Why can’t I hear anything on my phone calls?
Check Your Phone’s Volume
The most obvious issue that can cause you to not hear anything during phone calls is if your phone’s volume is set too low or muted. Make sure the volume on your phone is turned up sufficiently by using the volume buttons or slider in the settings menu. Also check that your phone is not muted by ensuring the mute switch is not enabled and volume is not at the lowest level.
Try toggling the mute switch on and off during a call to see if you regain audio briefly. If muting and unmuting does not immediately resolve the problem, verify the volume is at an audible level. Slowly increase the volume if you still cannot hear the caller.
Additionally, attempt using headphones or speakerphone during calls to isolate if the issue is with the phone’s main earpiece. Connect headphones or external speakers and check if you can hear the caller properly through these alternate audio sources. If the headphones or speaker allow you to hear the call, the problem likely lies with your phone’s built-in earpiece and may require inspection or replacement.
Sources:
https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/device-troubleshooting/audio-on-calls-troubleshooting
Check Your Cellular Service
One of the most common causes of no audio during phone calls is poor cellular service or a weak signal. First, check that you have adequate signal strength or data connectivity. Try moving to a location with better reception or closer to a cellular tower.
You can also try toggling airplane mode on and off on your phone. When airplane mode is turned on, it disables all wireless connections on your device. Turning airplane mode off will cause your phone to reconnect to the cellular network, which may resolve any connectivity issues.
According to T-Mobile’s troubleshooting guide, “The issue may be with the person you are calling. Adjust the phone to a higher volume, and make sure it’s not muted. Remove any cases or covers from the phone.”[1]
If you are still unable to hear anything during calls after checking your signal strength and toggling airplane mode, you may need to contact your cellular carrier for further troubleshooting.
[1] https://www.t-mobile.com/support/devices/device-troubleshooting/audio-on-calls-troubleshooting
Eliminate Background Noise
One of the most common reasons you may not be able to hear anything on your phone calls is too much background noise. Background noises like construction, traffic, crowds, and loud music can make it very difficult to hear the other person on the call.
To eliminate background noise:
- Move to a quieter area with less ambient noise. Step outside or into a quiet room if possible. According to this advice, choosing a quiet location is one of the best ways to mute background noise on calls.
- Turn off any music, TVs, or other people talking around you. As recommended in this RingCentral article, eliminating noises like dogs barking and lawn mowers ensures fewer distractions.
Making these simple changes to move away from and turn off ambient noises can make a big difference in improving the audio quality of your phone calls.
Restart Your Phone
Restarting your phone is one of the simplest troubleshooting steps you can take if you are having issues hearing anything on your phone calls. A quick restart helps reset any glitches in your operating system that may be causing audio problems. Here are some tips for restarting your phone:
- Power your phone off completely by holding down the power button until the “slide to power off” prompt appears. Slide to power off and wait for your phone to shut down fully.
- Leave your phone powered off for at least 30 seconds before powering it back on. This gives your device time to clear out memory and reset properly.
- Once powered back on, close any apps that may have been running in the background before attempting a call again. Apps can sometimes interfere with call audio, so closing them provides a clean slate.
- Make sure to restart your phone before initiating an important call. Restarting clears any temporary glitches that may be affecting your audio.
Restarting your device essentially provides a fresh start for your operating system and can often resolve temporary call audio issues. Make this quick reset part of your regular troubleshooting routine if you find your phone calls are suddenly silent.
Check Accessibility Settings
Some accessibility features like TalkBack or VoiceOver can cause issues with hearing audio during calls. These features are designed to help users with visual impairments by reading text and screen content aloud. However, they can sometimes override or interfere with your phone’s normal audio playback during calls.
To check if accessibility settings are affecting your call audio:
- On Android devices, go to Settings > Accessibility and look for options like TalkBack or Voice Assistant. Disable these if they are turned on.
- On iPhones, go to Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content and turn off options like Speak Screen or Speak Selection if they are enabled.
Disabling any accessibility features related to spoken feedback or screen reading can help resolve call audio problems in some cases. Just remember to re-enable these features if you or other users rely on them for accessibility.
See this Google support article for more details on managing TalkBack settings on Android devices.
