When an iPhone XS Max cannot make or receive calls or texts, Apple's own guide starts with settings that people forget they changed. Airplane Mode on and off for five seconds restarts the radios; Do Not Disturb or a Focus can silence calls and alerts; a blocked number or a Silence Unknown Callers setting can stop calls from reaching you. Then it asks you to check for a carrier settings update, which arrives as a prompt you can accept in Settings, General, About.
If the phone shows No Service, restart it, and reseat the SIM if you can; the XS Max uses a nano-SIM and supports an eSIM, so a recently activated eSIM that is not set as the line for calls and messages is a common cause. A call that fails only with iMessage on, or texts that stay green, is an iMessage activation problem. For Wi-Fi Calling, check Settings, Mobile Service, Wi-Fi Calling, because a call that fails only at home may be using Wi-Fi Calling and the router blocking it.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple iPhone XS Max cannot make calls or send messages”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Airplane Mode or Focus
What separates it Calls do not ring and texts do not alert
How to confirm Turn Airplane Mode off, and check Settings, Focus
- 2
Blocked numbers or silenced unknown callers
What separates it One caller cannot reach you
How to confirm Settings, Phone, Blocked Contacts and Silence Unknown Callers
- 3
An old carrier settings file
What separates it No Service or calls failing
How to confirm Settings, General, About, install any carrier settings update
- 4
A SIM or eSIM line problem
What separates it The phone shows No SIM or the wrong line is used
How to confirm Reseat the nano-SIM, or in Settings, Mobile Service, set the right line for calls and messages
- 5
iMessage activation
What separates it iMessages do not send
How to confirm Settings, Messages: turn iMessage off and on
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The status bar message such as No Service
- Whether the problem affects calls, texts or both
- Whether you use a nano-SIM or an eSIM
- The carrier and iOS version
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedSwitch Airplane Mode on and off
ReversibleTurn it on, wait five seconds and turn it off to restart the radios.
Check Focus and blocked numbers
ReversibleIn Settings, Focus make sure Do Not Disturb is off, and in Settings, Phone, Blocked Contacts review the list.
Install a carrier settings update
ReversibleSettings, General, About; a prompt appears if one is available.
Restart the phone
ReversibleHold the side button and a volume button, slide to switch off and start it again.
Check the SIM or eSIM
ReversibleReseat the nano-SIM, or check the eSIM line under Settings, Mobile Service.
Reset network settings
ReversibleSettings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, Reset Network Settings; this clears saved Wi-Fi passwords.
Test Wi-Fi Calling
ReversibleIn Settings, Mobile Service, turn Wi-Fi Calling off and on and place a test call at home.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Dual SIM
- The XS Max can hold a nano-SIM and an eSIM, so check which line is set for calls.
- Carrier updates
- Carrier settings arrive as a prompt and fix many call issues.
- Wi-Fi Calling
- Some routers block the traffic Wi-Fi Calling uses.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If No Service persists after a restart and a SIM reseat, contact the carrier, who can check the line
- !If the phone has no network on a working SIM, book Apple service
- !Report a suspected number block to the carrier
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my iPhone say No Service?+
A carrier or SIM issue; restart and reseat the SIM first.
Why are my texts green?+
They are going as SMS, not iMessage.
Does the XS Max have an eSIM?+
Yes, alongside the nano-SIM.
Will resetting network settings delete my data?+
No, only network settings.
Does Wi-Fi Calling affect calls?+
It can if the router blocks it.
calls messages: model differences
Also covered: Apple iPhone 14 family; Apple iPhone 13 family; Apple iPhone 12 family; Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max; Apple iPhone 11 family; Apple iPhone XS family.