Trouble with phone calls or Wi-Fi calls

If you can’t make or receive calls, have dropped calls, or if your audio quality isn’t good, try the steps below to fix the problem. To turn on Wi-Fi calls, learn how to make calls over Wi-Fi.

After each step below, try to call a friend or have a friend call you to check if the issue is fixed.

Keep in mind that dropped calls may happen every once in a while because of interference from buildings, weather, or other factors.

Perform general troubleshooting

1. Confirm Google Fi app activation

• If you recently activated Google Fi service, or switched to a new device, make sure that the Google Fi app has been activated.
  1. On your phone, open the Google Fi app .
  2. To get to the home page, follow the on-screen instructions.
  3. When you're done, make a test call to check if it works.

2. Check your number transfer status

If your number transfer is in progress, you won’t be able to make calls until the transfer finished and your number is activated. To check if your transfer is still in progress, open the Google Fi app on your phone. If it’s still in progress there will be a notification at the top of the screen.

3. Use the default Phone app

Make sure you are using the Phone app that came on your phone or the Phone app by Google to make calls. Other apps for dialing aren’t supported.

4. (Android only) Run the Google Fi Connection Troubleshooter

1. Open the Google Fi app .
2. Under the “Support” tab, tap Connectivity issues Phone Call issues.
   • An automatic diagnostic check runs on your phone.
3. If the issue is still unresolved.
   1. Upload the diagnostic report.
   2. Contact our support team for further assistance.

5. Turn Airplane mode on or off

Turning Airplane mode on and off will reset some settings and may fix your connection.

1. Open your phone's Settings app .
2. Tap Network & Internet.
3. Turn on Airplane mode.
4. Turn off Airplane mode.

Make sure Airplane mode is off when you’re done. Calling won’t work if Airplane mode is on.

6. Restart your phone

• Restarting your phone gives it a fresh start and is sometimes all you need to fix your issue. To restart your phone:
  1. Press and hold the Power button until the menu pops up.
  2. To turn off, tap Power off.
  3. Press and hold the Power button until your device starts.

7. (Android only) Check for Google Fi app updates

• Updates to the Google Fi app can provide feature and security improvements that may fix your issue.
• To check if there’s an update for the Google Fi app:
  1. On your phone, open the Google Play Store app .
  2. At the top right, tap your Profile picture or Initial.
  3. Tap Manage apps & device Updates available.
  4. If Google Fi is listed, tap Update.

You can also check for app updates directly.

8. Check for system updates

• System updates often include fixes and improvements that could resolve your issue. To check for and install updates:
  1. Open your phone's Settings app .
  2. Tap System System update System Updates.
  3. Tap Check for update.
     • If an update is available: Tap Install.
       • To finish the process, you may need to restart your phone.
     • If your system is already up to date: The screen will confirm this.

Check which network causes problems

Important: Before troubleshooting, identify whether the problem lies with the Google Fi cellular network or a connected Wi-Fi network.

• Test cellular calls:
  1. Turn off Wi-Fi.
  2. To check if the issue persists on the cellular network, place a test call.
• Test Wi-Fi calls:
  1. Turn on Airplane mode.
  2. Connect to a Wi-Fi network.
  3. To make sure the call is routed over Wi-Fi, make a test call.
  4. Check if the issue is still present.

Troubleshoot Cellular Call failure

1. Fix signal strength & call quality

If the signal icon on your phone has No bars or only One bar , be aware that your call quality may be affected.

• If signal strength is poor and we have coverage in your location:
  • Try to find another spot nearby with a better signal.
  • If you’re inside a building or underground, move outside. Buildings can block signals.
  • If that doesn’t work, continue to the next steps.
• If we don’t have coverage in your location: Connect to Wi-Fi so you can use Wi-Fi calling.

