Failed when you make a call with Apple Watch is one of the problems that happen to users occasionally. Apple Watch users may get a ‘search failed’ error when they want to make a call with their smartwatch. We’ll talk about some methods you can use to solve this problem. You will see what these methods are below.
Why is My Apple Watch Calls Failing?
There are many reasons why your searches on Apple Watch may be unsuccessful. Some of these may be the following:
- Connection problems
- Too much distance between your iPhone and Apple Watch
- Wi-Fi connection problems
- Airplane mode
- Software updates
- Problems with Apple Watch settings
These can be shown as the causes of the problems you may experience. Now let’s take a look at what you can do to eliminate these problems.
How to Fix Apple Watch Call Failed?
Pair Earbuds with Apple Watch Again
When you try to use earbuds with your Apple Watch, the earbuds may experience problems in the process. In this context, you may have solved the problem by unpairing and re-pairing the devices. Here are the steps you need to follow to solve the problem:
- Open Settings on your Apple Watch and tap Bluetooth.
- Now tap the information (i) icon next to the headphones and then tap Forget Device.
- Then check if you get the same error as with Apple Watch.
If the problem is gone, activate the earbuds again and check the problem again.
Pair Apple Watch and iPhone Again
A failed call may be the result of some temporary software glitch. Pairing Apple Watch and iPhone again may solve this problem. Here are the instructions you need to follow for this:
- Bring your phone and Apple Watch closer together.
- Now launch the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
- Go to the My Watch tab and tap your watch (near the top of the screen).
- Now tap the Info button.
- Then tap Unpair Apple Watch. Here you may need to choose to keep or remove the cellular plan.
- Then tap Confirm to unpair the watch. If prompted, enter your Apple ID and password.
- Now restart Apple Watch and iPhone.
- Finally, pair the watch and your phone again to check if the error you received persists.
Turn off WiFi Calling in Apple Watch and iPhone Settings
If Wi-Fi is enabled, you can use My Watch to make calls using WiFi. Also, if the transfer feature is enabled, you can switch from one Apple device to another Apple device without losing focus. However, you may encounter the error when the above-mentioned features are somehow stuck in action. In this case, disabling and re-enabling these options may help you resolve the issue. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open Settings on your iPhone and tap on Phone.
- Now tap Wi-Fi Calling and then disable Allow Calls on Other Devices by turning the switch to the off position.
- Then turn off Wi-Fi calling by tapping the back icon and turning the switch to the off position.
- Now go to Settings > General on your phone.
- From there, tap AirPlay and Handoff and disable Handoff.
- Now launch the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, then tap My Watch. Tap General and then disable Handoff.
- Now turn off both devices and restart them. After restarting the devices, check if the call failed error persists.
- If not, re-enable the features you disabled above.
Unlock Your iPhone and Call on Apple Watch
There’s a bug in iOS and watchOS that prevents users from making calls while the iPhone screen is locked or locked. For this reason, you can try to make a call from My Watch while your iPhone is locked. Here’s what you need to do for this:
- Unlock your iPhone and then make a call from My Watch to check if there is an error on the device.
- Now lock your phone and try the same process again to make sure the current error is gone.
Unlock Apple Watch Using iPhone
A failed call may be the result of a software glitch between devices. You can fix this problem by unlocking Apple Watch from your iPhone. This solution has been confirmed by many users. Here’s what you need to do:
- Launch the Apple Watch app and then tap Passcode.
- Now activate the Unlock with iPhone option.
- Then restart your Apple Watch and iPhone.
- After restarting both devices, don’t unlock the Apple Watch immediately. Instead, unlock it with your iPhone, and then try dialing a direct number (not one of your contacts) and making a call through My Watch to check if the problem is resolved.
Disable Bluetooth on iPhone with Apple Watch
Apple Watch uses either WiFi or Bluetooth to communicate with a phone. Turning off Bluetooth on some Apple Watches was one of the moves that solved the problem. If you don’t use mobile internet or have limited usage, WiFi can still be turned on. Now let’s move on to the instructions you need to follow:
- Turn off and restart Apple Watch and iPhone. Tap the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch and then tap Settings.
- Now tap Bluetooth to disable the feature. If Bluetooth is disabled when you get here, enable it this time.
- Now check if the calling issue persists.
Disable WiFi on Apple Watch and iPhone
Just like with the Bluetooth method above, this time try disabling WiFi in the Bluetooth / WiFi options. There is no shortage of feedback that this method also solves the problem. Here’s what you need to do:
- Turn off your modem and then unplug it.
- Wait about 5 minutes and then turn it back on.
- Now turn off and restart your Apple Watch and iPhone.
- See if you can make a call with Apple Watch.
- If not, swipe up to access the Control Center on Apple Watch.
- Now tap to disable WiFi. If it’s off, enable it and reconnect to the same WiFi network as your iPhone.
- Finally, check if the problem persists.
Factory Reset Apple Watch
There’s one last thing you can do – reset your Apple Watch to factory settings. You might want to consider backing up your device first. Because a factory reset means that you will be using the device from scratch from now on. Follow these instructions to factory reset Apple Watch now:
- Unpair Apple Watch and iPhone.
- From your Apple Watch, open Settings, then tap General.
- Tap Reset Now, then tap Erase All Contents and Settings.
- Then tap Erase All to confirm what you want to do.
- Now restart your Apple Watch and iPhone.
This should hopefully solve the problem of no longer being able to make calls on Apple Watch. If the issue still persists, contact Apple Technical Support
