There are many occasions when you’re not holding your iPhone 18 Pro Max but want some assistance from Siri. This is usually fine if you have the Hey Siri command enabled, but due to iOS also having a feature where you can place the handset face-down to turn the display off, this also has the effect of disabling Siri as well.

So how can you make it so that your voice is still heard, even when the iPhone display is covered? Here’s what to do.

How to enable Hey Siri on iPhone

If you haven’t set up the Hey Siri voice activation on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max yet, here are the simple steps to get it working.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Siri.
3. Tap Requests, then tap “Siri” or “Hey Siri,” then follow the instructions to set it up.

Now, whenever your iPhone screen is unlocked, you should be able to quickly access Siri by using the voice command. By default, Hey Siri is disabled when your iPhone is locked. But if you always want access, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and turn on Siri below Allow Access When Locked.

This won’t overcome the problem of not being able to use the voice assistant when the screen is covered though, so for that you’ll need to adjust the settings in the next section.

How to enable Hey Siri when iPhone screen is covered

To be able to use the Hey Siri voice command when your iPhone 18 Pro Max is face-down or has the display covered, you’ll need to make use of one of the settings in the Accessibility section. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Accessibility.
3. Scroll down and select Siri.
4. Enable the Always Listen for “Siri” setting.

That’s it. You should now be able to wake Siri and make your enquiries, even if the iPhone is face-down on your desk.

If Siri often struggles to recognize your voice or you just can’t get “Hey Siri” to work, you can reset Siri on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. Doing this allows you to retrain Siri to recognize your voice better. We’ll teach you how to do it.

Resetting Siri on Your iPhone

Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t offer a “Reset” button just for Siri. However, you can use a simple toggle in the iOS Settings app to reset Siri when needed. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.
2. Scroll down and select Siri.
3. Tap Requests and select the Off option.
4. Now, wait for a few seconds and select either the “Hey Siri” or “Siri” or “Hey Siri” option according to your preference.
5. When you do so, you’ll be prompted to set up Siri from scratch. Tap Continue and repeat the phrases that appear on your screen one by one.

You’ll have to repeat five phrases to retrain Siri to recognize your voice. Once you’ve repeated the last phrase, you’ll see a “Siri Is Ready” screen. Tap Done and continue using Siri as you normally would.

This is one of the many troubleshooting steps to follow when Siri isn’t working on your Apple device. You can use this as a last-resort step when tweaking other Siri settings doesn’t fix the issue.

Once you reset and train Siri to recognize your voice again, you should have no trouble invoking Apple’s virtual assistant using the “Siri” or “Hey Siri” trigger phrase.

Having trouble getting Siri to work or activate on your iPhone 18 Pro Max? We’ll cover the most common problems you’re likely to experience with Siri, along with some general troubleshooting advice (like how to reset Siri) for good measure.

1. Siri Doesn’t React When You Try to Activate It

In most cases, you’d think Siri isn’t working when it doesn’t activate after you press the Side button.

This is likely because Siri is disabled in your iPhone’s settings. To set up and use Siri, go to Settings > Siri > Requests and toggle on Press Side Button for Siri.

2. Siri Is Missing From Your iPhone Entirely

Perhaps the suggestions above can’t help you because Siri is missing from the Settings app on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. There are a couple of reasons why this might be the case.

First, visit Apple’s feature availability page to make sure that Siri is available in your country or region. Unfortunately, Apple’s personal assistant isn’t available everywhere.

It isn’t a guarantee, but you may be able to bypass regional restrictions by going to Settings > General > Language & Region and changing the Region setting to a supported country like the United States.

Second, make sure you haven’t disabled Siri using Screen Time on your iPhone by mistake. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions to check. If it’s toggled on, tap Siri and make sure Don’t Allow Siri isn’t selected.

If only Siri suggestions are missing, apply these solutions to make Siri suggestions show up on your iPhone again.

3. Siri Doesn’t React When You Say “Hey Siri”

You should be able to activate Siri without touching your iPhone by simply saying “Hey Siri” when your device is in earshot. If “Hey Siri” isn’t working on your iPhone 18 Pro Max, go to Settings > Siri > Requests on your device and make sure “Siri” or “Hey Siri” (or “Hey Siri”) is selected.

Also, to ensure that “Hey Siri” works even when your device is faced down or enclosed in a case, go to Settings > Accessibility > Siri and toggle on Always Listen for “Siri”.

