Ringtone Not Working? 7 Possible Ways to Fix It

Did you just get shouted at for not picking up your boss’s call because you did not hear it? Well, it’s not your fault, so let us help you with that. Your phone ringtone could not be working due to many reasons.

Some settings let you be in total silence, ignoring any notifications or calls. You might have turned on those settings, or maybe your speaker is broken. Likewise, there could be other possible reasons for your ringtone not working.

But sit tight cause this article will tell you what to do to fix it.

Why is my Ringtone Not Working?

How to Fix if Ringtone Not Working

If your ringtone is not working, here are some solutions to try out before you think of buying a new phone. Here we have mentioned fixes for both Android and iPhone.

Turn On Sound Mode

If your phone is on Mute or Vibration mode, change it to sound mode. Your ringtone will only ring if your phone is in sound mode.

Here’s how to do it:

On Android

1. Scroll down your notification bar.
2. Click on the Mute button.
   

You need to click on the mute button until it shows sound.

On iPhone

On the left side of your phone, you will see a switch. If it is turned down, it is in silent mode. Turn that switch up, so you don’t see any color behind the switch. Now, your phone is in sound mode.

Check Ringtone Volume

You won’t hear your ringtone when your ringtone volume is set to low. Please turn up your ringtone volume to full, so you can hear it loud and clear. Keep in mind that media volume and ringtone volume are different. Increasing your media volume will have no effect on your ringtone. Do this to adjust the ringtone volume:

On Android

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Sounds and Vibrations.
3. Click on Volume.
   
4. Adjust the ringtone volume.

On iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Sounds & Haptic(for iPhone 7 and up)
3. Go to Sounds (for earlier iPhone versions)
4. On Ringer and Alerts, adjust the volume by sliding the button.
   

Clean/ Change Your Speakers

Your speakers also play a big role here. If your speakers are packed with dirt and junk, clean them out. Every sound your phone makes comes from your speakers, so take good care of it.

Check your speakers by playing sounds other than a ringtone. If no sounds play, your speakers are broken. Your speakers need to be fixed or changed. If the sound plays, but it’s robotic or distorted, your speakers are packed with dirt or soaked in water.

Check Do Not Disturb Mode

Do Not Disturb mode silences your notifications and also your phone calls. Your phone will not alert you about incoming calls or text messages. Turn this mode off to enable ringtone.

On Android

1. Scroll down the notifications bar.
2. Find Do Not Disturb( Crescent moon icon).
   
3. Click on it to turn it off.

If the button shows no color, it is turned off.

On iPhone

1. Scroll down the notifications bar.
2. Find the Half Moon Icon.
3. Click on it to turn it off.
   

If the button shows no color, it is turned off.

Check Digital Wellbeing Mode

Digital Wellbeing is a feature that allows you to disconnect from your phone by setting goals, app timers, or more. Bedtime mode is another feature of digital wellbeing. If this is turned on, you won’t be getting calls, alerts, or another sound. Check if you have this feature turned on.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Scroll down and click on Digital Wellbeing and Parenting Controls.
   
3. Turn off Bedtime Mode.

Change Your Ringtone

Try changing your ringtone as your ringtone could be the faulty one here. Some phones do not have the feature to set a ringtone song from the timestamp you want. So, the song will play from the start. 

In that case, you will not hear songs having silence or low sounds at the beginning. Change your ringtone to something that has loud sounds. You can also try out built-in sounds.

Here’s how to change your ringtone:

On Android

1. Go to Settings.
2. Click on Sounds and Vibrations.
3. Click on Ringtone.
   
4. Click on the + button at the top right corner.
5. Select any song.
6. Click on Done.

A new ringtone is set now. Try calling your phone and see if the ringtone worked or not.

On iPhone

1. Go to Settings.
2. Go to Sounds & Haptic(for iPhone 7 and up)
3. Go to Sounds (for earlier iPhone versions)
4. Click on Ringtone.
   
5. Select any song.

Restart Phone

Restarting is the ultimate solution to any problem that arises on your phone. Restarting prevents crashes and makes your phone healthier! If there is any systemic problem with your ringtone, rebooting might fix it. To restart your phone, 

1. Press and hold Power Button
2. Click on Reboot
   
3. Tap again to confirm the restart.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Set a Ringtone for Impaired Hearing on Android?

Those ringtones with high frequency should be quite good for people with impaired hearing. To amplify frequencies,

1. Open Settings
2. Go to Accessibilities
3. Click on Hearing Enhancements
4. Click on Adapt Sounds
   
5. Click on any one of the options that suit you best