Solved: iPhone Call Failed Repeatedly

It can be frustrating when you attempt to make a call on your iPhone, and you’re given the error message “Call Failed.” You find yourself wondering, "Why do my calls keep failing?" After rebooting your iPhone, updating your iOS software, and moving to various locations, here are several simple steps to solve the iPhone call failed error before contacting your carrier.

Call Failed on Your iPhone? 6 Common Fixes.

Why are my calls failing on my iPhone? Well, there could be several causes. While the success rate of voice calls on the iPhone has improved a lot in recent years, they can still fail from time to time. If your iPhone keeps saying Call Failed, work through the troubleshooting steps below to solve the problem.

Fix #1: If a call failed on your iPhone, toggle Airplane mode off & on.

As simple as this suggestion sounds, this is the most common solution for resolving the "Call Failed" message on your iPhone. This is especially true if your iPhone won't make calls, but will send texts.

1. Swipe down from the upper right corner of your iPhone (or up from the bottom of the screen on models with Home buttons) to access the Control Center.
2. Tap the Airplane Mode icon on the upper left corner of the Control Center.
3. Wait a few seconds, then tap the Airplane Mode icon again to turn it back off.

Fix #2: Restart your iPhone to clear minor software bugs.

If you haven't already done so, make sure to restart your iPhone. Whether your call failed on an iPhone 16 or an older iPhone XS, this cure-all solution is listed in nearly every iPhone troubleshooting article, and for good reason! By taking a few seconds to restart, you can resolve a lot of minor software glitches, including those causing the iPhone "Call Failed" error message.

Fix #3: Check your list of blocked numbers if your call won't go through to a certain number.

If your iPhone won't make calls to a specific number, it's possible that you accidentally blocked this person's number (or blocked them and forgot). You should also double-check blocked contacts if your iPhone calls fail immediately before they barely have the chance to ring. This can also signal that the number has been added to your blocked contacts. If your call failed on an iPhone 13 (or other models), follow these steps to check blocked contacts:

1. Open the Settings app, scroll down, and in iOS 18 or later, tap Apps.
2. Tap Phone.
3. Tap Blocked Contacts. Make sure that the number you’re trying to call is not among the numbers you’ve blocked.

While this is rare, it does happen. If you see the number you're trying to call in the list of blocked contacts, tap the Edit button in the top left corner, then tap the minus icon next to the contact. This will remove the contact from your blocked numbers list so you can call them.

Fix #4: Remove & reinsert your SIM card if calls keep failing on your iPhone.

A damaged SIM card could be the reason for failed or dropped calls on an iPhone. If you have an older phone with a physical SIM, check your SIM card for any damage or scratches, especially if you have been using it for a long time. If you have an iPhone 14 or newer, you won't have a physical SIM card, so you can skip this step.

1. Open the SIM tray using a paper clip (or SIM-eject tool).
2. Take out the SIM card.
3. Look for damage. If you find any, consider getting a new SIM card. If you don’t find damage, reinsert the SIM card and try to make the call again. Image courtesy of Apple

If you have another iPhone, you can try inserting the SIM card into that phone. Or, if you have another SIM card, you can try inserting it in the first iPhone. If either of these efforts leads to a successful phone call, you have isolated the issue to either the iPhone or the SIM card.

Fix #5: Reset your network settings to solve connection issues.

If you've tried the solutions above and your iPhone still says call failed, you can reset your network settings.

1. Open the Settings app and tap on General.
2. Scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
3. Tap on Reset Network Settings. You'll need to enter your passcode to confirm you want to reset.

Fix #6: Contact your carrier to check for network outages.

As a final resort, you should contact your service provider (such as Verizon or AT&T). This will allow you to do two things: check to make sure your account is active and in good standing, as well as determine whether there is a network outage in your area. For most major carriers, you contact them by phone, email, online (by logging into your account), or through the iPhone app for the specific service provider (such as the myAT&T app).

That's all there is to it! Hopefully, these solutions covering how to fix the Call Failed error on your iPhone resolved the problem. If you've been meaning to learn how to make video calls, check out how to make a FaceTime Call. I often use FaceTime to call friends and family, since video calls feel more personal. However, if you find the eye contact feature a bit eerie (like I do), you can also learn how to enable and disable FaceTime Eye Contact.

Top image credit: B art / Shutterstock.com