Update Your Phone Software
One of the easiest solutions could be to simply update your phone’s software. Having the latest operating system and app updates installed can often fix bugs and problems affecting calling functionality.
First, install any available operating system updates for your phone. On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update to check for and install the latest iOS version. On Android, go to Settings > System > Advanced > System Update. Install the latest OS update if one is available.
Next, go to your phone’s app store and make sure you have the latest versions of your calling and phone apps, like your dialer, contacts, voicemail, and carrier apps. The app store will show which apps have pending updates. Tap to update them all. This will ensure these critical apps have the latest bug fixes and optimizations.
After updating your system software and calling-related apps, try making a phone call again. Often times an update is all that’s needed to fix phone call audio issues or other glitches.
Try Different Headsets/Speakers
If you are trying to use a wired headset or external speakers and there is no audio coming through, try connecting a different headset or set of speakers to see if that fixes the issue. The headset or speakers you are trying to use could be damaged or malfunctioning. Connect a new or different headset or speaker that you know works properly to test if the problem is with your original device.
For bluetooth headsets, try pairing a different bluetooth device to your phone to see if you can get audio output through that device. There may be an issue with the specific bluetooth headset you are trying to use. Verify that other bluetooth headsets are able to connect properly and play audio.[1]
If a newly connected headset or speaker works properly, then the issue is likely with the original headset/speaker you were trying to use. Check for any physical damage, try charging wired headsets, reset bluetooth headsets, or you may need to replace the headset that is not functioning.
Check for Moisture Damage
One of the most common reasons for lost audio on phone calls is moisture damage to the phone’s headset jack or speakers. If your phone has been exposed to water or other liquids, it’s possible that moisture has accumulated in the headset jack or speaker, preventing proper audio transmission.
First, inspect your phone’s headset jack and speakers closely for any signs of moisture or corrosion. Use a flashlight to peer into the headset jack opening. Look for evidence of water droplets, rust, or other contaminants inside the jack or speaker ports. Gently shake your phone to see if any moisture drips out.
If your inspection uncovers moisture, you’ll need to thoroughly dry out your phone’s headset jack and speakers before audio will work properly again. An easy first step is to leave the phone powered off and resting in a dry, warm area for at least 24 hours. This allows time for moisture to fully evaporate.
You can also try using a can of compressed air to forcefully blow out any remaining droplets left in hard-to-reach areas of the headset jack or speaker. Just take care not to blow air directly at sensitive electronic components.
As a last resort, you may need to take your phone to a repair shop where they can fully disassemble it and dry out any interior moisture. But leaving your powered-off phone to air dry for a day or two will be the easiest and most affordable solution in most cases.[1]
Contact Your Carrier
If you are still unable to resolve the no sound issue after trying other troubleshooting steps, it’s a good idea to contact your cell phone carrier for assistance. Cell providers have support teams dedicated to helping customers diagnose and fix problems with calling and cellular connectivity.
When you contact your carrier’s customer support, explain that you are unable to hear anything during calls made on your phone. Provide details on when the issue started happening and any troubleshooting you’ve already tried. The support representative can walk you through additional steps to try on your specific phone model.
Importantly, your carrier has the ability to run diagnostics on your individual cellular plan and network connection. They can check if there are any interruptions or issues specifically affecting your line. The support rep may also be able to activate your phone on a different cellular band or tower to test if that resolves the no audio problem.
If the issue appears tied to your phone hardware, your carrier may be able to overnight a replacement phone to you. Cell providers want to retain customers by fixing problems quickly. Don’t hesitate to escalate your case to a supervisor if frontline support is unable to resolve your no sound on calls concern.
Get Your Phone Serviced
If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and your phone still has no audio on calls, it likely requires professional servicing. Visit an authorized service center or repair shop that specializes in your phone’s brand and model. According to Verizon’s community forums, hardware issues like a faulty microphone or speaker are often the cause of no audio on calls.
The technicians at a service center will be able to diagnose the specific hardware issue and either repair or replace the damaged components. For example, they may swap out the microphone or speaker if those parts are broken. In severe cases with extensive damage, you may need a full device replacement if repair is not possible.
Seeking professional servicing is the best solution when you’ve exhausted all other troubleshooting options. The experts will pinpoint the hardware problem and get your phone’s calling functions working properly again.