4. Siri Can’t Hear You or Doesn’t Understand What You Say

If Siri doesn’t always hear you or frequently misunderstands what you say, there might be a problem with your iPhone’s microphones. Sometimes, you can fix that by cleaning the microphones with a dry, soft-bristled brush or by removing your screen protector and case.

There are multiple microphones on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. You can test each of them by recording a short video or audio snippets in different apps:

• To test the primary microphone at the bottom of your device, open the Voice Memos app and tap the red button to record a short message. Listen to the playback and make sure you can hear it clearly.

  

• To test the front microphone, open the Camera app and film a short video using the front-facing camera. Replay the video to make sure you can hear it clearly.

  

• To test the rear microphone, open the Camera app and film a short video using the rear camera. Replay the video to make sure you can hear it clearly.

If one of them isn’t working properly, you can try a few solutions to fix your iPhone’s microphone or contact Apple Support to arrange a repair. In the meantime, you can connect a wireless headset or AirPods to use the microphone on those instead.

5. Siri Doesn’t Say Anything When Asked a Question

We usually expect to hear a spoken response after asking Siri a question or issuing a command. If that doesn’t happen, there might be a problem with the settings on your iPhone. Other times, it’s as simple as turning the volume up.

Make sure Siri is set to reply to you by going to Settings > Siri > Responses > Prefer Spoken Responses. To turn up Siri’s volume, repeatedly press the Volume Up button while using Siri. If you adjust the volume at other times, it might not affect Siri’s volume at all.

If Siri still doesn’t say anything, go to Settings > Siri > Voice. Choose a different option to make your device download new voice files. In case this works, you may need to factory reset your iPhone to fix the original voice.

6. Siri Is Too Slow or Can’t Connect to the Network

Siri needs an active internet connection to complete most commands. If Siri isn’t working on your iPhone 18 Pro Max, network problems might be the culprit. Usually, Siri says, “I’m having trouble connecting” or “Try again in a little while” when this happens.

Make sure your device is connected to Wi-Fi and try streaming a YouTube video to test your internet connection. If that doesn’t work, you may need to fix your unstable Wi-Fi connection.

If Siri still isn’t working, temporarily turn off the VPN switch in Settings. Also, toggle Airplane Mode on and off from Settings > Airplane Mode.

Still out of luck? Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and choose Reset Network Settings. This deletes your saved Wi-Fi passwords and other network-related data, so only use it if nothing else worked.

To use Siri over a cellular network, make sure Cellular Data is toggled on in Settings > Cellular and check that you have enough data left in your mobile plan.

7. Multiple Devices Respond When You Talk to Siri

If you own more than one Apple device, you might find that a few of them respond to “Hey Siri” at once. This isn’t an oversight by Apple; it’s a problem with your device’s settings.

All you need to do is make sure Bluetooth is turned on for each of your devices by going to Settings > Bluetooth. When you say “Hey Siri,” your devices quickly use Bluetooth to communicate with one another and decide which device should reply.

If that doesn’t work, make sure each device is logged into the same Apple Account by looking at the profile name at the top of the Settings app. If one of your devices is not on the same Apple Account, tap the name, scroll down, and tap Sign Out. Then tap Sign in to your iPhone to use another account.

Resetting Siri and Other General Fixes

We’ve shown you how to fix the most common problems with Siri, but those solutions aren’t going to work for everyone. If Siri still isn’t working on your iPhone 18 Pro Max, you can try resetting Siri on your iPhone.

Go to Settings > Siri > Requests and choose Off. Then choose either “Hey Siri” or “Siri” or “Hey Siri” again. Tap Continue, follow the on-screen instructions to retrain Siri to recognize your voice, and tap Done.

Besides resetting Siri, here are some more general troubleshooting tips you can try. First, close all open apps on your iPhone. Then try to see if Siri works when the app is reopened. Another general fix is to restart your iPhone and, if available, update to a newer version of iOS. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to do so.

Finally, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and choosing Reset All Settings. This doesn’t delete any apps or media from your device, but it reverts all settings to their default state. Once the reset is complete, go to Settings > Siri to turn Siri on again.

With these various solutions, we hope you managed to fix all your Siri problems by now. Most of the fixes involve checking that you have the correct iPhone settings in place for Siri to work the way you prefer.

