Skip to Content

WhatsApp Calling Vs Ringing – What’s The Difference?

WhatsApp Calling Vs Ringing – What’s The Difference?

If you use WhatsApp for VoIP services to stay connected with others, you might wonder about the difference between calling vs ringing while reaching someone.

In this article, we’ll discuss the difference between these two aspects of WhatsApp. We’ll also explore why your calls are not ringing on the app and what you can do about it. 

What is the difference between calling and ringing on WhatsApp call?

The difference between calling vs. ringing on WhatsApp is directly linked to the availability or unavailability of the contact. 

Calling status on WhatsApp means you have initiated the call, but the recipient is unaware of it because they are either offline due to internet issues or their phone is off. In this case, the recipient will only receive the call notification when they get back online.

On the other hand, ringing on WhatsApp indicates the call has successfully gone through, and the recipient can accept or reject it.

Why are my WhatsApp calls not ringing?

  • Network issues on the recipient side.
  • Calling an inactive contact.
  • You have been blocked by the recipient.
  • Minor bugs cause the app to glitch.
  • The recipient has restricted background data access for WhatsApp.

How do I get my WhatsApp calls to ring? 

Ask the Recipient to Re-Establish Network Connection

WhatsApp requires an active internet connection with stable bandwidth on your and the recipient’s phone to connect your calls.  

However, if the recipient is facing network issues, your WhatsApp will show “Calling” instead of “Ringing.” Therefore, call them on their cell number and ask them to connect to a reliable internet connection for WhatsApp calls to work. 

Contact Recipient On New Account

The problem also occurs if you are trying to connect with an inactive recipient who has uninstalled WhatsApp without deleting their account or not using it anymore.

So, request the recipient to reactivate their account or contact them through their new WhatsApp number.

Request Recipient to Unblock Your Number

When someone blocks you on WhatsApp, your calls will not go through, and the app will continue to show “Calling” on your end.

The remedy here is to confirm this with the person on a phone call. If so, address any misunderstandings that might have led to the block so they can unblock your WhatsApp number and then call them. 

Force Stop WhatsApp

Android: 

  • Open “Settings.”
  • Tap “Apps.”
  • Tap “All Apps.”
  • Select “WhatsApp.”
  • Tap “Force Stop.”

NOTE: Force-stopping WhatsApp also fixes the app if it keeps scrolling up.

iPhone:

  • Swipe up on your iPhone Home screen to access the most recent apps.
  • Scroll right to find WhatsApp.
  • Swipe up on the WhatsApp preview to close the app. 

After force-stopping the app, relaunch WhatsApp and try calling someone to see if this fixes the issue. 

Provide Background Data Access to WhatsApp

The recipient might have restricted WhatsApp from running in the background, due to which your call won’t connect.

To fix this, ask the other person to grant WhatsApp the necessary permissions in the background with these easy steps:

Android:

  • Open “Settings.”
  • Tap “Connections.” 
  • Tap “Data Usage.”
  • Select “WhatsApp.”
  • Toggle on “Allow Background Data Usage.”

iPhone:

  • Open “Settings.”
  • Tap “General.”
  • Tap “Background App Refresh.”
  • Toggle on “WhatsApp.”

Once the recipient allows the app to run in the background, try calling them again and verify the fix.

What does one ring on WhatsApp mean? 

If the WhatsApp “Calling” status turns into “Ringing,” but the app shows “Unavailable” after one ring, this could mean the recipient has enabled the “Do Not Disturb” feature on their phone. 

Again, the fix here is advising them to turn off this mode on their Android phone with these steps:

  • Open “Settings.” 
  • Go to  “Notifications.”
  • Select “Do Not Disturb.”
  • Toggle off “Do Not Disturb.”

On an iPhone, swipe down from the top-right edge of the screen to launch the “Control Center” and the half-moon icon to disable “Do Not Disturb.”

Conclusion

In this short guide, we’ve explained the difference between WhatsApp calling vs ringing statuses. We’ve also answered why your WhatsApp calls are not ringing and discussed 5 fixes to resolve this issue quickly.

Hopefully, this article has provided you with clear insights into the matter, and you now don’t have to keep staring at your phone, thinking about why the other person is not answering your WhatsApp calls.

Author

  • Tauqeer Ahmed

    Tauqeer Ahmed is a technology expert with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He has a degree in Computer Science and specializes in network security and software troubleshooting. You can find out more about him at https://helpfixthat.com/tauqeer-ahmed/

    View all posts