8 Common Reasons Your Phone Rings Once and Goes to Voicemail

Do Not Disturb is turned on.

Disable Do Not Disturb. When Do Not Disturb is enabled, you will not receive any calls and you will receive limited notifications. You can usually turn off Do Not Disturb in the Quick Access menu on Android or the Control Panel on iPhone. If this is happening when you are trying to call someone else, you may want to wait and try your call again later, or find an alternate means of communication. Android: To disable Do Not Disturb on Android, swipe down from top of the screen twice to open the Quick Access menu. Swipe left or right to the Quick Access icons until you find the Do Not Disturb icon. Tap it to toggle Do Not Disturb on or off. iPhone: To disable Do Not Disturb on iPhone, swipe down from the upper-right corner to open the Control Panel. Tap Do Not Disturb if it is enabled. Select an alternate focus setting.

Call blocking is on.

Unblock the number. If someone tells you they can't get ahold of you when they try to call you, it may be worth checking to see if their number has been blocked by accident. Use one of the following steps to unblock a number: Android: Open the Phone app and tap the icon with three dots (⋮) in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings > Blocked Number. Tap the minus (-) or "x" icon next to a number. Tap Unblock. iPhone: Open the Settings app. Tap Apps > Phone > Blocked Contacts. Swipe left on the number you want to unblock. Tap Unblock.

Find an alternate means of communication. When your call goes straight to voicemail after one right, it's a good sign that you may be blocked. However, there are other reasons this may happen. Try using an alternate means of communication. If you are able to communicate via text messages, your phone number is probably not blocked. If you can't communicate via any platform, you may be blocked. In which case, you may want to give the person some distance. Try communicating via email. If you see them in person, you can ask them. If someone has blocked you, they may be trying to set a boundary. The best thing you can do is respect that boundary and give them some distance. Maybe they'll be open to communication at a later date. If not, it's best to cut your loses and move on.

Airplane Mode is on.

Disable Airplane Mode. Airplane Mode disables all radio receivers on your phone. This includes cellular communication, mobile data, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. If you are not able to receive calls, text messages, or access the internet, Airplane Mode may be turned on. Use one of the following steps to turn it off: Android: Swipe down from the top of the screen two times to open the Quick Access menu. Tap the icon that resembles an airplane to toggle Airplane Mode on and off. iPhone: Swipe down from the upper-right corner to open the Control Panel. Tap the icon that resembles an airplane to toggle Airplane Mode on and off.

There is an issue with the network.

Try the call again later or in a different area. If there is a weak signal or an issue with the network, calls may not be able to connect or they may disconnect easily. If this is the case, try your call again later on. If this is happening when people try to call you on your phone, try moving to a different area that has better signal strength. Check with your cellular service provider to see what your coverage is like.

Your call is being rejected.

Try your call again later. It may be that the person you are trying to call is busy right not and is not taking calls. As you call them, they reject your call. If this is the case, leave a voicemail and try your call again later.

Call forwarding is on.

Disable call forwarding. When call forwarding is enabled, all calls will be routed to another number or straight to voicemail. If this is happening when you are trying to call someone, wait and try your call again later or leave a voicemail. If this is happening when people are trying to contact you, use one of the following steps to disable call forwarding: Android: Open the Phone app and tap the icon with three dots (⋮) in the upper-right corner. Then tap Settings. Tap Supplementary Services (Samsung Galaxy) or Calling Accounts (stock Android). Tap Call Forwarding (Samsung Galaxy) or Call Forwarding Settings (stock Android). Disable all available options. iPhone: Open the Settings app. Tap Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding. Tap the toggle switch to disable call forwarding. You can also disable call forwarding by dialing "*73" on Verizon, "#25#" on AT&T, or "##25#" on T-Mobile.

Bluetooth devices are interfering.

Disconnect Bluetooth. Sometimes your phone may think it's connected to a Bluetooth device when it's not, or a Bluetooth device that it is connected is preventing calls from going through. You can solve this problem by disconnecting Bluetooth. To do so, swipe down from top of the screen on Android or the upper-right corner on iPhone. Tap the Bluetooth icon to turn off Bluetooth. The Bluetooth icon resembles a jagged "B" with a tail.

The SIM card isn't working.

Reinsert or replace your SIM card. If your SIM card is damaged or not inserted correctly, you won't be able to receive calls. Eject your SIM card and inspect it for damage. If appears to be damaged, contact your cellular service provider to get it replaced. If it is not damaged, reinsert and make sure it is inserted correctly. To remove the SIM card, look for a compartment with a pin hole on the top, bottom, or side of your phone. Insert a paperclip in the pin hole and push down to eject the SIM card tray. Remove the SIM card and inspect it. If it looks fine, place it back in the SIM card tray face down and reinsert the tray.