Missing calls on your ASUS ROG Phone 9 is a real problem, especially when you're expecting something important. You check your phone and see the missed call notification, but you never heard a sound. The good news is this is usually a simple setting that got changed or a minor software hiccup.
Let's start with the quickest fix. Unlock your phone and press the volume up button on the side. Make sure you're not in a game or app when you do this, as that adjusts media volume. You need to adjust the ring volume specifically, which you can do from the home screen or in your settings under Sound & vibration > Ring volume.
Check Your Phone's Sound Mode
The ROG Phone 9 has several sound profiles that can silence your ringer. Swipe down from the top of your screen to open the Quick Settings panel. Look for an icon that says "Sound", "Vibrate", or "Silent". If it's set to Vibrate or Silent, tap it to switch back to Sound mode.
You can also check this in your settings. Go to Settings > Sound & vibration. Here, you'll see your sound mode at the top. Ensure it's set to "Sound". While you're here, also make sure the "Ring volume" slider is turned up.
Review Do Not Disturb and Gaming Modes
Do Not Disturb is a common culprit. When it's on, it silences all calls and notifications unless you've set up exceptions. Open your Quick Settings panel again and look for the Do Not Disturb icon (a circle with a line through it). If it's highlighted, tap it to turn it off.
For a more thorough check, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Do Not Disturb. Make sure the main toggle is off. Also, look at any schedules that might be turning it on automatically at certain times.
Since this is a gaming phone, also check your game profiles. If you were recently in a game with X Sense mode active, it might have altered notification settings. Open the Armoury Crate app and check your game profiles to ensure they aren't set to block all calls.
Disconnect Bluetooth Accessories
If your phone is connected to a Bluetooth device like wireless earbuds, a speaker, or even a smartwatch, the call ringtone might be routing there instead of your phone's speaker. This can happen silently, so you won't hear anything.
The fastest way to check is to swipe down and tap the Bluetooth icon in Quick Settings to turn it off temporarily. Then, have someone call you to test. You can also go to Settings > Connected devices and review what's paired and connected.
Change Your Ringtone
Sometimes the specific audio file for your ringtone can become corrupted. Switching to a different one can force the system to refresh and fix the issue. Go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Phone ringtone.
Select a different built-in tone and tap OK. I'd recommend picking one of the default "ASUS" tones for this test, as they're guaranteed to work. After changing it, immediately ask a friend to call you or use a second phone to test.
Check for Blocked Numbers and Call Settings
It's possible you accidentally blocked a number, or a broader setting is interfering. Open your Phone app, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, and go to Settings > Blocked numbers. See if the number you're missing calls from is listed there.
Also, look at other call settings. In the same Phone app settings menu, check for features like "Call forwarding" to make sure your calls aren't being sent to another number, and look for any "Silence unknown callers" options that might be enabled.
Inspect App-Specific Notification Settings
If you're missing calls from a specific app like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord, the problem might be with that app's permissions, not your system ringer. Open Settings > Apps > See all apps.
Find the app (e.g., WhatsApp) and tap on it. Go to Notifications. Ensure notifications are turned on for the app. Then, look for specific notification categories like "Incoming calls" or "Voice calls" and make sure they are set to "Make sound and pop on screen".
Perform a Force Restart
A simple reboot can clear out temporary glitches in the system that might be affecting the sound driver. For the ROG Phone 9, press and hold the Power button for about 15 seconds. Keep holding it until you see the ASUS or ROG logo appear on the screen, then release.
This forces a full shutdown and restart. It's different from a normal restart and often fixes odd software behavior. After the phone boots back up, test your ringer immediately.
Update Your System Software
Software bugs can sometimes cause sound issues, and ASUS releases updates to fix them. Connect to Wi-Fi and go to Settings > System > System update. Tap "Check for update".
If an update is available, install it. Your phone will restart. It's a good idea to plug it into the 65W charger during this process, as the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip can generate heat during updates, and you don't want the battery to die.
Reset App Preferences or Network Settings
If the issue seems linked to specific apps, you can reset app preferences without deleting any app data. This returns all app notification and permission settings to their defaults. Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Reset app preferences.
For issues that might be network-related (like VoIP app calls not ringing), try resetting network settings. This will erase Wi-Fi passwords and Bluetooth pairings. Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.
Check for Physical or Audio Focus Issues
Make sure nothing is physically blocking the speakers. The ROG Phone 9 has front-firing speakers, so check the grilles at the top and bottom of the screen for any debris. Use a soft, dry brush to gently clean them.
Also, consider if any app might be holding "audio focus". This is rare, but a misbehaving app could theoretically silence other sounds. Try booting your phone into Safe Mode. Press and hold the power button, then on the power off menu, press and hold "Restart" until you see a prompt to boot into Safe Mode.
In Safe Mode, only system apps run. If your ringer works here, a third-party app you installed is likely causing the conflict.
Consider a Full Software Reset
If you've tried everything else and the ringer is still silent, a factory reset is the final step. This will erase all data on your phone, so you must back up everything important first. Use Google's backup service or manually transfer files to a computer.
Once backed up, go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset). Follow the prompts. After the reset, set up the phone as new without restoring a backup immediately, just to test if the ringer works on a clean system.