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Fix iPhone Can't Make or Receive Calls after iOS 26/18 Update

James Davis

Jun 16, 2025 • Filed to: Mobile Repair Solutions • Proven solutions

Is your iPhone acting up after an iOS update? Many users have reported issues where their iPhone won’t make or receive calls after updating to iOS 26 or 18. Whether it’s a network-related problem or a software glitch, these issues can be frustrating, but don’t worry! There are simple ways to get your iPhone functioning properly again.

This guide will walk you through easy and effective solutions to fix call problems on your iPhone. From checking network settings to resetting your device and using tools like Dr.Fone - System Repair, you’ll learn how to troubleshoot and resolve these issues step by step. Keep reading to restore your iPhone’s calling functionality in no time!

Solutions to fix iPhone can't make calls after the update.

To help you, we have listed eight easy solutions to fix the iPhone won't make calls after iOS 26/18 update right here. When my iPhone doesn't make calls but texts, I usually follow these steps to diagnose and solve the problem.

1. Do you have sufficient network coverage?

If your iPhone is out of the coverage area, then you won't be able to make any calls. This problem is rather related to your network than the iOS update. On top of your device's screen, you can see the status of your carrier's network. If you are not getting a network while being in an accessible location, then you might need to get in touch with your carrier.

iphone network coverage

2. Turn the Airplane Mode on and off again

This is one of the easiest solutions to fix the iPhone won't make or receive calls issue. To turn on the Airplane Mode, go to the control center on your device (by swiping up the screen) and tap on the Airplane icon. After waiting for a while, tap on the icon again and turn off the Airplane mode. Additionally, you can also go to your phone's Settings and turn on the Airplane mode. Wait for a few minutes and turn off the feature to search the network.

toggle airplane mode

3. Use a third-party solution

There are plenty of third-party tools that claim to fix issues like the iPhone can't make calls after the update. Sadly, only a handful of them provide the desired results. For instance, you can use Dr.Fone - System Repair to resolve any major issue related to your iPhone without causing any harm to your device. It is a part of the Dr.Fone toolkit and can resolve issues related to the screen of death, an unresponsive device, a phone stuck in recovery mode, an iPhone update that won't update, and so on.

After following its on-screen instructions, you can reboot your phone in normal mode without losing your important data. The tool is known for its high success rate in the industry and is already compatible with all the leading iOS devices.

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4. Reinsert your SIM card

Reinserting the device's SIM card is another easy solution that can help you fix the iPhone without making calls after updating the problem. To do this, you need to assist a paper clip or the SIM eject tool that comes with the phone. Press it into the small opening of the SIM tray to eject it. Afterward, you can check if your SIM tray is damaged or dirty. Clean your SIM with a cloth (no water) and insert it back into your device. Wait for a while, as your device will recognize it and search for a network.

reinsert sim card

5. Restart your iPhone

If even after following these suggestions, you are not able to resolve iPhone won't make calls after iOS 26/18 update, then you can simply restart your device as well. This will make your phone search for the network signal once again and might fix this issue.

Simply hold the Power (wake/sleep) button on your device. It will display the Power slider on your screen. As you would slide it, your device will be switched off. After waiting for a few seconds, press the Power key again to restart your device.

restart iphone

6. Update your carrier settings

Apple usually doesn't interfere with the update of carrier networks. Therefore, there are times when users need to update these settings manually. When my iPhone doesn't make calls but texts, I contacted my carrier and was asked to update my network settings. Most of the time, users get a pop-up message whenever the carrier releases an update. Nevertheless, you can go to your device's Settings > General > About and tap on the "Carrier" section to get the update.

update carrier settings

7. Check the blocking status of the number

Whenever your iPhone can't make or receive calls, try to call a handful of numbers to check whether the problem is general or related to certain numbers. The chances are that you could have simply blocked the number a while back and must have forgotten about it afterward. To do this, you can visit your device's Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification. This will provide a list of all the numbers you have blocked. From here, you can make sure that the number you are trying to call isn't blocked.

check if the number is blocked

8. Reset network settings

If neither of the above-mentioned solutions works, you need to take drastic measures to resolve the iPhone can't make calls after the update problem. In this technique, you would be resetting the saved network settings on your device. This means the saved Wifi passwords, network settings, etc., would be deleted from your device. Nevertheless, the chances are that it would fix the iPhone won't make calls after iOS 26/18 update problem.

To do this, go to your device's Settings > General > Reset and tap on the "Reset Network Settings" option. Confirm your choice and wait for a while, as your phone will restart with the new network settings. Most probably, this will also fix the iPhone won't make or receive calls problem.

reset network settings

Conclusion

Whenever my iPhone won't make calls but will text, I follow these solutions. Ideally, Dr.Fone - System Repair (iOS) provides fast and reliable results to fix almost every major issue related to an iOS device. Easy to use and highly effective, it is a must-have tool for every iPhone user out there. If you have any other suggestions that can help our readers fix the iPhone won't make calls after the iOS 26/18 update, feel free to share them in the comments below.

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James Davis

James Davis

staff Editor

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