You glance at your Galaxy Tab A9+ and realize a message slipped in without a sound, an alarm came and went, or a call to your paired Galaxy phone never lit up the tablet's screen with a chime. The quad speakers clearly work for video and music, so a silent ringtone almost always traces back to a sound setting, a quiet mode that crept on, or the way the tablet is (or is not) linked to your phone for calls.
Before you assume the hardware has failed, it helps to know one thing about this device. The Tab A9+ is a tablet, and even the LTE and 5G models are data only for calling; Samsung states plainly that "Tablet data plans do not support voice calls." That means the tablet can ring for an incoming phone call only when it is linked to a Galaxy phone through Samsung's Call and text on other devices feature. For everything else (notifications, alarms, and app alerts) the fix lives in the tablet's own sound settings.
Work through the steps below from the top. They are ordered easiest and safest first, so you will likely restore your ringtone long before you reach the restart, update, or reset at the end.
Start with the sound mode and the volume sliders
1. Switch the tablet into Sound mode
If the device is set to Vibrate or Mute, it will not ring for notifications or calls. Open Settings > Sounds and vibration and select Sound, not Vibrate or Mute. While the tablet is in Vibrate or Mute it stays silent for incoming alerts no matter how the volume is set, so this is the first thing to confirm.
2. Raise the ringtone and notification volume
A muted or near-silent slider is one of the most common reasons sounds do not play. Go to Settings > Sounds and vibration > Volume and raise the Ringtone and Notification sliders, or simply press the physical Volume buttons. If the notification slider sits too low, alerts can appear on screen without any audible tone.
Switch off the settings that silence the tablet
3. Turn off Do not disturb
Do not disturb blocks sounds and notifications, and it is easy to leave on by accident. Open the Quick settings panel and touch and hold the Do not disturb icon, or go to Settings > Notifications > Do not disturb and switch it off. If you still want it active at certain times, you can set exceptions for specific people, apps, and alarms instead of disabling it entirely.
4. Turn off Mute all sounds
This accessibility option silences everything on the device, including the ringtone, and it sits in a place most people never look. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing enhancements and turn off Mute all sounds. With it on, no ringtone or notification tone will play no matter how high your volume is set.
5. Turn off Airplane mode
Airplane mode can stop calls and ringtones from coming through, especially the incoming call alerts that rely on a connection. Swipe down to open Quick settings and make sure the airplane icon is off. This matters most if you are relying on the call linking feature described further down.
6. Disable any silencing Modes
The Tab A9+ can run automated modes such as Sleep or Relax that intentionally quiet the ringtone and notifications. Go to Settings > Modes and Routines and turn off any mode that is currently active and silencing your sounds. A Sleep mode that lingers past morning is a frequent and easily missed culprit.
Confirm a real ringtone and the right app permissions
7. Set a notification sound and ringtone
If a sound is set to Silent, the tablet has nothing to play. Go to Settings > Sounds and vibration > Notification sound, tap a sound to preview it, and select one. Confirm that a valid tone is chosen rather than Silent, then test it with the preview so you know it actually plays through the speakers.
8. Check per-app notification permissions
An individual app can be allowed to show alerts on screen while being blocked from making any sound. Go to Settings > Notifications > App notifications and find the specific app you expect to hear from, such as your messaging or calling app. Make sure it is allowed to send notifications and that its sound is enabled.
Getting the tablet to ring for actual phone calls
9. Set up Call and text on other devices
Because the Tab A9+ cannot ring for cellular calls on its own, you have to bridge it to a Galaxy phone. The Tab A9+ officially supports this under Samsung's Call and text continuity, but it has to be configured on both devices first.
- 1.On the tablet, open Settings > Connected devices > Call and text on other devices and enable it.
- 2.Enable the same feature on your Galaxy phone.
- 3.Sign both the phone and the tablet into the same Samsung account.
- 4.Keep the phone on active service.
- 5.For calls, put both devices on the same Wi-Fi network.
Once linked, an incoming call to your phone can ring the tablet too. If the tablet stays silent for calls, the most common reasons are the two devices being on different Wi-Fi networks or signed into different Samsung accounts.
Restart, update, and the last-resort reset
10. Force restart the tablet
A temporary software glitch can stop ringing even when every setting looks correct, and a forced restart clears it without deleting any data. Press and hold the Power button and the Volume down button simultaneously for more than 7 seconds until the device reboots. Let it power back on fully, then send yourself a test notification to confirm the sound has returned.
11. Install the latest software update
Keeping the system current resolves bugs that can interfere with sound and notifications. Go to Settings > Software update > Download and install and apply any available update; the exact wording may vary by model and carrier. You can also enable Auto download over Wi-Fi so future updates arrive on their own, or use Smart Switch on a Windows or Mac computer to check for and install updates from a PC.
12. Factory reset as a last resort
If an app is interfering with your sounds and nothing above has worked, a reset returns the tablet to its original state. Back up your data first, then go to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset. Samsung warns: "Please save any information you need prior to the factory reset because your personal information may not be recovered." Treat this as the final option, only after the simpler fixes have failed.
If a reset still leaves the tablet silent, the issue may need a closer look. The Samsung Members app provides official device diagnostics and a way to reach Samsung support, which is the right next step before assuming a hardware fault.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Galaxy Tab A9+ make and receive phone calls on its own?
No. Even the LTE and 5G variants are data only for calling, because Samsung states that "Tablet data plans do not support voice calls." The tablet can ring for an incoming call only when it is linked to a Galaxy phone through Call and text on other devices, with both devices on the same Samsung account and, for calls, the same Wi-Fi network.
Will a force restart erase my data?
No. Pressing and holding the Power button and the Volume down button for more than 7 seconds reboots the tablet and clears temporary glitches without deleting your data. A factory reset is the only step here that erases your information, and it is reserved for last.
Why do notifications appear on screen but make no sound?
That usually means the sound is being suppressed somewhere. Check that the Notification volume slider is raised, that Mute all sounds is off under Settings > Accessibility > Hearing enhancements, and that Do not disturb is switched off. A specific app may also be allowed to show alerts while its sound is turned off, so confirm its setting under Settings > Notifications > App notifications.
My phone rings but the tablet does not ring for calls. What is wrong?
The two devices most likely are not meeting the requirements for Call and text on other devices. Confirm both are signed into the same Samsung account, that the phone has active service, and that both are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, since calls require it. Re-enable the feature in Settings > Connected devices > Call and text on other devices on each device if needed.
What should I do if ringing still fails after a reset?
Use the Samsung Members app, which offers official device diagnostics and a way to contact Samsung support to help identify the cause. You can also confirm the tablet is fully up to date through Settings > Software update or by using Smart Switch on a computer before pursuing any hardware service.