Nothing could be as alarming as a smartphone that rings people on its own. Before you get those dreaded goosebumps, know that in the age of modern technology, certain circumstances could push your device to make calls without you knowing.
Be rest assured. Not only will we answer your question, “Why is my phone making calls by itself?” but also, we will show you how you can keep your portable device in check, be it iPhone or Android. Read on!
Why is my phone making calls by itself?
While your smartphone randomly making calls without you knowing is eyebrow-raising, it’s not without explanation. Check out the most common reasons a phone may make random calls even when not in use below.
- The phone has a ghost touch problem due to an error or a faulty touchscreen.
- Software errors emerge on your phone during use due to an outdated OS version.
- The direct call feature on your phone is causing it to call a contact automatically.
- Something or someone has unwanted access to your phone through a nearby Bluetooth device.
- You issued a call voice command on your phone by accident.
- You accidentally triggered a call while the phone was in your back pocket.
These are all possible scenarios. Each one of them can be reason enough that your device is acting on its own without your express approval.
How to Stop My Android Phone From Making Calls By Itself
Listed below are the most recommended ways of stopping an Android phone from making calls by itself. Do note that Android phone menus vary depending on the manufacturer, so check your device’s user manual for more information.
FIX 1. Boot the Android device into safe mode
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 3 minutes |
| Things Needed | An Android phone with a safe mode |
Booting your Android phone is the best way to diagnose any app-related errors and confirm if they’re the root cause of the issue. Believe it or not, shady and faulty apps are the usual culprits when a phone is making calls on its own.
Since your Android phone temporarily disables third-party apps during safe mode, you can use this opportunity to confirm if an app is causing the problem. If your phone doesn’t make a call on its own during this mode, that confirms our suspicion.
From here, you need to uninstall the most recent apps installed on your Android phone since they’re the most likely culprits.
Step 1: Swipe on your Android phone’s home screen twice to remove the quick settings panel.
Step 2: Click the power icon to access your Android phone’s power menu.
Step 3: Press and hold the Power Off option until the safe mode screen appears.
Step 4: Press the Safe Mode icon to restart your Android phone.
Step 5: Wait until your Android phone boots into safe mode.
Step 6: Wait to see if your Android phone will make a call by itself so you can uninstall the most recent app(s) you installed on the device.
FIX 2. Turn off your phone’s direct call feature
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 3 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 seconds |
| Things Needed | A Samsung phone |
A possible reason why your phone is making calls by itself is the direct call feature on Samsung Android phones. This nifty feature allows users to dial a selected contact automatically by placing their Samsung Android phone on their ear.
While this feature offers convenience, it can be problematic since it can be triggered whenever your phone thinks it’s being held up to an ear. Thus, we suggest dialing your contacts the regular way so you can disable this feature for good.
Step 1: Open the Settings menu on the Android phone.
Step 2: Scroll down and click Advanced Features.
Step 3: Click the Motion and Gestures option and turn off the Direct Call feature from there.
FIX 3. Install your phone’s latest Android OS update
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 5 minutes |
| Things Needed | • A working internet connection • An Android Phone |
We always recommend keeping your Android phone’s OS updated as it helps reduce the chances of experiencing bugs and errors. After all, you wouldn’t be wrong to suspect a bug or error as the culprit when your phone is making calls on its own.
Plus, installing an OS update is the most effective way to keep your Android phone’s performance at its peak. Also, it’s another way to ensure your phone doesn’t encounter any issues due to poor performance and efficiency.
Step 1: Open the Settings menu on the Android phone.
Step 2: Scroll down and click Software Update.
Step 3: Click the Download and Install option.
Step 4: Click Install Now to download and install your phone’s latest Android OS update.
FIX 4. Factory reset the Android phone
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 7 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 5 minutes |
| Things Needed | • A USB cable • An Android Phone |
Aside from the apps and features on your Android phone, its software may also suffer from errors and bugs during use. When these errors occur, it could be why your phone randomly calls someone even without any button input from you.
Oftentimes, a simple restart procedure should be enough to fix minor errors on your Android phone, but sometimes the problem calls for a factory reset. Unfortunately, your user and app data are removed from your Android phone during a factory reset.
As such, you might want to use this as a last resort and try other solutions first. Once you’ve exhausted all your options, you can reset your Android phone to fix the software-related errors and bugs.
Step 1: Press and hold your Android phone’s side button to access its power menu.
Step 2: Click Power Off to shut down your Android phone and plug it into a PC using a compatible USB cable.
Step 3: Press and hold your Android phone’s volume up and side buttons simultaneously until it boots into recovery mode.
Step 4: Scroll down and select Wipe Data/Factory Reset.
