iPhone Won't Make Or Receive Calls But Can Text: 9 Easy Ways To Fix

Your iPhone won't make or receive calls but can text? This common issue affects many users, especially after iOS updates or SIM card replacements.

We understand how frustrating this issue can be so we have compiled a list of possible causes and fixes for the problem.

Why is My iPhone Not Making or Receiving Calls But Can Text?

Here are possible reasons why your iPhone can’t make or receive calls but can text:

The iPhone is On Airplane Mode

When your iPhone is on “Airplane Mode,” The iPhone will be unable to make or receive calls but can text. You’ll need to turn off “Airplane Mode” to resolve the problem.

Your SIM Card Slot or SIM Card is Faulty

The problem may be from the SIM card slot. When your iPhone falls, the bump can cause the SIM card slot to become dislodged. Also, if you recently replaced the SIM card in your iPhone, the new SIM could have been wrongly placed.

You are Experiencing a Network Glitch

Network glitches occur randomly. It’s primarily caused by a power outage or server problem from your carrier or service provider. You’ll have to wait until they resolve the problem.

The iPhone Software or Hardware is Faulty

A software or hardware problem with your iOS device can disrupt the network settings. For instance, if the iPhone coaxial cable is cut, your iPhone will pick weak and unstable signals unable to make or receive calls but can text.

Note

It's strange but not uncommon—your iPhone may be unable to make or receive calls, yet still send and receive text messages. This is because phone calls and messaging don’t always rely on network connection. Traditional phone calls use  carrier’s voice network, which can be affected by issues like signal problems, SIM card errors, or account restrictions. On the other hand, many messaging services—such as iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger—can send messages over Wi-Fi or mobile data, completely bypassing the voice network. That’s why even when your phone can’t connect for calls, messaging may continue to work normally.

Quickly Fix ‘iPhone Not Making or Receiving Calls But Can Text’ Issue

Here are 8 easy ways to fix iPhones won't make or receive calls but can text. You should know that each method on this list is a trial-and-error fix. If one method doesn’t work, try the next one until you fix the problem.

Check Your Blacklist

If you’re unable to receive calls from certain numbers, it’s possible that you’ve accidentally blocked them. When a number is on your iPhone's blocked list, calls from that number won’t go through, although you may still receive texts depending on the messaging service.

Here’s how to check:

• Go to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts.
• Review the list and unblock any number you want to allow again.
• After unblocking, ask the person to call you again to see if the issue is resolved.

Reinsert the iPhone SIM Card

If the problem is caused by a wrongly-placed SIM card or faulty SIM card slot, you can fix it by reinserting the SIM card in its slot.

Here is a detailed guide for this method:

• Remove the SIM card tray. To do this, push a SIM card ejector, paper clip, or office pin into the hole beside the SIM tray. This will pop the SIM card tray out of its slot.
• Check if the SIM was properly inserted. If not, insert it correctly.
• Give the SIM tray a gentle wipe and reinsert it into the iPhone.
• Check if you can make and receive calls now.

Tip: If your SIM card has been used for more than 10 years, the circuit of the card may have become damaged due to wear and tear. In this case, you’ll need to contact your service provider to get a new SIM card synchronized with your old one.

Toggle the “Airplane Mode” Switch

If your iPhone won't make or receive calls but can text, it could be because the device is in “Airplane Mode”. Toggling Airplane Mode off and on forces your iPhone to reconnect to the nearest cell tower, which can solve signal registration issues. Here is a detailed guide for this method:

• Swipe down from the top corner of the screen to access the “Control Center” menu.
• Locate and click the “Airplane Mode” sign to turn it on for 5 minutes.
• Turn off the “Airplane Mode”. This forces your network settings into a reboot mode that should allow you to make and receive calls.

Check If Your Carrier Has Issues

Your iPhone may not make or receive calls if your carrier is having network problems. This often happens with major providers like AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile. You can check for outages on websites like Downdetector—just search your carrier name and see if others are reporting similar issues.

Here is how to use Downdetector:

• Go to Downdetector.
• Search for your “Network Service Provider” or “Carrier” and check the graph. If other users are experiencing carrier issues, the graph will be high so you know you aren’t alone.

