Did you see a message on your iPhone stating ‘call cancelled’, and are wondering what it means?

Although this usually isn’t something that pops up often, there is a simple explanation behind its meaning.

In this article, I’ll quickly cover what cancelled calls are, and how they differ from dropped or declined calls!

What Does ‘Cancelled Call’ Mean On iPhone?

Cancelled Call Example, iPhone

If your iPhone is stating a message saying ‘cancelled call’, this means that you called someone, but hung up before the call could connect.

You can check whether or not a call has been cancelled by opening your Phone app, and clicking on the little i icon on the right-hand side of the number.

Underneath the options to message, call or FaceTime the number, you will see a log of calls made to it, as pictured above.

Keep in mind that calls can be cancelled at any point before the other person picks up – it doesn’t necessarily have to be before the first ring.

So, even if your call is cancelled, the other person may still have seen that you were calling, as well as receive a missed call notification. Therefore, they may call you back before long!

Does A Cancelled Call Mean The Call Was Declined?

No, a cancelled call does not mean that a call was declined. A cancelled call will only happen if you are the one that ends the call.

When a call is declined, what will happen instead is that you’ll be sent to voicemail.

However, when you check your call log through the phone app later, the call won’t be marked as ‘cancelled’ – instead, the proper call status will be shown instead, as technically you were able to connect to their phone.

Of course, just because you go to voicemail does not necessarily mean that your call was declined either.

It’s possible that the receiver simply was busy, or otherwise unable to answer it.

What Is The Difference Between A Cancelled And A Dropped Call?

Truthfully, cancelled calls and dropped calls are completely different.

As mentioned earlier, cancelled calls are calls that are willingly ended before the receiver of the call ever answers the phone – the two of you have not yet connected, or began talking in any way.

Dropped calls on the other hand are calls that disconnected on their own, by no fault of either party. Calls are commonly dropped due to connection issues to your cellular provider, or moving into areas with poor coverage. In some cases, calls may also drop due to damaged SIM cards.

When a call is dropped on iPhone, your screen will show a message stating ‘Call Failed’ and give you the option to immediately call them back.

If you have a Wi-Fi connection available and the other person also has an iPhone, you may consider calling them via FaceTime audio, which operates over Wi-Fi rather than your phone’s cellular network.

Conclusion

A cancelled call simply means that you (as the dialer) hung up before the call could go through.

If you let the call ring all the way through to voicemail, the call will not be marked as cancelled. A call is considered cancelled only when you hang up before it is picked up, or it reaches voicemail.

I hope that this article has answered all of your questions. If you have any other questions about cancelled calls, please ask them using the comment form below.

Wishing you the best,

– James McAllister

About the author 

James McAllister

James is the owner of JamesMcAllisterOnline.com. He started his first blog at the age of 11, and has since gone on to start several successful businesses. In total, these businesses have sold hundreds of thousands of units and have touched millions of lives. Here on JamesMcAllisterOnline.com, he shares his knowledge that brought him to where he is today. If you want to connect with James, follow him on your favorite social networks!

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