Even with the right settings, it’s not uncommon for software glitches to happen. In such cases, all you need to do is reset Siri, and you should be able to use the virtual assistant on your iPhone 18 Pro Max again.

Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, has become an integral part of iOS over the years (alongside other Apple operating systems – it’s also available on the Mac and Apple Watch) allowing you to launch apps, create reminders and calendar events, ask questions and loads of other things using only your voice, with no need to touch a screen or keyboard.

But can you still use Siri when you haven’t got an internet connection? Spoiler: yes you can, but with limitations. In this article we investigate how clever Siri is when there isn’t a Wi-Fi or cellular network available.

Which iPhones let you use Siri offline?

For most of its existence, Siri has connected to Apple’s servers to convert your speech commands into actions it can understand and complete. So, when you say “Hey, Siri, what’s the weather today?”, the question is quickly piped up to the servers and processed, before the answer is sent back to your iPhone where it’s read out by Siri.

But in iOS 15, which rolled out to iPhones late in 2021, Apple moved the speech recognition capabilities from its servers to your handset, making the service more secure and private, while also allowing certain tasks to be possible when you’re not online.

Due to the demands of speech recognition, Apple has limited the iPhones that can work with Siri offline in iOS 15 to those that have the A12 Bionic processor or above.

What can Siri do offline?

It’s worth bearing in mind that only the speech recognition part of Siri is stored on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. There are still plenty of command-processing and question-answering functions on the server.

For this reason, if you’re offline, Siri won’t be able to provide the full functionality you’re used to. For example, asking general questions such as “What is the capital of Switzerland?” or “Will it rain later today?” will get the cold shoulder – by which we mean an error message that Siri needs to be online to do that. Indeed, you may be surprised by the number of tasks that are beyond Siri’s scope when offline.

For example, you can launch various apps via Siri, such as Calendar, but creating new entries in that app is not allowed. Much the same is true of Notes: it will happily open a new note, but you’ll have to tap the screen to bring up the keyboard, then tap the Dictate button to start dictation.

So far, we’ve found that you can achieve the following tasks with Siri offline:

• Opening apps
• Creating new alarms
• Creating timers (but, weirdly, not using the stopwatch)
• Controlling some system features (such as turning on/off Low Power Mode, flashlight, adjusting display brightness)
• Playing tracks in the last music/podcast app that was used, and skipping to the previous or next track
• Adjusting volume levels
• Making phone calls
• Creating and sending Messages

What limitations does Siri have when offline?

As you can see from the list above, Siri can do a few things offline, but its capabilities are quite limited. While you can open apps, you can’t really do anything within them purely through voice controls.

Many useful apps, such as Reminders, Calendar, Maps and similar can’t create any new entries. Music and Podcasts can’t be accessed beyond the main screen and downloaded albums/episodes can’t be selected.

Of course, any action that itself requires access to the internet will be off limits, but that’s a given.

The addition of offline voice control is a handy feature, but the best of Siri is still found when you have an active internet connection.

You may have noticed the camera shutter button during FaceTime calls, but have you wondered where these FaceTime photos are stored? Whether you want to take FaceTime photos, find their location, or have trouble getting the feature to work, we’ve got you covered.

Where Do FaceTime Live Photos Go?

It’s all well and good snapping a photo while you’re using FaceTime, but you need to know where those photos go to enjoy them after the call. The answer is pretty simple: FaceTime photos save directly to the Photos app on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Go to the Photos app on your iPhone. Make sure Library is selected. Scroll to the date and time you took a photo to find it.

You can simplify matters by viewing only your Live Photos. To do this, tap Collections and look for the Live Photos collection. Your iPhone creates this collection automatically as soon as you add a Live Photo to your library.

How to Take Photos During FaceTime Calls

You can take a Live Photo during a FaceTime call using the Take Live Photo button. This appears when you tap the screen on an iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. It looks like two white circles, one inside the other.

If you’re in a FaceTime group call on your iPhone, select the person’s tile you want to take a photo of, then tap the Take Live Photo button.

A Live Photo is better than taking a screenshot because it doesn’t capture the FaceTime user interface. It also saves a couple of seconds of video and audio from right before and after you take the photo. In the future, you can even turn your Live Photos into videos.

How to Take a FaceTime Photo Without Telling the Other Person

When you take a photo of someone using FaceTime, it sends a notification to their device to let them know that you took a picture. There’s no way to avoid sending this notification when you take a photo, but you can get around it by taking a screenshot instead.

