To turn the ringer on your iPhone 11, flip the physical Ring/Silent switch on the left side of the device so that orange is no longer visible. When the switch does not show orange, silent mode is off and your iPhone will ring for calls and alerts.
Turn the ringer on iPhone 11 with the silent switch
The most common reason an iPhone 11 stops ringing is that the physical Ring/Silent switch has been accidentally moved into silent mode. This switch is located on the left side of the device. If you see orange next to the switch, your iPhone is in silent mode and will not ring for calls or alerts. To turn the ringer back on, push the switch toward the screen so the orange color is hidden. When silent mode is off, the iPhone plays all sounds.
Check your ringer volume in settings
If the switch is set correctly but your iPhone 11 is still too quiet or not ringing, you may need to adjust the ringer volume in Settings. Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Under the Ringtone section, drag the Ringer and Alerts slider to your preferred volume level. This slider controls how loud your phone rings for incoming calls and notifications. Apple's volume instructions apply to iPhone generally, and the retrieved Apple pages note Sounds & Haptics on supported models and Sounds on other iPhone models. AT&T's iPhone 11 support page matches the same path: Settings > Sounds & Haptics, then use the Volume slider and Change with Buttons switch. In Settings > Sounds & Haptics, Apple lets you change ringtone settings and ringer volume from the same screen.
To control the ringer volume directly with the side buttons, turn on the Change with Buttons toggle in the same menu. When this setting is on, pressing the volume buttons on the left side of the phone will adjust the ringer volume when no media is playing. If Change with Buttons is off, the side buttons only control media volume during audio playback, and the ringer volume stays at the level set by the slider. Apple also documents separate controls for haptics in ring mode and silent mode on supported models, but it does not say those are required to turn the ringer on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my iPhone 11 not ringing?
The most direct cause is that the Ring/Silent switch is set to silent mode, shown by the orange indicator. Move the switch so orange is not visible to turn the ringer back on.
Where is the ringer volume setting?
The ringer volume setting is located at Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringer and Alerts. You can drag the slider there to adjust the volume.
Can the side buttons change the ringer volume?
Yes, if Change with Buttons is turned on in Settings > Sounds & Haptics. When that setting is off, the side buttons do not control ringer volume unless no audio is playing.
How do I fix ringer and ringtone issues on my iPhone 11?
Most ringer and ringtone issues are solved by first checking the physical Ring/Silent switch for the orange indicator, then adjusting the Ringer and Alerts slider in Settings > Sounds & Haptics.
Does Do Not Disturb affect the ringer?
Do Not Disturb mode can silence calls and notifications, but the primary control for turning the ringer on or off is the physical Ring/Silent switch. If the switch shows no orange and your phone still doesn't ring, check if Do Not Disturb is enabled in Control Center or Settings.
Related reading: How To Turn On Ringer On IPhone 12 and How To Turn Ringer Off IPhone 13.
