There are some common entries that show up in iPhone call logs, such as “cancelled call”, “missed call” etc; however, many people may not be familiar with what these terms mean.
Beyond a simple dial and answer situation, other circumstances can list as different terms when examining your call log history.
For example, a “Cancelled Call” entry indicates that you were in the process of making a call and hung up before either the other person answered or the call went to voicemail.
There are many instances someone might cancel a call, such as an accidental pocket dial, an interruption that required the caller to put their phone away, or even a misdialed wrong number.
Entries in your iPhone call log aren’t mysterious or complicated once you understand the terminology.
Below are some other common questions by curious smartphone users analyzing their call logs.
Outgoing Calls Vs. Cancelled Calls
When calling someone on your iPhone, various circumstances may occur. For example, they could answer, you could get their voicemail, or the call could terminate from the other end.
When the individual on the receiving end of the call picks up, this will show as an “Outgoing Call” on your call log.
Likewise, if the line rings and then goes to voicemail, the call will also be shown as outgoing.
However, as discussed previously, if you decide to end the call before the receiving individual picks up or before the voicemail message, this will go on the call log as a “Cancelled Call”.
Does a Cancelled Call Go Through?
One of the most popular questions from iPhone users is whether the other party receives Cancelled Calls.
The answer to this question depends on the situation, but the receiving individual often registers a Missed Call.
In some instances, if the call is immediately cancelled and not allowed to ring, it’s possible the other person won’t see a Missed Call.
However, once the receiving individual’s line begins to ring, your number will show up as a Missed Call if you cancel.
Depending upon the situation, it may be prudent to stay on the line and commit to a conversation rather than show up as an unknown number and Missed Call.
Does a Cancelled Call Show Up as a Missed Call?
Like the previous question, many iPhone users need some clarification regarding how Canceled Calls are perceived on the receiving end.
If you dial someone, let the line ring, and then end the call before anyone answers or the voicemail begins, your call will display as a Missed Call on their iPhone.
Therefore, if you dialed by mistake, you may consider staying on the line and explaining what happened.
In many cases, the receiving person may simply call you back after cancelling the call requiring you to explain the mistake anyway.
If you are ever in a situation where you accidentally dialed an emergency number, responders ask that you remain on the line and indicate the call was a mistake.
If you cancel a call to emergency services, an operator will immediately call you back to verify whether first responders are needed.
How Do You Know if Someone Declines Your Call on iPhone?
Another popular question among iPhone users is whether or not a caller can determine if their call was declined on the other end.
While you won’t receive a definitive confirmation your call was rejected, you may be able to tell depending on the number of rings.
For example, if you place a call and the line rings once or twice then goes to voicemail, it’s likely the receiving individual selected to decline the call.
Cancelled Call on iPhone does Not mean the caller Cancelled the call. It is a generic fault on iPhones that records ‘User Busy’ calls as a Cancelled Call. Just try for yourself by calling a number you know is engaged and the recent call history will show Cancelled Call even if the screen briefly shows User Busy.
Paul, the primary meaning of “cancelled call” on iphone is what is stated in the article above (that is, the caller cancelled the call (hung up) before the receiver answered).
You own explanation might be valid as well though.
You guys are both correct.
The only time I ever get ‘Cancelled Call’ is in the case described by Paul.
I’m trying to ring someone & can’t get through. The call doesn’t go to voicemail but rings out. However I get a message cancelled call. So does that mean the person I’m ringing knows I’m ringing & they are cancelling the call? I would like to know please if you can help. Thanks.
If the phone is ringing for a very long time and is not answered, then the cellular network might cancel the call because of a ringing timeout threshold. This is to prevent phones from ringing indefinitely. So this might be the case in your situation Julie.