Quickly press and release the side button and the volume up button at the same time.

How to Enable Live Photos in Your FaceTime Settings

Before you can take a Live Photo in FaceTime, both you and the person you’re taking a photo of need to enable Live Photos in your FaceTime Settings. So, if you don’t want other people to take photos of you during FaceTime calls, you should disable this option. Keep in mind that other people will still be able to take a screenshot, though.

Go to Settings > Apps > FaceTime. Scroll down and turn on FaceTime Live Photos.

Troubleshooting FaceTime Photo Problems

There are lots of problems that might stop you from being able to snap a Live Photo during your FaceTime calls. If you can’t find the shutter button, FaceTime isn’t saving your photos, or you have trouble finding FaceTime photos after you take them, try these troubleshooting tips to fix it.

1. Enable FaceTime Live Photos on Both Devices

To take a photo of someone during a FaceTime call, everyone on the call needs to turn on FaceTime Live Photos from their device settings. Go to Settings > Apps > FaceTime to do this. Make sure the person you’re taking a photo of checks their settings as well.

2. Open the Photos App on Your Device

When you take Live Photos in FaceTime, it automatically saves those pictures to the Photos app on your device. If you haven’t used Photos before, open it on your device to initialize the app before FaceTime can save photos.

3. Update to the Latest Operating System

In some older versions of iOS, Apple temporarily removed the ability to take Live Photos on FaceTime. This was presumably due to a FaceTime security bug. FaceTime photos are available now, but you need to update your device to the latest software to use them. The person you’re taking a photo of needs to update their device to the latest software as well.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Install any updates that are available there by tapping Update Now.

4. Restart Your iPhone 18 Pro Max

No matter what FaceTime problem you’re encountering, you should always try to fix it by restarting your device. This is a remarkably effective troubleshooting step that only takes a moment to try out. Power off your iPhone as you usually would, then wait 30 seconds before restarting it again. Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear, then drag the Power Off slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

5. Restart FaceTime on Your Device

Finally, try turning FaceTime off and on in your device settings. You may need to sign in to your Apple Account again when you do this.

Go to Settings > Apps > FaceTime and toggle the FaceTime button at the top of the screen.

Revisit Your FaceTime Photos on iPhone 18 Pro Max

All the FaceTime Live Photos you take during a call are permanently stored on your device. FaceTime Live Photos are automatically saved in the Photos app.

If you have iCloud Photos enabled, you’ll be able to view these photos on all your devices—even your Windows PC. In case you face any problems, for instance, FaceTime photos not saving, make sure you go through the troubleshooting steps above.

Apple’s iPhones might be beautifully crafted pieces of tech that many people regard as the pinnacle of smartphone design, but even they can run into problems. See 11 iPhone 18 Pro Max Problems and How to Fix Them.

Here are our top troubleshooting tips for iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

1. Restart Your iPhone

The number one cure for any tech ailment—iOS or Android, Windows or Mac, TV or printer—is to turn the device off and back on. Indeed, there are very few situations where a simple reboot shouldn’t be your first port of call.

The trick works because it resets the software into a stable state after an unexpected sequence of events caused something to break.

Go to Settings > General > Shut Down, then drag the slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

2. Update iOS

If a simple reboot didn’t fix your issue, you need to ensure your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max is up to date. If you’re running an outdated version of iOS, certain apps and features might not be compatible (not to mention the security vulnerabilities this exposes you to).

To update iOS, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. We’ve also got some solutions if you can’t update your iPhone.

3. Update Your Apps

If you’re having issues with a particular app, it’s worth ensuring you’re running its latest version. That’s because developers are constantly releasing bug fixes with each new update, so the issue you’re facing may have been fixed.

You can update apps manually via the App Store. In the App Store app, tap your profile photo at the top. Tap App Updates, then tap Update next to apps you want to update, or tap Update All.

4. Force-Close an iPhone App

Sometimes an app’s instance will become unresponsive, causing it to freeze.

To force-close an app, swipe up from the bottom of the screen but leave your finger on the screen halfway up. The phone will launch the app switcher. Swipe up on an app card to close it.

5. Reset Your iPhone’s Network Settings

Most connectivity issues can be solved by resetting your network settings. It’s easy to do. Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Remember that although you won’t lose your valuable data, you will lose any saved Wi-Fi passwords by performing this reset.