Tip: If your carrier experiences frequent outages or server problems, you should consider switching to another service.

Check the Carrier Plan

If you use a “Pre-paid Plan”, your iPhone will not make or receive calls but can text when your plan has expired or is exhausted. Most service providers allow unlimited phone calls but if you use a “Pre-paid” plan, you should check how much airtime or call minutes you have left on your plan.

If your subscription has expired or is exhausted, you should top-up your plan so you can make and receive calls.

Tip: Always check how many call minutes you have left if you use pre-paid service and top-up your plan when it’s low.

Reset Your Network Settings

If your phone’s network has a glitch, you’ll be unable to connect to the service provider. Resetting the iPhone network settings can fix bugs, software glitches, and wrong network settings on your device causing the problem.

Here is how to reset iPhone’s network settings:

• Click on “Settings” on iPhone and tap ‘General”.
• Select “Reset” at the bottom and click on “Reset Network Settings” option.
• Leave the iPhone for a few minutes and check if you can make and receive calls.

Note

According to Apple Support, this will erase saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN/APN configurations—but it won’t delete your apps, photos, or other data.

Restart Your iPhone Manually

When you restart your iPhone, the device closes all applications and programs and restarts them afresh. Here is how to restart your iPhone:

For iPhone 6 series – 8 series

• Long press the iPhone “Power” or “Sleep and Wake” button until you see the prompt to turn off the iPhone displayed on the screen.
• Slide the “Toggle Switch” to the right to turn off the iPhone and wait a few minutes.
• Long press the “Power” button again to turn on the device.
• When the iPhone comes on, see if you can now make and receive calls.

For iPhone X and Newer Series

• Long press the “Power” or “Side” button and the “Volume Up” or “Volume Down” button until you see the prompt to turn off the iPhone displayed on the screen.
• Slide the “Toggle Switch” to the right to turn off the iOS device and wait a few minutes.
• Long press the “Power” or “Side” button again till you see the Apple logo displayed on the screen.
• When the iPhone comes on, see if you can now make and receive calls.

Check For New Carrier Update

Apple and other carriers release new updates regularly. It’s advised to have the latest update on your iPhone so your phone connects to the carrier better. If you have an outdated update, your iPhone may not connect to the carrier.

Here is how to update your carrier:

• Launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone and Navigate to “General”.
• From “General” go to “About”. If there is a new carrier update, you’ll receive a pop-up notification in less than 10 seconds.
• Click the “Blue Update” button below the screen and follow the on-screen instructions to update your carrier settings.

Using FoneGeek To Fix Your iPhone System Problems – The Best Fix

If your iPhone won’t make or receive calls but can text, you can use FoneGeek iOS System Recovery to fix the problem. FoneGeek iOS System Recovery is an intelligent third-party software program that is designed to fix several iPhone problems.

You can fix iPhone network issues, blue and red screens of death, blank screen, recovery mode, and restarting problems with FoneGeek iOS System Recovery.

The program is compatible with all iPhone and iOS versions. It’s also easy to use and doesn’t consume a large space on your device.

Here are the procedures for this method:

• Download and Install FoneGeek iOS System Recovery on computer. Launch the FoneGeek program and select “Standard Mode”.

• Connect your iPhone to your Windows PC or Mac using a USB or lightning cable. Once connected, your iPhone will be detected.
• If your iPhone isn’t detected, you’ll need to enter your iPhone’s “DFU or Recovery mode”. To do this, click on and downloaded the required “Firmware” on your device. Wait for the “Firmware” to download before you continue.

• When you have the right “Firmware”, the FoneGeek iOS System Recovery will automatically fix your iPhone. Wait for the repair process to be completed before using or pressing your iPhone. This could take a few minutes.

Once the repair is complete, FoneGeek iOS System Recovery will notify you. Then restart your device and see if you can make calls. If you still can’t make or receive calls but can text, try the “Advanced Mode” of iPhixer but you should know that this will erase your data. So, save your data on iCloud before you continue.

Final Words

In summary, iPhone will not make or receive calls but can text if you have problems with your network, software, or hardware settings. Also, if the phone is on airplane mode or you don’t have an active plan on your prepaid service, you won’t enjoy calls. So, find out what the problem is and fix it using any of the methods explained in this post.