Does Your iPhone XS or XS Max Keep Dropping Calls? Here’s How to Fix It
Credit: Dhe Havian / Unsplash
We’ve heard quite a few firsthand reports about Verizon subscribers experiencing frequent dropped calls on iPhone XS and XS Max devices.
Reports of the issue have also been surfacing on Reddit since last year, even shortly after the debut of the 2018 iPhone lineup.
While the majority of reports are from Verizon subscribers, we’ve also seen a few Sprint customers describing similar issues.
Though it may not affect every Verizon or Sprint customer, it does appear to be a fairly widespread problem.
Why Is My iPhone XS Dropping Calls?
It isn’t clear what is causing the issue, but it may have something to do with the chipsets in newer iPhones or the radio networks that each telecom firm uses.
Verizon and Sprint, for example, both use CDMA networks. And as of 2018, Apple has switched over completely to Intel-sourced modems.
Correlation isn’t causation, but both of those factors do appear to run parallel with the frequency of dropped calls. At least, from what we’ve seen.
But while we can’t confirm what the exact cause of the problem is, most users probably just want to know how to fix it.
How Do I Fix an iPhone XS That’s Dropping Calls?
Some of the impacted users that we’ve spoke to report getting their SIM cards swapped out with no luck. Others say that they had their entire smartphones replaced, which also didn’t solve the issue.
Resetting your network settings (Settings > General > Reset) is usually recommended, but hasn’t been proven to fix the issue.
Some users have reported success with disabling HD Voice (a.k.a, advanced calling). You can do that by going to:
- Settings.
- Cellular.
- Cellular Data Option.
- Tap on Enable LTE and select the Data Only option to disable HD Voice.
On the other hand, if HD Voice is already disabled and you’re currently experiencing dropped calls, it may be worth enabling the feature. Some users have reported fewer dropped calls after turning the feature on.
Keep in mind that HD voice is supposed to make calls clearer and more natural-sounding. So you may notice a difference in call quality after disabling it. Of course, if it fixes dropped calls, it may still be worth it.
Also, Apple and the carriers involved have probably identified the issue (if it’s on their end) and are working to fix it. We recommend installing all iOS or carrier updates as soon as possible.