6. Reset All Settings on Your iPhone

If you think an erroneous setting (rather than software or hardware) is the root of your problems, you can reset all phone settings without losing your data. Of course, you’ll need to put everything back the way it was afterward.

Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings to begin the process.

7. Factory Reset Your iPhone

If you need a nuclear option, you could factory reset your iPhone 18 Pro Max. It will return your device to its original state. Although this won’t cure hardware issues, it should solve most software and OS-related problems.

To reset your iPhone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

Make sure you back up all your iPhone data before you perform a factory reset. You will irrecoverably lose any data you have not backed up.

8. Check Your iPhone’s Battery Usage

iPhones generally have excellent battery life, even for power users. But if your device’s battery drains unusually quickly, you can try to identify the offending app.

To see which apps use the most juice, go to Settings > Battery. You can check the charts at the bottom to look at the battery usage of various apps over a certain time frame.

9. Review Your iPhone’s Battery Health

Batteries can only tolerate a certain number of charge cycles before severely deteriorating. Fortunately, Apple allows you to keep an eye on your iPhone’s battery health with ease.

Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to take a look. And if it’s lower than 80%, it’s time to get a battery replacement.

10. Fix Bluetooth Issues

Bluetooth can act surprisingly finicky for a technology that’s so widely used. If you’re having problems creating a Bluetooth connection between your iPhone and another device, there are a couple of fixes you can try.

Firstly, remove old devices that you no longer use. It can help avoid conflicts. To unpair a device, go to Settings > Bluetooth > Info > Forget This Device.

Secondly, turn Bluetooth off and on again (sound familiar?). To turn off Bluetooth, go to the Settings app, tap Bluetooth, then turn off Bluetooth.

Missing calls on your iPhone 18 Pro Max? Or finding that your iPhone calls go directly to voicemail, and don’t know why? You’re not alone.

In this article we discuss some simple issues that may be causing calls to be diverted to voicemail, and explain how to fix them.

1. Check for iOS updates

Before you start changing settings or hassling your network provider, it’s worth checking that your iPhone software is up to date. Occasionally an update will fix your issue.

This is a double-edged sword, however, because it’s also possible that a recent update to iOS has actually caused the problem (if so, it should be patched soon).

If you’ve noticed the voicemail problem since updating iOS, there’s a good chance that the two things are related. Check for any new updates since then, which are likely to include a patch if the issue is a known problem. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap General, then tap Software Update.

2. Check your settings for Screen Unknown Callers

Sometimes an intended change that comes with a new version of iOS could be the root of your problem.

The Silence option under Screen Unknown Callers could mean that all calls from people not in your Contacts will be going straight to voicemail.

Check this by opening Settings > Apps > Phone and scrolling down to the Screen Unknown Callers section.

If Silence is selected, the calls that are going to voicemail are likely to be from someone not in your contacts. Add them to your contacts and that should solve the issue.

3. Check you haven’t turned on silent mode

Another possibility is that you have turned your phone to silent mode and are missing calls because you can’t hear them.

Press and hold the Action button to turn Silent mode on. Press and hold the Action button again to turn Silent mode off. If your Action button isn’t set to Silent mode, go to the Settings app on your iPhone, tap Sounds & Haptics, then turn Silent mode on or off.

Alternatively, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and check a few things: such as whether the volume is at a reasonable level, and whether you’ve chosen a suitable (i.e. recognisable and audible) ringtone.

If you prefer to have the sound off you can check that your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max is set to vibrate when you get a call or text in the same section of Settings.

4. Turn off Do Not Disturb mode

Do Not Disturb mode may be the issue. This is a feature that Apple added in iOS 6 back in 2012.

Perhaps you turned the feature on by mistake, or turned it on and then forgotten about it. It may even have been switched on against your wishes by a glitch in iOS. Or, in the case of the Driving Focus, it may have come on because the system thought you were driving – which sometimes triggers when you’re the passenger, not the driver, of a car.

Luckily you can easily tell if you’ve got Do Not Disturb switched on. Note: If you turn on a Focus, its icon appears in the status bar.

When Do Not Disturb is enabled, calls and alerts that arrive are silenced: that’s the reason your calls are being diverted before you have a chance to answer them.

The quickest way to turn off Do Not Disturb is via the Control Center. Do Not Disturb is indicated by the crescent moon icon. Tap this and it will turn from purple on a white background (switched on) to white on black (switched off).

