The most obvious solution to make your phone ring is to call it from another phone. But what happens when your “pocket supercomputer” becomes the master of silent treatment, leaving you to face the dreaded “why didn’t you pick up” text from your family, clients and boss. Fortunately, 99% of “how do I make my phone ring” issues are software-related, and you can fix them in under five minutes. In this guide, we’ll talk about everything you can do to make your phone ring in no time.
How to make my phone ring for free?
Before you panic or consider a costly repair, there’s a high chance you can make your phone ring with a simple setting you can adjust for free. So here we’ll outline the common culprits and their easy fixes.
Check volume setting
This might seem obvious, but it’s the most frequent offender. Modern smartphones use the same physical volume controls for media, alarms and ringtones. So, usually, what could happen is that you were watching a video last night and turned the volume all the way down. Hence, when a call comes in the following day, your phone might remain silent because the ringer volume is linked to the media volume. The fix is this:
- When your phone is on the home screen, press the physical volume-up button on the side.
- Look on-screen for an indicator that says “Ringtone” or “Volume”. If it says “Media,” you might need to go to the Sound panel and adjust the ringtone volume there.
Turn off silent or do not disturb mode
Your smartphone’s “Silent” or “Do Not Disturb” modes are designed to give you peace. But there’s a good chance you could turn them on and forget to turn them off later. Here’s how to fix it:
- First, if you use an iPhone, check if you’ve turned on the physical “Silent Switch” on the left side.
- Also on iPhone or Android, you can access the Quick Settings panel, where you’ll look for the “Do Not Disturb” or crescent moon icon. If it’s highlighted, turn it off.
- An additional recommended setting is to add your family to a special list so the phone rings when they call. To do this on the iPhone, go to the Do Not Disturb panel.
- Click the three-button icon and go to ‘Settings”
- Finally, click on “People”
- Add their contact list there.
- In the future, if they call while you’re on DND, it will go through.
Restart your phone
Sometimes software glitches can cause your smartphone to act weirdly. The classic advice is to switch it off entirely to eliminate all bugs immediately. Usually, an app or process can interfere with your phone’s core audio services. Therefore, switching off your smartphone and waiting 30 seconds before turning it back on can fix it. This would clear your phone’s temporary memory and restart all processes.
Disconnect bluetooth
Sometimes you use your wireless phone or your car to listen to music. And so when the Bluetooth connection stays in place, you may not hear when the phone rings. A simple practical fix when you’re not using your wireless headphones or car’s stereo is to turn off the Bluetooth icon. You should even practice turning off your Bluetooth when it’s not in use as a safety measure.
How to make my phone ring even on silent?
If your phone isn’t ringing and you can’t access it, then there’s a different issue at hand. Fortunately, other built-in, free “finder” services can override the silent setting and force the phone to ring at full volume. It’s a fantastic lifesaver for those moments when the phone’s slipped between the couch cushions or misplaced somewhere you can’t reach.
Use the Google Find My Device app
Google Find My Device is the official solution for finding lost Android smartphones. The beauty of it is that it uses the internet to command your phone to ring at full volume. However, there are a few conditions. First, the phone had to have been previously turned on, signed to a Google account, connected to mobile data or WiFi, and Google Find My Device must be enabled. If you have all of this in place, then follow these steps:
- On another Android device, download the “Find My Device” app.
- Log in to the same Google account you had on your lost phone.
- Now, you can see all devices signed into that Google Find My Device on a map.
- Select the missing device and click “Play Sound”.
- The phone would immediately ring at full volume.
With Google Find My Device web
Sometimes, you might not have access to another Android smartphone or be able to download a new Google Find My Device app. In such a situation, you can still use the Google Find My Device web page on any phone or computer’s browser. Again, the missing smartphone should have internet connectivity, and Google Find My Device enabled. Next, follow these steps;
- Go to the Google Find My Device website.
- Now login to the same Google account used on the lost phone.
