Here’s what it means when WhatsApp says call not answered:
When you get a message telling you “call not answered,” it is specifically telling you that the call recipient took no action to answer or decline the call.
There was no response at all, and eventually, you quit trying to call, or the operation timed out.
There are countless reasons why this situation might occur.
So if you want to learn all about WhatsApp saying call not answered, then this article is for you.
Let’s jump right in!
Understanding WhatsApp Call Statuses
WhatsApp call statuses are designed to give you clear information about what happened with your call. They help you understand whether the person on the other end chose not to answer or if there was another reason for the missed connection.
There are two primary call statuses on WhatsApp: “Call Declined” and “Call Not Answered”. When you see “Call Declined”, it means the person you were trying to reach specifically pressed the “red button” to decline your call. This is a deliberate action indicating they chose not to talk at that moment.
On the other hand, “Call Not Answered” means the person didn’t interact with the call at all. They neither picked up nor declined it. This could happen for various reasons, such as being away from their phone, having notifications silenced, or experiencing connectivity issues.
Understanding these call statuses can significantly improve your user experience. It helps you identify whether a call was missed due to a deliberate action or a technical issue, reducing confusion and making your WhatsApp interactions smoother.
What Does It Mean When WhatsApp Says “Call Not Answered”?
The message is telling you something very specific.
When you get a call on WhatsApp, an interactive menu pops up to inform you of the call, and you can also see the missed call in your chat thread.
In essence, you have two options to interact with the call.
You can answer it, or you can decline it.
If you answer it, you’ll be connected to the other person, and you can talk in real time.
If you decline the call, then the connection is stopped right there (more on this in a bit).
Those are the only two interactive options.
But, there is a third real option.
You can do nothing.
Whether by choice or because you are unaware of the call, if you do nothing, the call will never connect.
Eventually, the caller will hang up, or the call will time out.
When that is the case, the caller gets a message informing them that the call was not answered.
Understanding this can make it easier to discern meaning from receiving a “not answered” message.
What Is the Difference Between “Not Answered” and “Declined” on WhatsApp?
It’s important to understand that WhatsApp’s “call not answered” and “call declined” are very different messages on purpose.
One is telling you that no action was taken.
The other is informing you that the user on the other end hit the “decline” button in order to terminate the call without answering.
Keep in mind that declining a call on WhatsApp is not necessarily a malicious action.
There are plenty of instances where you might decline a call because you simply aren’t free or willing to take it at the moment.
It’s a common action when people are already using their phone for something and don’t want to interrupt the current action.
Regardless, distinguishing between these messages can help you understand why a call didn’t go through.
Why Wouldn’t Someone Answer Your WhatsApp Call When It’s Ringing?
If you really want to understand the “call not answered” message, you have to think about why a call isn’t answered.
There are tons of reasons why you or another person might not answer a call that comes through. By silencing calls from unknown numbers, users can focus on significant conversations and avoid unwanted interruptions.
As we go through some of the most prominent, it can help you think about the specific situation and understand why there might be a communication gap.
The most common reason for someone to not answer a call is because they aren’t available.
If they aren’t near the phone to receive the call, they physically can’t answer, and it happens a lot.
Similar forms of unavailability could stem from being asleep, in the shower, or otherwise physically incapable of answering.
When a person is already using a phone, they might not want to interrupt their current activity for a WhatsApp call.
Have you ever ignored a call and gone on with what you were doing?
There’s also a chance that they didn’t receive a call notification.
This happens when notifications are silenced.
It can also be the result of connection issues through WhatsApp.
If the phone is currently unable to connect to the internet, then they definitely can’t receive the call.
Depending on the circumstances, you might receive a “not answered” message when this happens.
It’s also possible that the person just didn’t want to answer.
That happens a lot, and when a person is determined not to answer perpetually, it can lead to blocking another party on WhatsApp.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Call Issues
If you’re having trouble with WhatsApp calls, such as calls not ringing or not being answered, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the issue.
First, check your phone’s settings. Ensure that notifications are enabled for the WhatsApp app and that your phone’s volume is turned up. Sometimes, simple settings adjustments can make a big difference.
Next, dive into your WhatsApp settings. Make sure that calls are allowed and not blocked by any restrictions. This includes checking if you have accidentally muted notifications for WhatsApp messages and calls.
If the problem persists, try reinstalling the WhatsApp app. This can often resolve any bugs or glitches that might be causing the issue. Additionally, restoring your phone to its default settings can help if the problem lies within the phone’s system.
Keep your software up to date. Check for any available updates for both your phone’s operating system and the WhatsApp app. Updates often include fixes for known issues and can improve overall performance.
If you’re still experiencing issues, consider restarting your phone or closing other apps that might be interfering with WhatsApp. Sometimes, background apps can cause conflicts that affect call functionality.
Finally, if none of these steps work, don’t hesitate to contact WhatsApp support for further assistance. They can provide more specific guidance and help resolve any persistent issues you’re facing.
By following these troubleshooting steps, you can ensure that your WhatsApp calls are working fine and stay connected with your contacts without any interruptions.
What About Blocked Numbers on WhatsApp and Blocked Messages?
Blocked numbers add an element of uncertainty to this whole thing.
If someone blocks you on WhatsApp, it works like this.
They can navigate to a conversation with you and use the “more options” list to block you as a contact (you can use the same steps to block anyone as you see fit).
The challenge with this is that WhatsApp does not notify users when they have been blocked.
According to WhatsApp, this is a matter of user privacy, so there is no formal way to see that you’ve been blocked.
Meanwhile, when you try to call someone who has blocked you, they will not receive a call notification.
The phone will ring on your end but not their end.
The same happens with messages.
You will successfully send the message, but they will never receive it.
So, communication completely breaks down, and you have no indication as to why.
Will You Get “Call Not Answered” When You Are Blocked on WhatsApp?
If you call someone and they never answer, then you’re going to get a “call not answered” notification.
At least, this can be the case.
With blocked calls, it doesn’t always happen.
The defaults are still in place that you will get this notification if you let the phone ring long enough, but because the call is never actually established, there are times when you won’t get a notification at all.
It’s a little complicated.
The important thing to understand is that when you are blocked, the other person never gets a notification of the call.
More specifically, it means that they can never reject the call.
So, a “call not answered” message might leave you in limbo, but a “call rejected” message lets you know with certainty that you are not blocked.
This is one of the few inferences you can make to better understand the situation.
How Do You Know If You Are Blocked on WhatsApp?
This leads to the final question.
If you are blocked, how do you know?
Through WhatsApp, there is no method of certainty.
When you are blocked, your calls will never be answered.
The same goes for your messages.
Your calls also will never be declined.
If you are ignored for long enough, you can reasonably assume that you have been blocked, but it’s still really a guess.
The only way to be truly certain is through secondary communication.
If you can talk to the other person through another medium, you might be able to find out.
Similarly, you could inquire through shared contacts, but all of this comes with potentially awkward side effects.
The bottom line is that WhatsApp doesn’t want people to know when they have been blocked, and so it’s quite difficult to be certain.
