WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, allowing users to easily connect with friends and family through messages, voice calls, and video calls. However, many users have experienced issues with incoming WhatsApp calls not ringing on their device. There are several potential reasons why your WhatsApp might not ring on an incoming call.
Your Phone’s Do Not Disturb Settings
One of the most common reasons your WhatsApp calls won’t ring is if you have your phone set to Do Not Disturb mode. This setting mutes all incoming calls, alerts and notifications when enabled. To check if Do Not Disturb is enabled:
- On iPhone – Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb and see if it’s switched on. You can also check by swiping down from the top right corner to access Control Center and look for the moon icon.
- On Android – Go to Settings > Sound > Do Not Disturb and see if it’s enabled. You can also check by swiping down from the top to access Quick Settings and look for the Do Not Disturb icon.
If Do Not Disturb is enabled, simply switch it off and your WhatsApp calls should start ringing again. You can also customize the settings to allow calls from certain contacts.
Missed Call Notifications Turned Off
Another setting that could prevent WhatsApp calls from ringing is if you’ve disabled missed call notifications for the app. To check this:
- On iPhone – Go to Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp and make sure “Missed Calls” is turned ON.
- On Android – Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > WhatsApp > Notifications and make sure “Missed call” is turned ON.
If missed call notifications are disabled, you won’t get any sound or banner when receiving a WhatsApp call. Be sure to enable it so you’ll be notified of any incoming calls.
WhatsApp Notifications Paused
You can temporarily pause all notifications from WhatsApp for 1 hour, 8 hours or 24 hours. If notifications are paused, calls won’t ring during that period.
- On iPhone – Go to Settings > Notifications > WhatsApp and check the notification pause status.
- On Android – Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > WhatsApp > Notifications and check the notification pause status.
Simply resume WhatsApp notifications and calls should ring again.
WhatsApp Call Ringtone Not Set
If you don’t have a specific ringtone set for WhatsApp calls, your phone’s default ringtone will be used instead. If your default ringtone is silent or very quiet, WhatsApp calls may seem like they’re not ringing.
To set a custom WhatsApp call ringtone:
- On iPhone – Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringtone and set a new ringtone under WhatsApp.
- On Android – Go to Settings > Sound > Phone ringtone and set a new ringtone for WhatsApp.
Choose an loud, audible ringtone so you can clearly hear WhatsApp calls.
Glitch in WhatsApp App
In some cases, a bug or glitch in the WhatsApp app itself could prevent calls from ringing properly. Issues like call notifications getting stuck, delayed or not working reliably do occur occasionally after WhatsApp updates.
To rule out a buggy update as the cause, try force quitting and re-opening the WhatsApp app or signing out and back in. Also make sure WhatsApp is updated to the latest version from your device’s app store. If the issue persists, try uninstalling and re-installing WhatsApp to clear out any glitches.
Network Connection Problem
Call connectivity issues due to poor internet network could also result in WhatsApp calls not ringing reliably. Some things to check:
- Make sure your phone can access the internet (WiFi or mobile data). Try disabling WiFi and using mobile data instead or vice versa.
- Check if you have connectivity issues in your area or if your network carrier is experiencing an outage.
- Try switching airplane mode on and off to reset network connections.
- Restart your mobile phone to refresh network registration.
If network issues are causing problems with WhatsApp call connectivity, you’ll simply have to wait until the connection improves before calls will ring properly.
Phone Hardware or Software Issue
On rare occasions, a problem with your phone’s hardware or software could prevent WhatsApp calls from ringing:
- Faulty ringer/buzzer: The physical component that produces ringing sounds could malfunction.
- Speaker damage: Damaged or obstructed speakers prevent ringing audio.
- OS software bug: An operating system bug may affect call ringing.
- Phone microphone damage: The microphone used for call audio could be faulty.
If you suspect a hardware or software defect in your phone, you’ll need to contact the device manufacturer for service or repairs.
