TextNow Not Receiving Incoming Calls? – Here’s How to Fix

Whenever you’re experiencing TextNow not receiving incoming calls, it can be an incredibly frustrating issue to deal with. Luckily, we have everything you need to fix this problem!

With over 14 million subscribers, it’s essential that you can resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

The good thing is we have proven solutions, so you won’t have to wait for the TextNow team to resolve the issue for you.

Let’s discuss the most effective solutions to this problem!

If you can’t receive calls on TextNow, restart your phone to refresh your connection. TextNow uses WiFi and mobile data to work. Alternatively, you can toggle the Airplane Mode. If this doesn’t work, you’ll want to disable Data Saver and Do Not Disturb modes on your phone.

Before we proceed to the actual fixes, let us first discuss in detail the possible reasons you can’t receive incoming calls on your TextNow.

Why Can’t I Receive Calls on TextNow

If your TextNow app isn’t working, it can be due to several reasons. There may be a glitch or bug in the app, or the TextNow server is down.

While it’s difficult to remedy these causes independently, you can fix the rest of them without technical knowledge.

1. Not Connected to The Internet

Your WiFi or mobile data may not be working properly. Or, you may have turned on low data mode on your mobile.

Either way, your Internet speed isn’t enough for the TextNow app to work.

2. App Does Not Have the Correct Permissions

You may have forgotten to enable all permissions for TextNow. If you’re unsure, uninstall and reinstall the app.

3. Phone’s Modes Interrupting the App

You may have enabled Data Saver Mode, Battery Optimization, and Power Saving Mode. These modes limit apps too much.

4. Outdated App

You may be using an old version of the app. The outdated app may contain minor bugs and glitches that have already been addressed by the latest update.

These are the possible reasons you cannot receive incoming calls on your TextNow.

Now, let us proceed to the troubleshooting steps.

How to Fix TextNow Not Receiving Incoming Calls

To fix TextNow not receiving incoming calls, start with the basics. Refresh your connection by turning on Airplane Mode or restarting your phone.

To refresh your TextNow on your mobile device, reboot your iPhone or Android phone. You can use the physical power button on both phones to turn them off/on.

We prefer toggling the Airplane Mode on and off. Simply swipe down the Quick Settings or Control Panel and hit the Airplane symbol.

You can still use your phone until you switch off the mode again.

If refreshing your connection doesn’t work, we recommend you try the following solutions.

Solution #1: Restart Your Phone’s Mobile Data

Since TextNow relies on an internet connection to make and receive calls.

If your connection is not fast or stable enough, it’s possible that you’re going to miss some calls.

You should have no issues when you’re connected to a high-speed WiFi network. However, this issue can occur if you’re using mobile data.

Here’s how to make sure your mobile data is fast enough for TextNow calls:

1. Make sure that your mobile data connection is at least 4G LTE and not 3G.
2. Swipe down on your screen to access your phone’s Control Center or Quick Settings.
3. Turn off Mobile Data by tapping it.
4. Wait for 30 seconds to successfully reset your connection.
5. Tap on the Mobile Data icon again to activate it.

Solution #2: Enable Permissions for the TextNow App

If you’re getting incoming call notifications, not the actual ringing, you want to explore your phone’s permissions.

Not setting this up properly can mess up your notification settings, explaining why you only see a notification but not the call itself.

The TextNow app should have all the permissions it needs to operate correctly. However, there are several issues that can cause changes and, ultimately, errors.

Here’s how to enable permissions for the TextNow app:

On iOS devices:

1. Open your phone’s Settings.
2. Go to Privacy.
3. Select the Contacts item, then make sure it’s activated for TextNow.
4. Choose Notifications and WiFi, then activate these for TextNow.

On Android devices:

1. Go to your phone’s Settings app.
2. Select App, then choose TextNow.
3. Tap on Permissions.
4. Tap on all permission items, choose Allow.

Note: You can reinstall the TextNow app and enable permissions the first time you open it. 

However, it’s not the most reliable way to manage permissions.

