How to fix Google Pixel 3 can’t make a call issue
Are you having trouble with your Google Pixel 3 not making a call? This is the issue that we’re addressing in this troubleshooting episode so be sure to follow our solutions below.
Problem: Google Pixel 3 can’t make a call
When I try to make a call it will say it is calling, then will show its connected with the countdown timer but I cannot hear anyone. I have to reboot my phone to get it to make calls. I have also done all the troubleshooting, factory reset the phone but it’s still the same.
Solution: There’s no clear cut to know where the problem lies on this one. You must do a number of troubleshooting steps for this one to figure out the cause. Follow our suggestions below.
Forced reboot
There had been many instances in the past when seemingly unexplained problems go away after a restart. We know you are wondering why calls go through after you restart the device as well. The most likely explanation for that is temporary bugs. These types of bugs develop when a device encounters a particular set of coding error and it can’t resolve the problem on its own. These coding hiccups are usually associated to a particular software condition on a device and will go away once that certain state is changed. While most of such bugs go away on their own, there may be others that require you do manual refresh of the system. To check if you can make that happen, we suggest that you simulate the effects of a “battery pull” in order to also clear the RAM. it’s a more effective way to refresh the system compared to a regular restart. To see if the cause of the problem is temporary, try rebooting your Google Pixel 3 this way:
Press and hold the Power key for 30 seconds or even more and when the logo shows up on the screen, release it.
Unlike other devices wherein you have to press and hold a couple of keys, you only need the power button on Pixel phones and again, it’s hard-wired to respond to it. So, if it actually boots up, that would be the end of the problem but try to do it a few more times if the first try didn’t work. After that and your device still remains unresponsive, try the next solution.
Reset network settings
Should the issue remain after a forced reboot, the next good thing to do in this case is to reset network settings. Resetting network settings will delete all previously connected wifi networks, wifi passwords, VPN settings, and cellular settings. To do it:
- Open your device’s Settings app Settings app.
- Tap System.
- Tap Advanced.
- Tap Reset options.
- Tap Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.
- If you don’t see “Advanced,” tap Network & internet > More t> Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.
- At the bottom, tap Reset settings.
Reset app preferences
Some users were able to successfully make their device work by clearing their network settings. If you haven’t tried it yet, here’s what you need to do:
- From a Home screen, tap the Arrow icon Up to display all apps.
- Go to Settings app icon.
- Tap System About icon.
- Tap Reset options icon.
- Choose from the following:
- Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth
- Reset app preferences
- Erase all data (factory reset)
- Tap RESET SETTINGS. If prompted, enter the PIN, password or pattern.
- Tap RESET SETTINGS to confirm.
Reseat SIM
Temporarily disconnecting the SIM card has proven effective in dealing with some network issues on the Google Pixel 3 before. This suggestion is simple so we suggest that you do it if nothing has worked so far. Make sure to remove the SIM only after turning off the device to preventing corrupting data. Wait for a few seconds before inserting the SIM card. Again, make sure that your Google Pixel 3 is off. Once you start the phone and it detects the SIM, it will reconfigure cellular data settings. If the cause of the bug is due to incorrect network setup, this might help.
Clear Phone app cache
Should nothing still work as expected at this stage, the next thing that you want to do is to clear the cache of the Phone app you’re using. The bug may lie there so this is one of the direct ways to troubleshoot the app.
- From a Home screen, touch and swipe up to display all apps.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Apps & notifications.
- Tap See all ‘xx’ apps.
- Tap the appropriate app.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear cache.
- Restart your Pixel 3.
Delete Phone app data
Clearing the Phone app’s data should follow the clearing of cache procedure. On app level, this one is drastic as it returns the software state of the app into factory defaults. It will delete all user customization for this app as well as all call logs. Here’s how it’s done:
- From a Home screen, touch and swipe up to display all apps.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Apps & notifications.
- Tap See all ‘xx’ apps.
- Tap the appropriate app.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear data.
- Restart your Pixel 3.
Install updates
Keeping Android operating system and apps up-to-date is one of the best ways to prevent and, sometimes, fix problems. Outdated OS can be a source of bugs but so are incompatible apps. To lessen the chances of problems from developing, you must ensure that the software side of your device runs the latest versions. To make this as less of a hassle as possible, let the system do it automatically. By default, your Pixel 3 should download and install updates on its own. If you change this before, you want to regularly check for updates.
To check for software updates (for Android OS), you can go under Settings > Software update.
Safe Mode
On safe mode, all downloaded apps will be suspended and won’t be able to run. So, if calls work normally on safe mode but returns to its current problem state on normal mode, you can bet a third party or downloaded app is the culprit.
Follow the steps below on how to restart your Pixel 3 to safe mode:
- Press and hold the Power button.
- On your screen, touch and hold Power off.
- Tap OK.
- After you see “Safe mode” at the bottom of your screen, wait to see if the problem goes away.
Remember, safe mode blocks third party or downloaded apps. Make sure to check for the problem on safe mode. If you can make calls on this mode at your first try, you have an app problem. To identify which of your downloaded apps is causing the problem:
- To exit safe mode, restart your device.
- One by one, uninstall recently downloaded apps. After each removal, restart your device. See whether removing that app solved the problem.
- After you remove the app that’s causing the problem, you can reinstall the other apps that you removed.
Factory reset
This is the most drastic troubleshooting that you can do in this case. As the name suggests, this will return all software settings to their defaults. This is usually an effective fix for a lot of software-related issues. If the cause of the problem is a software bug, this might help.
To factory reset your Pixel 3:
- Create a backup of your personal data.
- Make sure to know the username and password for Google account in the phone.
- Open Settings app.
- Tap System.
- Tap Advanced.
- Tap Reset options.
- Tap Erase all data (factory reset) and then Reset phone. If needed, enter your PIN, pattern, or password.
- To erase all data from your phone’s internal storage, tap Erase everything.
- When your phone has finished erasing, pick the option to restart.
- Set up your phone and restore your backed-up data.
Get new SIM
If the problem returns even after a factory reset, you can start looking for the cause outside the device itself. It may be a SIM card issue so the first thing you must do after wiping the device is to get a new SIM. Carriers often gives SIM cards for free so you want to visit your local carrier store to get one. Then, test out how calling works.
Contact your network operator
Should the problem is still there, you must get help from your network operator. You’ve already tried everything on your end so it’s safe to assume that this issue is either coding-related, which may require an update for your modem firmware (baseband), or it’s network-related. Either way, you want to let your carrier know about the case so they can further troubleshoot it on their end.