Caller Blocked or Number Banned
If someone specifically blocked your number or their number is banned from WhatsApp, your calls to them won’t ring on their end. However, this shouldn’t affect incoming calls ringing on your device.
WhatsApp Account Banned or Limited
In extreme cases of violations, WhatsApp may ban or limit an account’s access to calling services. This will prevent any calls to or from that account from connecting and ringing properly. The account holder would need to appeal to WhatsApp support for any lifting of restrictions.
Contact Using WhatsApp Web
Keep in mind that calls won’t ring when a contact is using WhatsApp Web (the web browser version) rather than their phone. WhatsApp Web does not support voice/video calling. So if a contact opts to use WhatsApp Web for messaging, calls made to them will not go through.
Testing Troubleshooting Steps
To further diagnose why your WhatsApp calls aren’t ringing, you can try these troubleshooting tests with a friend’s help:
- Have a friend try calling your WhatsApp number to see if their call rings on your end.
- Try calling your friend’s WhatsApp number to see if your call rings on their end.
- Check if the issue happens on WiFi and mobile data.
- Test calling from another phone on the same WhatsApp account.
This can help pinpoint if the issue is only affecting incoming or outgoing calls and rule out problems on your end vs the caller’s end. If calls still don’t ring even after switching devices and networks, then there are likely issues with your WhatsApp account settings.
Why Does WhatsApp Call Immediately Disconnect?
In some cases, WhatsApp calls will ring for a very short time and then immediately disconnect or cut off instead of ringing through. Some potential reasons this could happen:
- Poor network connection causing the call to drop.
- You or the caller rejected/missed the call.
- The caller put their phone on airplane mode.
- The caller force closed or cleared WhatsApp from the background.
- Outdated WhatsApp version on the caller’s device.
- Glitch due to a WhatsApp update bug.
So before concluding there’s an issue, check if any of these factors explain the short ringing duration and immediate disconnect. A call ringing briefly before rejecting itself is often not a cause for concern.
How to Prevent WhatsApp Calls Not Ringing
Here are some tips to prevent WhatsApp call ringing issues:
- Disable Do Not Disturb and pause notifications before expecting important WhatsApp calls.
- Set a loud custom ringtone for WhatsApp calls.
- Make sure WhatsApp app is updated to the latest version.
- Check for any WhatsApp notifications about restrictions on your account.
- Resolve any network connectivity or phone hardware issues.
- Restart your phone and router if connectivity is unstable.
- Switch between WiFi and mobile data to rule out network problems.
Staying on top of your phone and app settings, network connectivity, and WhatsApp account status will help minimize issues of calls not ringing properly.
What to Do if WhatsApp Calls Don’t Ring?
If you’ve tried the above troubleshooting tips but WhatsApp calls still don’t ring reliably, here are some other steps to take:
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version from your app store.
- Force quit and restart the WhatsApp app.
- Restart your phone to clear out any software glitches.
- Check WhatsApp support site for reported issues.
- Uninstall and re-install WhatsApp to resolve persistent bugs.
- Contact WhatsApp support if calls don’t ring after re-install.
- Factory reset phone if you suspect an OS software bug.
In most cases, a quick update, force quit or uninstall/reinstall of the app will resolve any unpredictable issues with WhatsApp call ringing. But for persistent problems, you may need to backup chats and perform a factory reset of your device to eliminate any system-level software bugs disrupting call connectivity.
Why Does WhatsApp Call End in 1 Second?
It can be frustrating if WhatsApp calls seem to end abruptly after just 1 second of ringing. There are some potential reasons for this:
- Poor network connection caused the call to drop immediately.
- You or caller accidentally rejected the call.
- Do Not Disturb settings on recipient’s phone.
- Outdated version of WhatsApp on your or caller’s device.
- Glitch due to a recent WhatsApp update on either end.
- Caller blocked your number or got banned from WhatsApp.