Solution #3: Disable Data Saver Mode on Your Phone

Now that you know that TextNow uses the internet to make and receive calls, anything that blocks your connection can affect it.

One particular setting to look out for is your phone’s Data Saver Mode.

If you’re not using this with TextNow, there’s no problem saving a few megabytes of data to lower your phone bill.

However, it can drastically slow down your internet speeds and affect the performance of your TextNow calls. Disabling this feature should allow your phone to receive incoming calls again.

Here’s how to turn off Data Saver Mode on your phone:

On iOS devices:

1. Tap on the Settings icon on your phone.
2. Select the Mobile Data option.
3. Find the menu item that says Low Data Mode.
4. Toggle the switch to the Off position.

On Android:

1. Go to your phone’s Settings app.
2. Select Network and internet.
3. Tap on Data Saver.
4. Tap on the switch to turn it off.

Note: You’ll know that Data Saver or Low Data Mode is switched on since an icon will be displayed on your phone’s status bar.

Solution #4: Disable Do Not Disturb Call Settings

Your phone’s Do Not Disturb mode is a handy feature that prevents you from getting notifications.

It will surely help your focus since it’s going to stop any alerts like incoming calls.

If you turn this mode on often on your phone, it’s possible that it’s not letting you know someone is calling you.

Here’s how to turn off Do Not Disturb mode on your phone:

On iOS devices:

1. Open your phone’s Settings app.
2. Navigate to Focus and tap on it.
3. Tap on the Do Not Disturb switch to turn it Off.

On Android devices:

1. Tap on the Settings app on your phone.
2. Go to Sound and vibration.
3. Select Do Not Disturb.
4. Toggle the switch to the Off position.

Note: You can also deactivate Do Not Disturb Mode by swiping down on your screen to access Control Center or Quick Settings.

Solution #5: Exclude TextNow from Battery Optimization

Battery optimization sounds like a nice feature for your phone until you realize that it can stop some of your apps from performing well.

One of the apps that are going to be affected by aggressive battery optimization is TextNow.

Yes, turning on this feature can prolong your device’s battery life. However, it will affect apps that need to run all the time to work.

Here’s how to exclude TextNow from your phone’s battery optimization features:

On iOS devices:

1. Go to your phone’s Settings.
2. Tap on General.
3. Select Background App Refresh.
4. Choose TextNow and set it to On.

On Android devices:

1. Go to your phone’s Settings app.
2. Select Apps.
3. Choose TextNow from the list.
4. Tap on Optimize Battery Usage.
5. Set it to Off.

Note: If you want to extend your phone’s battery life, you can set Background App Refresh or Battery Optimization for your other apps.

Solution #6: Enable Background Data Usage on Your Phone

Incoming calls from TextNow don’t always come when you’re active on the app.

Most of the time, you’re going to receive calls when your phone is in your pocket.

You want to ensure that the TextNow app has access to the internet at all times. This will ensure that your calls go through and you’re going to receive them.

You want to enable background data usage, especially if you’re connected to your carrier’s mobile data network.

This enables the app to periodically check if there’s any type of activity so it can notify you right away.

Here’s how to enable background data usage on your phone:

On iOS devices:

1. Open your phone’s Settings.
2. Go to the General option.
3. Choose Background App Refresh.
4. Tap the Background App Refresh option at the top.
5. Select WiFi and Mobile Data.

On Android:

1. Go to your phone’s Settings app.
2. Select Network and internet.
3. Choose Data usage, then Cellular data usage.
4. Tap on TextNow.
5. Set Background Data to On.

Note: You can restart your phone to make sure that these settings take effect for TextNow.

If you continue to run into issues with TextNow not receiving calls, you can check your app store for any updates.

You may be running on an outdated app, and it’s causing all these problems for you.

You can also contact TextNow customer support for additional assistance in fixing this issue.

Read Next: Does TextNow Work Without WiFi?

Bottom Line

After following these solutions, you should have no problems with your TextNow not receiving incoming calls.

These settings will make sure that your TextNow is constantly connected to the internet, so you don’t miss out on important calls and messages.