone joined Team Petty.