How to Resolve Emergency Calls Only Issue on Android Phones

The Emergency Calls Only error on your Android phone can be frustrating. It often happens when you are outside the network coverage area or when there is no SIM card inserted in your phone.

If you have inserted the SIM card, this error can still occur due to airplane mode being enabled, temporary glitches with the device, issues with your SIM manager app, or incorrect or corrupted network settings. In this guide, we’ll explore a few troubleshooting steps to resolve Emergency Calls Only issue on Android phones.

Basic Ways to Fix Emergency Calls Only on Android Phones

1. Check if Your SIM Card Is Active and Turned On

The SIM card manager app on your Android phone allows you to enable or disable an active SIM. This feature is useful on devices with dual SIM support, where you can turn off the secondary SIM and set it to inactive. Check if you have accidentally turned off your SIM, resulting in the Emergency Calls Only error.

To turn on your active SIM in Android:

• Open the app drawer and go to Settings > Connections.
• Tap on SIM card manager to view your active SIM.
• If the SIM is turned off, toggle the switch and tap OK to make the SIM active.

2. Toggle Airplane Mode On and Off

Enabling airplane mode disables all wireless features on your Android phone. If airplane mode is turned on, you will see the Emergency Calls Only notification, indicating that your device is not receiving a cellular signal. Additionally, toggling airplane mode on and off can help you reconnect to your cellular network provider and fix the error.

To turn airplane mode on and off in Android:

• Tap on Settings from the home screen.
• Next, tap on Connections.
• Toggle the switch to turn on Airplane mode.
• Tap once more to turn off airplane mode. Wait for a few seconds for your phone to disable airplane mode and connect to your network carrier.

Alternatively, you can access airplane mode from the quick settings menu. Swipe down from the top of your screen and tap Airplane mode to activate or deactivate it.

3. Change Your Network Type

Most Android phones allow you to select your preferred network mode (2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G) to fix service issues. If you are in an area with weak reception, try switching to a different network mode to receive a stronger signal.

To change your network mode:

• Open Settings and tap on Connections.
• Select Mobile networks.
• Tap on Network mode and choose an alternate network type.

Please note that some network operators do not support 2G or 3G network types. In such cases, you can manually set your network mode to either 4G or 5G.

4. Manually Select Your Network Provider

Your Android device automatically detects and selects mobile networks based on your SIM and network availability. However, in cases where the network connection is unstable, manually selecting your network provider can help resolve the problem.

To change your network operator on Android:

• Go to Settings > Connections.
• Tap on Mobile networks and then select Network operators.
• Toggle off the Select automatically switch to disable automatic network selection. Once disabled, your Android device will scan for all available networks in the area.
• Tap on your network operator’s name to register your device on the network.

5. Perform a Quick Restart

Performing a quick restart can help resolve temporary glitches related to your SIM or Android phone. Restarting your phone will close all running apps in the background and force your phone to reconnect to your network operator. To restart your Android phone, press and hold the power button, then tap Restart and confirm the action by tapping Restart again.

6. Ensure Proper SIM Insertion

If your SIM card is not inserted correctly, your phone will not detect it. Newer Android devices support Nano SIMs, while older devices with the standard SIM tray may experience contact issues with a Nano SIM, resulting in an error.

To resolve this issue:

• Use an eject pin to open the SIM tray and remove the SIM card.
• Depending on your Android device, insert the SIM card with the contacts facing either upwards or downwards. If necessary, gently press the SIM card into the tray to align it correctly.
• Reinsert the SIM tray and check if your phone detects a network. If the issue persists, try clearing the SIM Toolkit app cache to resolve the problem.

7. Reset Network Settings

Performing a network reset can resolve unexpected network issues that trigger the Emergency Calls Only error. This reset will restore several network-related features to their default settings, including background data sync, mobile data limit, Wi-Fi SSIDs, tethered interfaces, network selection mode, app data restrictions, preferred mobile network type, and additional features related to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPNs.

To perform a network reset on your Android:

• Swipe down to access the Quick Settings menu.
• Tap on the Settings (Gear icon) located in the top right corner.
• Scroll down and tap on General Management.
• Next, tap on Reset. For Google or Motorola phones, go to Settings > System > Reset options to find the reset network settings option.
• Tap on Reset network settings. Read the description and tap the Reset settings button to confirm the action.

8. Reset Your Phone to Factory Default

As a last resort, you may need to perform a factory reset to fix the Emergency Calls Only error. A factory reset may be necessary if a system configuration issue is causing the error. You can perform a factory reset on your Android phone using both the Settings and Recovery Mode.

Since the reset process will erase all data on your device, it is important to back up your device thoroughly to protect your photos, SMS, contacts, and any other important data.

Final Words

These are some of the ways to fix the Emergency Calls Only error on Android phones. This error occurs when your Android device fails to detect a cellular signal. However, the underlying causes of this error can vary. If you are in an area with good signal reception, make sure to check your airplane mode settings and ensure it is disabled.

Additionally, changing your network mode type, manually selecting your network operator, and resetting your network settings  can also help you resolve the error and restore network connectivity.