How To Make A Call With Wifi On Iphone

You need to make a phone call on your iPhone. There's only one problem. You're in a dead zone where the cellular reception is weak or completely unavailable. Are you out of luck? No, not if an accessible Wi-Fi network is within reach.

Thanks to a feature called Wi-Fi Calling, you can send and receive audio calls, FaceTime video calls, and iMessage texts through your Wi-Fi connection. Wi-Fi Calling is helpful if you need to call emergency services and can't get a good cellular signal, but it's especially valuable if you don't want to use your mobile data when making phone calls.

To take advantage of Wi-Fi Calling, you'll need an iPhone 5c or later, and your carrier must support the feature. In the US, Wi-Fi Calling is supported by the three major US wireless carriers—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. To check the status of other carriers in the US and other countries, visit this Apple support page.

Enable Wi-Fi Calling

Before you can use Wi-Fi Calling, you must first turn it on under Settings > Phone [or Cellular] > Wi-Fi Calling > Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone and toggle it on. A message explains what information is sent to your carrier when you enable Wi-Fi Calling. Tap Enable.

The first time you enable Wi-Fi Calling, a screen prompts you to enter your address so you can make emergency calls. Enter the necessary information, tap the option to agree to the terms and conditions, and then tap Continue at the bottom of the screen. Your address is confirmed, and Wi-Fi Calling is enabled.

You can always update this address by tapping the Update Emergency Address link on the Wi-Fi Calling screen. Wi-Fi Calling can also be enabled when roaming to avoid mobile roaming charges if you're outside your area of coverage. To do this, turn on the Prefer Wi-Fi While Roaming option.

Confirm that the feature is turned on by looking for the words Wi-Fi in front of your phone's carrier name. This information can be found on the home screen on pre-iPhone X devices, and within the Control Center for iPhone X, 11, and 12 devices. The next time you need to make a call, and a cellular connection isn't available, your phone will use the nearest Wi-Fi network.

Enable Wi-Fi Calling on Additional Devices

Similar to how you can extend regular calls to other devices, you can also extend Wi-Fi Calling to your iPad and iPod touch (iOS 9 or later), Mac (2012 model or later; 10.11 El Capitan or higher), or Apple Watch (watchOS 2 or later). Your iPhone doesn't need to be on the same network or even turned on for you to make calls on these devices, but your carrier must support Wi-Fi Calling on supported iCloud-connected devices.

If your carrier is on board, return toSettings > Phone > Wi-Fi Calling on your iPhone and turn on the switch next to Add Wi-Fi Calling For Other Devices. The first time you do this, you'll see an Integrated Calling Sign-up Page that explains how Wi-Fi Calling works on other devices and how you can make an emergency call from a device other than your iPhone. Agree to the terms and conditions, then tap Continue.

Go back a screen by tapping the link in the upper-left corner and turn on the switch for Calls on Other Devices to see which of your devices can receive calls. Ensure that the necessary switches are enabled in order to allow calls on these devices.

For any device you have enabled, there should now be a Wi-Fi Calling message on the screen saying that your phone number can be used to make and receive calls using Wi-Fi. Tap Turn On to enable the feature on the device. The first time you do this, you'll see a message asking if you want to upgrade to Wi-Fi Calling. Tap Enable and another message pops up telling you that your location will be used to make emergency calls, then tap OK.

Make a Call

Make sure you're signed in to iCloud and FaceTime with the same Apple account that you use on your iPhone. You can now place a Wi-Fi phone call from a variety of different apps, including FaceTime, Contacts, Mail, Messages, or Safari.

To make calls on an Apple Watch using Wi-Fi Calling, open the Phone app on your watch, tap Favorites, Recents, or Contacts, and tap a number to call. Alternatively, tap Keypad and type a number to dial. For a contact, tap the Phone icon and then choose FaceTime Audio or a specific phone number.

Like What You're Reading?

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.