Step 5: Scroll down and select Factory Data Reset.
Step 6: Wait for a confirmation message to appear at the bottom of the screen.
Step 7: Select Reboot System Now to restart your Android phone in normal mode.
FIX 5. Check your phone’s screen for ghost touch
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 1 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 to 60 seconds |
| Things Needed | • A microfiber cleaning cloth • A phone charger • An Android Phone |
If your phone is dialing random numbers and calling them without your input, it could be due to a ghost touch. This error happens when your phone makes some touchscreen inputs, even when you’re not touching it yourself.
During this time, your phone may perform various tasks depending on which part of the screen is experiencing the ghost touch. It’s a usual occurrence on phones with a damaged touchscreen.
However, this can also happen when there’s dirt on your phone’s touchscreen, which is why we recommend cleaning it with a microfiber cloth regularly. Sometimes, ghost touching may happen during charging so stop this by unplugging your phone.
How to Stop My iPhone From Making Calls By Itself
Here are some of the methods we recommend you try to stop your iPhone from making calls by itself. Please note that some of the steps may vary slightly based on the iOS version and model of the iPhone you’re using.
FIX 1. Perform an iPhone hard reboot
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 8 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | An iPhone |
Performing a hard reboot on your iPhone is the most effective way to deal with various issues, which include your phone making calls by itself. Doing so will restart your iPhone, refresh its system memory, and correct any minor errors in its software.
This method is quick and easy to execute, making it the ideal solution for most issues you’ll encounter on your iPhone. Plus, it doesn’t harm any of the device’s saved data, apps, and settings configuration.
Step 1: Press and release your iPhone’s volume-up key.
Step 2: Press and release your iPhone’s volume-down key.
Step 3: Press and hold your iPhone’s side key until Apple’s logo appears.
Step 4: Wait for your iPhone to complete the reboot sequence.
FIX 2. Install the iPhone’s latest iOS update
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 9 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 5 minutes |
| Things Needed | • An iPhone • A working internet connection |
Like Android devices, ensuring that your iPhone is updated to the latest software version is vital to keep it working in the best condition. After all, this method is how you improve your iPhone’s performance and patch up recurring bugs and glitches.
As such, it can be an essential solution if your phone makes calls by itself due to a software-related error. With a new software version, your iPhone should have better efficiency and be less likely to encounter various software-related issues.
Step 1: Go to your iPhone’s Settings.
Step 2: Scroll down and select General.
Step 3: Click Software Update.
Step 4: Click Download and Install.
Step 5: Continue with your iPhone’s passcode.
Step 6: Agree to Apple’s terms and conditions.
Step 7: Click Agree to confirm.
Step 8: Click Use Cellular Data to start the download.
Step 9: Click Install Now to apply the iOS update.
FIX 3. Turn off Bluetooth
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 3 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 seconds |
| Things Needed | An iPhone |
Believe it or not, leaving your iPhone’s Bluetooth feature turned on can make it prone to being operated by other devices. For example, an AirPod can connect to your iPhone and cause it to call someone if someone issues a voice command.
Hackers can even exploit your Bluetooth connection to bypass the security features on your iPhone and gain access to your data. While the Apple ecosystem has good overall security, leaving some doors open for unwanted access isn’t a good idea.
As such, it’s advisable to turn off your iPhone’s Bluetooth whenever it’s not in use to avoid any problem that can cause the phone to make calls by itself. This will help safeguard your data from third parties to save you from undue stress.
Step 1: Go to your iPhone’s Settings.
Step 2: Click Bluetooth.
Step 3: Click the Bluetooth switch to turn this feature off.
FIX 4. Disable Voice Control
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 8 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | An iPhone |
The voice control feature is one of the most convenient tools we have on our phones, but it can also be the cause of many issues. It’s not uncommon for this feature to cause devices to initiate unwanted tasks due to accidental commands.
Thus, your phone making calls by itself may result from something you said by mistake. It’s why we recommend turning off the voice control feature on your iPhone to prevent mishaps like this from occurring.
Step 1: Go to your iPhone’s Settings.
Step 2: Scroll down and select Accessibility.
Step 3: Click Voice Control and ensure that it’s turned off.
Note: If Voice Control is turned on, you can also ask Siri to turn it off for you.
FAQs about Phone Calling by Itself
Is my phone hacked?
Various signs can let you know if your phone has been hacked. This includes faster battery drain, sluggish performance, higher mobile data usage, unknown pop-ups appearing, and random phone calls made behind your back.
WhatsApp making calls by itself, why?
Call spoofing is the possible reason WhatsApp will make phone calls by itself. This can happen when someone obtains unwanted access to your phone or WhatsApp account due to malware being installed without your knowledge.