Alternatively (although more slowly), you can turn it off via the Settings app. Open the Settings app, tap Focus, tap Do Not Disturb, then turn it off.

Bingo! The moon should disappear from your iPhone status bar and you should start receiving your calls as they ring and not suddenly discover a bunch sitting unanswered in voicemail.

5. Check your network provider

Another reason why your iPhone 18 Pro Max might be going straight to voicemail is if your network is down or you’re suffering reduced access.

In this case the fault lies with your network provider. But before calling to complain, turn your iPhone off and on again and see if that fixes the problem.

Sometimes you can get a better signal just by turning Airplane Mode on and off again by opening Control Center and tapping on the plane symbol so that it’s orange, which means the setting is on, and then again so it goes white/black.

6. How do I stop my iPhone 18 Pro Max going to voicemail after just three rings?

This is a slightly different problem. Your voicemail isn’t controlled by the iPhone itself, but by your network provider, and you have to adjust these settings by dialling your network and using a phone option.

First of all, check there isn’t something weird going on with your network settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings, then enter your passcode. This will ensure that you have the right settings for your network.

Whether you can change the length of time that the phone rings before going to voicemail depends on the network provider. Some enable you to change this using their automated system. Others require you to call up, or the amount is fixed.

If your iPhone’s voicemail isn’t working, you could miss out on some important messages. With so many spam calls going out these days, the only way to know if an important call comes through without answering it is to send it to voicemail.

If you aren’t getting voicemails on your iPhone 18 Pro Max or the Phone app doesn’t seem to be working properly, there are a few fixes you can try. Hopefully, one of these fixes will get your iPhone’s voicemail working again, and you won’t miss any more messages in the future.

1. Empty Your Voicemail Box

Sometimes, if your Voicemail box gets too full you’ll stop receiving voicemails. While most modern iPhones have plenty of space, voicemail storage is limited and can fill up quickly, especially if you get a lot of spam calls.

To delete previous voicemails and make more space, head to the Phone app and tap Voicemail (Classic layout), or tap the Filter button, then tap Voicemails (Unified layout). Once here, tap Edit in the top right-hand corner and select the voicemails you want to delete.

Once selected, tap Delete in the bottom right-hand corner. Be sure to back up your voicemails if you might need them in the future. This will free up space, and you should be able to receive voicemails again if this was the issue.

If you haven’t set up voicemail yet, that could also be your problem. So, set up voicemail on your iPhone to avoid any more missed messages. The first time you tap Voicemail, you’re asked to create a voicemail password and record your voicemail greeting.

2. Check for a Carrier Settings Update

Not many people know this, but your carrier settings sometimes need updating. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it means that updating it will fix many carrier problems. This includes not getting voicemails on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Thankfully, updating your carrier settings is easy. Head to Settings > General > About to view your carrier settings. Wait for a few seconds; if your carrier requests an update, you’ll get a pop-up to install a carrier settings update.

It’s important to note that you should be careful with your carrier settings. This page contains information that should be kept private to avoid it getting into the wrong hands. Only share this information with your carrier or Apple.

3. Turn Cellular Service Off and On Again

Sometimes, a quick reset of your cellular service can fix some voicemail issues. This is especially true if your voicemails aren’t downloading fast enough. One good indicator of this is getting a voicemail notification hours after you received a missed call from the same number. To resolve this issue, turn your cellular service off and on again.

You can do this by turning your phone off and on again, or you can put your phone in and out of airplane mode. Once you do this, check to see if your voicemail is working again by calling your phone from another device. If you received a voicemail, then this solved the problem.

Additionally, we’d like to point out that connecting to Wi-Fi can also sometimes help you resolve this problem.

4. Make Sure Cellular Data Is On

Cellular data is necessary for receiving voicemails in most cases. After all, voicemail is a carrier feature, and connecting to data ensures that your voicemails get delivered. Cellular data is also necessary for the Visual Voicemail feature to work. This is where you can read a voicemail without listening to it.

If your voicemail isn’t working and you don’t have data turned on, enabling it could resolve the issue. Head to Settings > Cellular and tap Cellular Data to turn it on. If you’re on a limited data plan, there are options to reduce your iPhone’s data usage and still receive voicemails.

5. Enable Wi-Fi Calling

If you live in an area with a poor cellular connection, chances are your voicemails are taking a long time to download to your device. A poor connection can also lead to getting missed call notifications without your phone ringing.

