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Troubleshooting Mobile Phone Calls

If you’re having trouble making or receiving Spruce calls on your mobile phone, this guide will help you quickly check the basics and fix common issues. 

 

For troubleshooting web and desktop calls, view this guide. 

IN THIS ARTICLE

Before You Start

Check the following before getting into further troubleshooting:  

  1. Check your call availability - Click the call status indicator (top-right next to your avatar) and ensure Accept Incoming Calls is turned ON.
  2. Review your account’s call settings - In My Call Settings, make sure your calling preference for web & desktop is Softphones and that Allow Incoming Calls is enabled for both Web Browsers and the Desktop App. See more on My Call Settings.
  3. Check you’re not sending calls to voicemail - Go to Settings > Phone Numbers and make sure Send Calls Directly to Voicemail is turned OFF.
  4. Confirm you’re in the ring list - You only receive calls for numbers where your account is listed in that number’s ring list. Learn about managing your phone number's ring list..
  5. Confirm your internet is strong and stable and not blocked by a VPN - If you’re using softphones, avoid public WiFi. If you use a VPN, disconnect it or set it to “split tunnel” so Spruce calls can go through. See Network Issues for more.
  6. Confirm your Spruce number is saved as a contact (iOS only). This is critical and may cause issues with inbound calls as Apple offers spam prevention features that will silence calls from unknown numbers. You can read more about this here.

Configuring Your Mobile Call Settings

When you use Spruce on your mobile phone, you can receive and make calls in two ways:

  • Cellular Network – Calls will use your mobile phone minutes and will require a cell network signal. Incoming calls will ring the mobile phone number on your account.
  • Softphones – Calls will use your phone's internet connection, over either Wi-Fi or mobile data, such as 5G or LTE. Incoming calls will ring on the mobile device you last used to access Spruce.

You can choose your preferred method in Settings > My Call Settings. These settings only apply to your account and will not affect your teammates. Learn more about My Call Settings.

Troubleshooting Cellular Network Calls

If you are having trouble placing cell network calls, here are some things to check.

Check Your Mobile Calling Preference

To make calls over the cell network using your phone's mobile phone minutes, Cell Network must be set as your mobile calling preference. To check your mobile calling preference:

  1. Tap on Settings in the bottom tab bar
  2. Go to My Call Settings, listed under Account
  3. Tap Edit on the Mobile Phones card
  4. Make sure Cellular Network is selected as your Mobile Calling Preference 

Incorrect User Credentials

Make sure you are signed in to your own Spruce account. If you are signed in under another user’s account, you will not be able to place outgoing calls.

Wrong Outgoing Phone Number

The mobile phone number in your My Call Settings must match the number of the device you are using for cell network calls.

Caller ID Hidden

It is possible your Caller ID is hidden in your device settings. If so, the call will not go through.

How to unhide Caller ID:

  • iPhone: Go to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID, then make sure it is turned on.
  • Android: On the dial pad screen, tap 3 vertical dots > Settings > Supplementary service > Show your caller ID, then make sure “Never” is not selected.

Note for Verizon customers: Some Verizon customers cannot change this setting on their device. If this happens, and you have already followed the steps above, please contact Spruce Support.

Dual SIM phones
If your device has two SIM cards, make sure the number you are calling from matches the mobile phone number listed in your Spruce account.

  • You can update your Spruce account phone number under Settings > Account > Mobile Phone Number.
  • Or on your phone, choose the correct SIM before making the call.

How to check your default SIM:

  • iPhone: Go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data) > Default Voice Line.
  • Android: Go to Settings > Network & Internet (or SIM cards) and look for Calls, Preferred SIM for Calls, or Default SIM for Calls.

Troubleshooting Softphone Calls

When using Softphones in Spruce, calls are made over your phone’s internet connection (WiFi or mobile data). If calls won’t connect, drop frequently, or have poor quality, follow these steps.

Quick Softphone Connection Checks

  1. Check your mobile calling preference
    • Go to Settings > My Call Settings > Mobile Phones > Edit.
    • Make sure Softphones is selected as your mobile calling preference.
  2. Test your network speed
    • Run a speed test. You need at least 100 kbps up and down per call for good quality.
  3. Strengthen your signal
    • Move closer to your WiFi router.
    • Try another WiFi network.
    • Switch to your phone’s LTE or 5G mobile data.
  4. Avoid restrictive networks

Fixing Common Mobile Softphone Problems

1. Calls will not connect

Why it happens:
Usually caused by VPN interference or a blocked network.

How to fix it:

  • Switch between WiFi and LTE or 5G to see if one works better.
  • Disconnect from VPN or set it to split tunnel.

2. Poor call quality or audio cutting in and out

Why it happens: 
Often caused by a weak or unstable internet connection, low bandwidth, or other apps using your microphone or internet.

How to fix it:

  • Run a speed test and confirm you have at least 100 kbps up and down per call.
  • Move closer to your WiFi router or switch to LTE or 5G.
  • Try a different WiFi network to rule out restrictions.
  • Close bandwidth-heavy apps such as Netflix, YouTube, or large downloads.
  • Quit apps using your microphone such as Zoom, Spotify, or Teams.

3. No sound at all

Why it happens:
The speaker or headphones may not be selected or the phone volume may be muted.

How to fix it:

  • Check your phone’s volume and mute settings.
  • Verify headphones or Bluetooth devices are connected properly.
  • During a call, tap Audio and reselect your audio device.

If Softphone Issues Persist

  • Restart your phone.
  • Update Spruce to the latest version from the App Store or Google Play.
  • Switch to Cell Network calling in Settings > My Call Settings to use your carrier minutes instead of Softphones. 

Network Issues 

Basic Network Tips (For Everyone)

For the best call quality on mobile softphones:

  • Use a stable internet connection (WiFi or strong LTE/5G)
  • Stay close to your WiFi router
  • Avoid public WiFi networks that may block calls
  • Limit other high-usage apps during calls
  • Disconnect from VPN or set it to split tunnel

How to Check if a VPN is Active on Your Phone

On iPhone:

  • Look at the top right of your screen for the VPN icon
  • Or go to System Settings > VPN and see if a VPN shows as “Connected”

On Android:

  • Look at the top status bar for a key or lock icon
  • Or go to System Settings > Network & Internet > VPN and check if any VPN shows as “Connected”

If a VPN is on, try disconnecting it or setting it to split tunnel so Spruce can connect directly.

Network Requirements

For detailed network requirements for softphones, including port settings and corporate firewall guidance, see: Troubleshooting Web and Desktop Softphones: Network Issues.

Contacting Support 

If you still cannot make or receive calls after trying the steps in this guide, please send the following to Spruce Support. We cannot troubleshoot call issues without the Message Link for the bad call.

  1. Message Link for the problematic call (required). For instructions on how to copy Message Links, see this article.
  2. Exact error messages. Screenshots help.
  3. Date and time when the issue happened.
  4. What you were doing at the time such as placing a call, receiving, or on hold.
  5. Network type and VPN status. Specify whether you were on an office network, home network, cell network, and if a VPN was active.

Once you have this information, contact us in the Spruce app or email support@sprucehealth.com.

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