Poor iPhone call quality? Engadget’s guide starts with signal, settings and hardware
Engadget outlines troubleshooting steps for muffled or dropping calls, from checking reception to testing the microphone.
Engadget has published a guide to troubleshooting poor iPhone call quality, with steps covering reception, software, call settings and audio hardware. The suggestions address possible causes; the guide does not diagnose a particular phone or guarantee a fix.
It recommends checking call volume, speaker mode and signal strength first. Low reception may improve by moving to a more open space. Toggling Airplane Mode on for 10 seconds and then off can prompt the phone to reconnect to the cellular network.
For background noise picked up around the caller, Voice Isolation is available on iPhone XR/XS and newer running iOS 16.4 or later. It changes how the caller’s voice sounds to the person on the other end; it does not improve what the iPhone user hears.
Wi-Fi Calling can route calls over Wi-Fi where cellular reception is poor, though a hand-off to cellular service when leaving Wi-Fi range may result in a dropped call. Engadget also advises checking for iOS and carrier settings updates and restarting the phone.
The guide suggests testing the microphone with Voice Memos, cleaning the speaker grille and earpiece, and trying calls without a case or Bluetooth headphones. It also notes that some iPhone 12 and 12 Pro models had earpiece failures addressed by a now-closed Apple service programme, while older iPhones with Intel modems may have weaker signal.
