Your iPhone has several important functions. But in most cases, the most important feature is receiving calls and messages. Most of us keep our phones locked when we aren’t using them. If you find that your iPhone isn’t ringing when it’s locked, there are many solutions that you can try. 

  • Make sure the volume is on
  • Check the Do Not Disturb function
  • Disconnect paired devices
  • Make sure it isn’t stuck in Headphone mode
  • Check Call Forwarding
  • Switch Airplane mode on and off
  • Restart your phone

Below, we’ll discuss how you can use these quick fixes and get your phone back to ringing as soon as possible. Keep reading to learn more!

What Should I Do If My iPhone Isn’t Ringing When Locked?

Few things are more annoying than missing an important call because your phone isn’t working as it should. 

The iPhone has a reputation for being reliable, but some features could override the ringer. 

If your phone is not ringing while locked, ensure your volume is on and that there are no functions that are stopping calls from coming through. If that does not work, you will need to check for problems that stop the iPhone from ringing. 

Make Sure the Volume is On 

This one might sound obvious, but the first thing to check is that your volume is on.

There are multiple ways your volume could get turned off. Some of them include: 

  • Your phone is on silent
  • Silence Unknown Callers is on
  • The volume is too low

This is the most common cause of the problem, so it’s the first thing you should check.

Your Phone is On Silent

Make sure your phone is not on silent mode by finding the switch on the side of your iPhone. 

This will normally be next to the up and down volume buttons. The switch needs to be pushed toward the screen to allow for sound. 

Silence Unknown Callers is On

The iPhone has a setting where it does not ring for callers that aren’t in your contact list. To get those calls, you will need to disable this feature. 

Follow these steps to disable the feature: 

  • Open your iPhone’s Settings app.
  • Select “Phone.”
  • Find “Silence Unknown Callers” and toggle it off.

This will ensure your phone always rings, even when the caller is not on your contact list. 

Turn the Volume Up 

Sometimes, your phone could be ringing, but the volume is so soft that you don’t hear it. 

Turning the volume back up should solve this problem. Press the volume up button on the side of your phone until you can hear it ring.

Check the Do Not Disturb Function 

Besides the volume being muted, this is the next most frequent problem people experience when their iPhone isn’t ringing. 

Find out if the Do Not Disturb function is on by doing the following: 

  • Open your Settings.
  • Select “Focus.”
  • Find “Do Not Disturb” and switch it off.

Now, all calls should get through to you. 

Disconnect Paired Devices 

If your iPhone is paired to a Bluetooth device, such as AirPods, it could silence the phone’s main speakers. 

Make sure all paired Bluetooth devices are switched off or disconnected so they don’t override the speakers on your phone. 

Make Sure It Isn’t Stuck in Headphone Mode

Even if all your paired devices have been disconnected, your iPhone might still be stuck in Headphone mode. It will react like your headphones are connected, even if they’re not.

To make sure your phone isn’t stuck in this mode, you will need to use the volume keys at the side of the iPhone.

Press the volume up or down, but watch the screen while you do so. If the Headphone icon appears while you are pressing the button, it is stuck in Headphone mode. 

You can fix this problem by restarting your phone or turning off Bluetooth. 

Check Call Forwarding

If you keep receiving missed calls but your phone isn’t ringing, you might have set your iPhone to forward all calls to another number. 

Turn this feature off by following the steps below: 

  • Open your phone’s settings.
  • Choose “Phone.”
  • Select “Call Forwarding” and make sure it’s toggled off.

Hopefully, callers will now be able to reach you. 

Switch Airplane Mode On and Off

Your phone not ringing could be a simple problem with a bug or a network issue. 

Switching Airplane mode on and off could fix any minor issues. It forces the phone to reconnect to the network and might solve the problem. 

Restart Your Phone

If the problem persists, try restarting your phone. 

It might sound too easy, but this simple fix can solve many issues.

In Conclusion

If your iPhone won’t ring when it is locked, there is normally a simple solution. 

You can ensure the volume is turned up, all features blocking the ringer are turned off, and you aren’t experiencing any network problems.