If this happens to you, you can resolve this by enabling Wi-Fi calling on your iPhone 18 Pro Max. This gives you a better connection and helps voicemails download quicker. It also helps you get better audio quality and reduces dropped calls.

To enable Wi-Fi calling, head to Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Calling. Once here, tap Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone to turn it on. This will enable Wi-Fi calling whenever you’re connected to Wi-Fi. It costs nothing, so it’s worth having it turned on 24/7.

6. Make Sure Call Forwarding Is Off

If you have Call Forwarding enabled, it means your calls are being directed to a different number. While disabled by default, sometimes it can accidentally get enabled if you’re playing around with the settings. If it’s enabled, this is why you aren’t receiving voicemails.

To disable it, head to Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding and toggle it off. Not all carriers have Call Forwarding enabled. So, if you don’t see it in your iPhone settings, it means you don’t have it, or your carrier has disabled it.

This might be your issue if your iPhone is issued by your workplace, as many workplaces will set up Call Forwarding.

7. Reset Network Settings

If your iPhone’s voicemail still isn’t working after the previous fixes, there is a possibility that resetting the network settings will help. This also helps if you’re having other issues with your network, like getting missed calls without your phone ringing or issues with mobile data.

To reset the network settings, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Resetting your Network Settings won’t erase any content from your device.

8. Make Sure Your iPhone Is Updated

While the previous solutions usually fix voicemail on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max, there are some instances where there might be a problem with the iOS. To fix this, you would just need to update your iPhone. This may be the solution if you’ve avoided updating for a while or have automatic updates off.

To check for an update or confirm that you’re on the latest iOS version available, head to Settings > General > Software Update. If you have an available update, you can download and install it from here.

9. Access Your Voicemail the Old-Fashioned Way

Visual Voicemail in the Phone app is great, but if it’s not working, it’s not the only way to check your voicemail. If you tried the above fixes and your iPhone’s voicemail still doesn’t work, you might need to check your voicemail the old-fashioned way for the time being.

On your iPhone, tap Voicemail, then follow the instructions. On another phone, dial your own mobile number, press * or # (depending on your carrier) to bypass your greeting, then enter your voicemail password. If you don’t know your password, the default is usually the last four digits of your phone number.

If you still can’t gain access or are having voicemail issues here as well, you can contact your carrier and ask them to reset your voicemail password. You can also call them to check for any other issues.

10. Reset Your Password

Try resetting your voicemail password. On your iPhone, you can do this easily. Here is how:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Phone and tap Change Voicemail Password.
2. Enter a new password.
3. Tap Done. You will be asked to reenter the new password. Enter again and then tap Done.

All the Potential Solutions to iPhone 18 Pro Max Voicemail Not Working

Voicemail not working on your iPhone can be a big problem. Not getting a voicemail could mean missing an important work meeting or social event or losing a potential client. Luckily, there are several fixes that you can try that, in most cases, will resolve your issues.

If your issues still aren’t resolved, there are options to check your voicemail without the Visual Voicemail feature through your phone. You can also contact your carrier for further assistance as a last resort measure. Hopefully, you’ll be receiving messages again in no time.

Buying a shiny new iPhone is a great feeling. All those features and cameras to experiment with can be exciting. But in the end it’s still a phone – so you’ll want to ensure that people can reach you on your existing number. Here’s how to easily keep your old number when switching to a new iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Is my phone number connected to my iPhone?

The first thing to understand is that your phone number isn’t actually attached to the iPhone itself, but rather to the SIM card you put inside it. So if you’re not changing your network supplier, it’s just a matter of taking the SIM card out of the old iPhone and placing it in the new one. Your number will automatically follow, as your iPhone reads it off of the SIM card.

Note: iPhone 18 Pro Max models purchased in the United States can only be activated with an eSIM.

Some carriers support transferring a phone number from your previous iPhone to your new iPhone without needing to contact them. If you’re asked to transfer your phone number during setup of your new iPhone, transfer your physical SIM or eSIM using the onscreen prompts.

If you’re moving networks, then it’s a little different, as you’ll see below.

Can I use any iPhone with my SIM card?

If you’re buying a new iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max directly from Apple or another retailer, then it will be unlocked, meaning it can work on any network. The upshot of this is that popping your SIM card inside will instantly turn it into a phone with your existing number.

