Do you have RingCentral phones in your business?
If so, then you’ve likely run into the very common problem of your phones not ringing. Which then leads to trying to troubleshoot this yourself, which then turns into getting stuck on the phone with customer support.
Meanwhile, clients still have questions, prospective customers need to know pricing, and upper management can’t reach you…the list goes on. When your phones stop working, business doesn’t stop. So, what should you do?
Before you get stuck on the line listening to hold music, replacing hardware, or blaming the internet, let’s walk through the basics.
This guide breaks down the most common reasons a RingCentral phone won’t ring and how to troubleshoot each one.
Step 1: Log in and locate the user
The first thing you need to do is log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal using the right account, especially if you manage multiple accounts. Don’t make any changes until you’ve confirmed this.
Search for the affected user by:
- Name
- Extension
- Direct phone number
Then verify: Is the user account active? If it’s deactivated or suspended, calls will not ring. Go ahead and reactivate the account if necessary.
Check the presence/status indicator: If the device is connected/online, it should be green, and you can move on to the next step.
If it’s offline, then the device isn’t connected to RingCentral. You’ll need to do the following:
If the device shows that it’s offline
- Confirm the phone is powered on.
- Verify internet connectivity.
- Reboot the phones
- Reboot PoE switch (if applicable).
Step 2: Review User Details and Call Handling Settings
Navigate to: Users → User Details → Phone → Incoming Call Rules
Take a look at Work Hours. You need to verify that the user’s business hours are set correctly. If calls are placed outside of the defined work hours, they might automatically route to voicemail or they might follow an alternate rule. Also, confirm that the time zone is correct.
Call Forwarding: Check if “Forward All Calls” is enabled. If it’s ON, the desk phone will not ring and calls may be routing to another number or voicemail. Also look for whether “Ring in Order” is enabled. If ring-in-order is OFF but forwarding is ON, calls may skip the physical device entirely.
Do Not Disturb: Confirm this is turned OFF. If it’s enabled, calls will go straight to voicemail and your phones won’t ring at all. Users can enable DND accidentally on their mobile app, desktop phone, or desktop app. Check both the admin portal and device-level DND.
Incoming Call Schedule: Make sure that calls are set to ring during defined business hours and confirm that there are no exceptions to that rule. Look for exceptions, temporary rules, and holiday schedules.
Step 3: Verify Ring Settings (Don’t Skip This Step)
Navigate to: Incoming Call Rules → Ring Settings
Is “Ring in Order” enabled? If it’s enabled, devices ring sequentially. If it’s disabled, devices ring simultaneously (more on this below).
If Ring in Order is ON
- Confirm the correct device is first in the order.
- Check the delay time between devices.
- Make sure the desk phone is not last in the sequence (or skipped).
- Ensure the total ring duration isn’t too short.
Common issues: If calls are set to Mobile App, Forwarded Number, Desktop App, or Deskphone (last), then the desk phone will never ring.
Verify Enabled Devices: You’ll see Desk Phone, Forward Number, Desktop App, Mobile App. For each enabled device, make sure the confirm toggle is ON and make sure the number is correct. Also, make sure to confirm that the mobile app is actually installed and logged in.
Step 4: Adjust Ring Order Settings
After identifying the issue, reorder devices so your desk phone rings first.
- Disable unnecessary forwarded numbers.
- Turn off DND if enabled.
- Ensure ring duration is adequate.
- Remove conflicting rules.
And of course, save the changes you’ve made.
Step 5: Test Your Fix
Here are some ways you can test if your fix was effective:
- Call the user from an external number or an internal extension.
- Confirm if the phone/correct device rings. Look out for unexpected routing.
- If needed, reboot your phone after these changes have been made and confirm that the mobile app isn’t overriding settings.
If you’re still having trouble with your RingCentral phone, we’d love to help you out. Contact us to schedule a consultation.