So before assuming there is a deeper issue, consider if any of these simpler explanations account for the brief 1 second call duration. Try calling again from a different network to see if it persists – if calls connect normally even once, it likely indicates a temporary network problem was the cause.
Why Does WhatsApp Call Go to Voicemail Instantly?
Instead of ringing, some WhatsApp users find calls go straight to voicemail or get rejected almost instantly. Some possible reasons for this:
- The recipient rejected the call manually.
- WhatsApp is not allowed access to make calls due to OS settings.
- The recipient has enabled call forwarding to voicemail for WhatsApp.
- You have been blocked by the recipient.
- Your number is banned or restricted in the recipient’s country.
Unless the recipient confirms they are not manually rejecting or forwarding the calls, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact reason on your end. Try contacting the recipient through another means for more details if WhatsApp calls continue to go to voicemail.
Why is My WhatsApp Not Ringing on Call?
If your WhatsApp is not ringing at all when someone calls you, some potential reasons are:
- Your ringer volume is muted or set very low.
- Do Not Disturb mode is activated on your phone.
- You have blocked the caller.
- Your phone or WhatsApp microphone permission was disabled.
- Faulty ringer/speaker hardware on your phone.
- Glitch in the latest WhatsApp update.
Start by checking your ringer settings, Do Not Disturb status and the caller’s block status. Also try toggling WhatsApp’s microphone permission and updating WhatsApp to rule out a bug. If issues continue despite troubleshooting, a hardware defect may be preventing your phone from ringing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my WhatsApp calls not ring but messages come through?
If messages are coming through normally but calls don’t ring, it likely indicates an issue specific to WhatsApp calling functionality rather than general connectivity problems. Some things to check are your call notification settings, microphone permissions for WhatsApp, and whether a buggy app update is affecting calling.
Why does WhatsApp think I rejected a call when my phone never rang?
This is a bug where WhatsApp logs a missed call from someone but your phone itself never actually rang. It is likely an issue of delayed or failed call notifications from WhatsApp’s servers. Restarting your phone and the app usually resolves it.
How do I tell if my phone is ringing if it’s on silent?
If your ringer is silenced, watch for visual cues like vibration or call notification banners/pop-ups to check if calls are coming through. You can also enable “flash on call” settings which will make the camera flash blink to notify you.
Why does my phone ring once and then stop?
A single short ring followed by disconnect is typically caused by network instability, the caller cancelling quickly, or your phone’s OS terminating the call. Unless it happens frequently, a single short ring is not a point of concern.
How can I troubleshoot WhatsApp call issues on iPhone and Android?
General troubleshooting steps that apply to both platforms include force closing the app, updating WhatsApp, checking Do Not Disturb settings, trying different WiFi and mobile networks, and uninstalling/reinstalling WhatsApp. Refer to the platform-specific settings mentioned earlier for additional debugging.
| Scenario | Potential Causes | Troubleshooting Tips |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp calls don’t ring at all | Do Not Disturb enabled, ringer muted, call notifications off, blocked caller, OS/hardware issue, app glitch | Disable DND, increase ringer volume, enable call notifications, update/reinstall WhatsApp, factory reset device |
| WhatsApp call rings briefly then disconnects | Poor network, call rejected, app crashed, airplane mode, unsupported WhatsApp version | Try different networks, re-call, update WhatsApp version, restart phone |
| WhatsApp call goes direct to voicemail | Call manually rejected, call forwarding enabled, caller blocked, restrictions on number | Ask recipient if they are rejecting calls, disable call forwarding, unblock number, use a different number |
Conclusion
To summarize, issues of WhatsApp calls not ringing properly can stem from your device settings, network problems, app glitches, account restrictions or hardware faults. Following the troubleshooting tips in this guide should help identify and resolve the most common causes. Make sure to keep WhatsApp updated, fine-tune notifications and ringer settings, and check account status for the best calling experience. But if problems persist despite all efforts, it may require professional technical support to pinpoint the underlying issue.