If you’re buying an iPhone second-hand or a kindly family member is passing it on to you, then you’ll need to check if it’s locked. This is usually the case when people buy iPhones on a contract from a network provider, such as T-Mobile, EE, Verizon or AT&T. These will more often than not be set up (or locked) to that particular network and trying to use it on another one will give you a warning that the new network isn’t supported.

How to keep your old number when moving to a new network provider

When moving from one network provider to another, things get a bit more complicated, but it’s nothing too Herculean.

One thing to bear in mind: you won’t be able to leave your current contract unless you’ve passed the agreed number of months. So, for example, if you’ve signed up to a 24-month contract, leaving any time before that will mean you’re liable to an early exit fee. These can be quite sizeable depending on how long your plan has left to run.

To find out your current status, log on to your network provider’s site and look at your account, or call the company’s customer service number and ask.

You’ll want to contact the new provider you want to use and give the company’s customer service reps the account number of your existing contract. They should then be able to sort things out on your behalf – just remember to tell them that you want to keep your number. You may also need to tell them your PIN code if there is one on your existing account. Don’t forget, you can always pop into one of the company’s stores and ask for help with the process.

So, there you go, the easy way to keep your number when you move to a new device.

Having issues converting voice to text on your iPhone? Or perhaps the dictation icon is nowhere to be found at all? Don’t worry; these are several simple troubleshooting steps you can follow when dictation isn’t working on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max.

1. Check if Dictation Is Enabled on Your iPhone

The dictation feature is represented by a microphone icon at the bottom of your iPhone’s on-screen keyboard. While dictation is enabled by default, you’ll need to turn it on in Settings first if you don’t see the microphone icon on the keyboard.

Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and toggle on Enable Dictation. Tap Enable Dictation again to confirm. The microphone icon will now appear on the iOS keyboard; tap it to begin dictating.

If dictation is already enabled, but the icon is still missing, try disabling and re-enabling the feature. In the same Keyboard setting page, toggle off Enable Dictation, tap Turn Off Dictation to confirm, then toggle on Enable Dictation again.

2. Add the Dictation Language to Your iPhone Keyboard

Let’s say you typically type in English on your iPhone 18 Pro Max but want to dictate something in Chinese. The iPhone’s dictation feature won’t recognize what you’re saying if Chinese hasn’t been added to the keyboard yet.

In this case, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. From the list, choose Chinese (or your preferred language), select the keyboard input method, and tap Done.

Now, when it comes to dictating your text, remember to switch the dictation language too. Tap the microphone icon, tap EN (which stands for English), and choose your new preferred dictation language.

Dictation isn’t available for all languages. You can check Apple’s site for a list of dictation languages available for the iPhone.

3. Allow Dictation in Your iPhone’s Screen Time Settings

If dictation still isn’t working on your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max, it may be due to your iPhone’s Screen Time settings, which can restrict the dictation feature on your device.

To check this, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps & Features. If Dictation is toggled off, toggle it on so your iPhone will let you use the dictation function again.

4. Test Your iPhone’s Microphone

If you have all the correct settings in place, yet dictation isn’t working, the issue may lie with your iPhone’s microphone.

A quick way to test it is to record a short audio clip using your iPhone’s Voice Memos app. If it’s a software issue, there are solutions to fix your iPhone’s microphone quickly.

But if it’s a hardware problem, you’ll likely need to contact Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

5. General Fixes: Restart, Update, or Reset Your iPhone

If the above solutions fail, as a last attempt, there are a few general fixes you can try. First, restart your iPhone 18 Pro Max, which simply involves turning off your device and turning it on again. Simultaneously press and hold the side button and either volume button until the sliders appear, then drag the Power Off slider. Press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.

Also, go to Settings > General > Software Update to see if an iOS update is available for your device. Updates carry performance improvements and bug fixes, so try to update your iPhone to see if it resolves the dictation issue.

Lastly, you can opt to reset all settings on your iPhone. This process returns all your iPhone settings to their default state without deleting your valuable data.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. The process takes some time, so it’s best to attempt it only when you don’t need to use your iPhone for a while.

To sum up, you’ll need to ensure that dictation is enabled in your iPhone’s Settings app first. Then, add the right languages to the keyboard and switch between your preferred languages before dictating.

Also, try restarting, updating, or resetting your iPhone 18 Pro Max. If you suspect the root cause is hardware, it’s best to contact Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for further assistance. In the meantime, you can also try out some iPhone dictation apps on the App Store.