2. Make sure you're calling a valid number with the correct format

Calls in the US

If you have issues with outgoing calls, use the full 10- or 11-digit number:

• (area code) + (local number)
• 1+ (area code) + (local number)

Call other countries from the US

If you call an international number from the US:

• Canada and US Virgin Islands: Dial 1+ (area code) + (local number).
• To all other countries:
  1. Tap and hold 0 until "+" displays on the screen.
  2. Dial (country code) (area code) + (local number).
     • For example, if you call a number in the UK, dial +44 (area code) + (local number).

Make calls outside the US

If you’re outside the US and call international numbers or the US:

• To call a number in the country you’re visiting: Dial (country code) (area code) + (local number).
• To call another country:
  1. Tap and hold 0 until a "+" displays on the screen.
  2. Dial (country code) (area code) + (local number).
     • For example, if you call a number in the UK from Japan, dial +44 (area code) + (local number).
     • If this number format doesn’t work, you can also use the exit code of the country you’re visiting. Use (exit code) (destination country code) (area code) + (local number).
• To call a number in the US: Dial +1 (area code) + (local number).
  • No need to dial 011 and the country code.

3. Remove any VPNs

If you use a VPN:

1. Turn it off.
2. Check if you still have an issue.

If you use the Google One VPN:

1. On your device, open the Google One app .
2. At the top, tap Benefits.
3. Under the “VPN benefit,” tap View details View settings Allow apps to bypass VPN.
4. Select the app you want to bypass.
5. Tap Add .
   • To remove an app from the bypass list, tap Remove .
6. At the top, tap Save.
   • If you don’t tap “Save” to restart the VPN by Google One, your changes won’t save. If the VPN is disabled, the changes apply the next time the VPN is enabled.

4. Check for an outage

• If this is a sudden unexpected change at a specific location where you previously had no issues, and calls to all numbers are affected, there may be an outage.
• Test if phone calls work at another location, somewhere more than 5 miles away to connect to another tower.

5. Check other plan members for location-specific call issues

• If call quality issues persist for both parties, possible causes include:
  • Poor coverage
  • A localized site outage
  • An account billing problem
• Verify these possibilities through the Fi app or fi.google.com.

Troubleshoot Wi-Fi Call failure

Important: Wi-Fi calling works on devices designed for Fi and most compatible with Fi phones.

Check that Wi-Fi network has an internet connection

With “Airplane mode" on, open a browser and go to a few websites or search on Google.com.

• If the Wi-Fi network isn’t working: Troubleshoot the Wi-Fi network first.
  • For Pixel and other Android users, learn how to fix Wi-Fi connection problems.
• If the internet on the Wi-Fi network is working:
  1. Connect to a different Wi-Fi network.
  2. To check if the issue is still present, place a test call.
• If the issue only happens on one Wi-Fi network: Reach out to your internet service provider to troubleshoot the issue further.

Check specific number call issues

1. Check call forwarding

• If you don’t get any inbound calls, check if you have Call forwarding enabled.

2. Check call blocking

• If you don't get phone calls from specific numbers, check if the following settings are blocked:
  • Family settings: Can block numbers that aren’t saved to your contacts.
  • Blocked numbers: Allow you to block specific phone numbers.
  • Filtering spam calls: Block numbers suspected to be spam.

3. Check if anyone else on your plan has issues calling the same number

• If the issue is specific to a certain phone number, and others have issues with those numbers, the issue may be with the other party.
• If others can call the number successfully, check that the number format is the same.

Call quality issues

1. Check your signal strength

• If the signal icon on your phone has No bars or only One bar , be aware that your call quality may be affected.

2. Check microphone & speaker functionality

• While not on a call, test your device’s speaker with a video or music playback to check for any hardware malfunctions.
• If the issue is only with the other party who hears you, make a voice memo and play it back to check if any audio issues are present.

3. Use Wi-Fi Calling if available

• When indoors, Wi-Fi performance is generally better than the carrier network due to potential interference. If available, connect to Wi-Fi and enable Wi-Fi calling.
  • For more information, learn how to make calls over Wi-Fi.
• If these steps don’t help, contact our support team.
  • Be sure to note key details like if the issue only happens with specific phone numbers, or at specific locations.
  • Be ready to provide the specific call examples that had issues so that we can investigate those in more detail.