- You’ll see all signed into devices on a map.
- Pick the missing smartphone from the lineup and then select “Play Sound”
Via iCloud
Like Android’s Google Find My Device, there’s also something for iPhones. You could also use your iCloud account and the “Find My network” feature to find your missing iPhones. As expected, there are still a few rules. The iPhone must be turned on, connected to the internet and signed into an iCloud account with the “Find My” enabled. Now let’s find it:
- Open iCloud Find My on the web.
- Log in with the Apple ID (iCloud ID) that’s signed into the missing device.
- Select the missing iPhone from a list of devices.
- Click the “Play Sound” option, and the missing phone would play at maximum volume until you dismiss the alert on the iPhone itself.
Via iPhone Find My
Again, if you don’t want to use the iCloud website, there’s still the Find My app for the same purpose. Don’t forget that the Find My service should have been previously set up and that the phone should be connected to the internet. Then follow these steps.
- Open the Find My app on another iPhone or Mac Device.
- Log in using your Apple ID account.
- Pick the missing phone from the list of devices.
- You’ll see its location, and there you can tap “Play Sound”
- Once it connects, the smartphone rings at full volume, overriding any silent or vibration settings.
Use a smartwatch to make your phone ring
When your smartphone is lost nearby, your smartwatch can be the next best thing to find it. All it requires is that your phone be in close Bluetooth range. Usually, it should be at less than 30 feet or 10 meters for this to work.
Make my phone ring with Apple Watch
Your Apple Watch is a perfect tool, as it conveniently helps you find your missing iPhone. So, instead of asking someone to call your phone, you could use your Apple Watch via the following steps:
- Swipe the dial to open the Control Center.
- Tap the icon that looks like an iPhone vibrating with sound waves coming out of it. This is the Ping iPhone button.
- Your iPhone will immediately play a loud pinging sound and flash its light, even if it’s in silent mode.
Ring my phone with Galaxy Watch
Your Samsung phone also works with your Galaxy Watch to make it ring. In this case, it uses the Samsung Find My Phone device, which works with the Samsung Galaxy network. Here are the steps:
- Press the Home button on the Galaxy Watch to open the app list.
- Look for the “Find My Phone” app. The symbol is a magnifying glass and phone icon.
- Tap on it, and your paired Samsung phone would begin ringing at full volume.
Use a smart speaker to make your phone ring
You can also use your smart speaker to make your phone ring if it’s gone missing. This method is also entirely hands-free and effective. Here’s how it works;
- For Google Assistant, simply say “Hey Google, find my phone”.
- For Amazon Alexa, you could use a command like “Alexa, ask Find My iPhone to call my phone.”
FAQ
Can I make my phone ring to find it?
Yes, you can make your phone ring to find it. For Android, use the Google Find My Device website or app. In the same vein, you could use the iCloud website or Find My app to make your iPhone ring. These services would instantly override the silent mode and make your phone ring loudly to locate it.
How do I make my iPhone ring?
You can make your phone ring in diverse ways. The most effective is using the “Play Sound” feature in Apple’s Find My or Google Find My Device. Your connected smartwatches can also be used to ping your smartphones from their Control Center.
Why does my phone only vibrate but not ring?
This is often a setting issue. First, check if your smartphone isn’t set to silent mode or vibrate mode. Also, make sure the ringer is turned up using the side buttons. You could also check that you don’t have an active Focus or “Do Not Disturb” mode that’s silencing your calls. And there’s also the issue of being connected to a wireless headphone or another Bluetooth device that could be stealing your audio.
Conclusion
Now you know all the best answers to – how do I make my phone ring for free, or when it’s silent?” You should never forget that the solution is usually relatively straightforward. And if it’s because you often forget your DND mode, you can set some of your loved ones to be able to call you even when you’re in DND. You can also make your phone ring if it’s been misplaced nearby. Ultimately, there’s always a workaround to make the best of any situation.
