What Is Wi-Fi Calling and How Does It Work?

Wi-Fi calling lets you make and receive normal phone calls and texts from your own number over a Wi-Fi connection instead of the mobile network. It's built into your phone, so you don't need an app, and the person you call doesn't need Wi-Fi. It helps when you have weak signal at home, in a basement or abroad. Whether it's free depends on your carrier, especially when you travel. This guide explains how Wi-Fi calling works, how to turn it on on iPhone and Android, what it costs abroad, and how to use it with a travel eSIM.

What is Wi-Fi calling?

Wi-Fi calling is a feature from your mobile carrier. When it's on, your phone can send your calls and texts through a Wi-Fi network when the mobile signal is weak or missing. You still use your usual phone number, your usual Phone and Messages apps, and your usual contacts.

A few things make it different from calling with WhatsApp or FaceTime:

• Your own number: the person you call sees your normal number, as with any other call.
• No app needed: you dial as usual. The feature sits in your phone's settings.
• Only you need Wi-Fi: the person you call gets a normal call on their phone, whether they're on Wi-Fi or not.
• Your carrier must support it: not every carrier offers Wi-Fi calling, and some don't allow it outside your home country.

How does Wi-Fi calling work?

Normally your phone talks to a nearby cell tower. With Wi-Fi calling, your phone sends the call over the internet instead, through a secure connection to your carrier's network. Your carrier then connects the call like any other call. The technology is called Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi). It's a form of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), but run by your carrier and tied to your SIM or eSIM.

Your phone decides which route to use. If the mobile signal is good, it may still use the mobile network. If the signal is weak and you're on Wi-Fi, it switches to Wi-Fi calling. On many phones you can set a preference, such as Wi-Fi preferred or mobile network preferred. If your signal is weak, you can also try ways to improve cell phone reception.

How do you know a call is going over Wi-Fi? On iPhone, Apple says you'll see "Wi-Fi" in the status bar next to your carrier when you open Control Center. On Android, the Wi-Fi calling icon and where it shows depend on your phone and carrier.

Want the basics of the two connections? Read the difference between Wi-Fi and cellular.

How to turn on Wi-Fi calling on iPhone

1. Open Settings and tap Cellular. On some iPhones set to UK English, this menu is called Mobile Data or Mobile Service, depending on your iOS version.
2. If you have more than one line, tap the line you want to use with Wi-Fi calling.
3. Tap Wi-Fi Calling and turn on Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone.
4. Tap Enable. You might need to enter or confirm your address for emergency services.

If you don't see Wi-Fi Calling, your carrier may not offer it for your plan. Source: Apple: Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling. In the US and Canada, Apple lists which carriers support it in Wireless carrier support and features for iPhone in the United States and Canada.

Use Wi-Fi calling on your iPad, Mac or Apple Watch

If your carrier supports it, you can also make and take calls from your iPhone number on your other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account:

1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Calling and turn on Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone.
2. Go back and tap Calls on Other Devices. Turn on Allow Calls on Other Devices, then turn on each device you want to use.
3. On iPad, go to Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn on Calls from iPhone.
4. On Mac, open FaceTime, choose FaceTime > Settings and turn on Calls from iPhone.

Apple Watch gets Wi-Fi calling on its own once Allow Calls on Other Devices is on.

How to turn on Wi-Fi calling on Android

The menu names change a little between brands and Android versions. Here are the official steps for the two main ones.

Google Pixel and other Android phones

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Network & internet > SIMs, then your SIM.
3. Tap Wi-Fi calling and turn it on.

Google says that if you don't see the option, your carrier doesn't support it (Google: Make calls over Wi-Fi).

Samsung Galaxy

1. Open Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi Calling, or swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the Wi-Fi Calling icon in Quick settings.
2. Turn on the switch. If asked, enter your emergency address and tap Save.
3. Choose your calling preference: Wi-Fi preferred or Mobile network preferred.

Depending on your carrier, you may also see a When roaming or Roaming network preference setting. It decides whether your phone prefers Wi-Fi or the local network when you're abroad. Sources: Samsung US: Turn on Wi-Fi Calling on Galaxy phones and Samsung UK: How to activate Wi-Fi Calling on a Galaxy smartphone.

Is Wi-Fi calling free?

At home, Wi-Fi calling usually costs the same as a normal call. Calls and texts come out of your plan like any other call. For example, EE says your call and text charges stay the same and Wi-Fi calling doesn't use your mobile data allowance. It does use some data on the Wi-Fi network you're connected to. Google also warns that some carriers may charge extra, so check with yours.

Is Wi-Fi calling free abroad?

This is where carriers differ the most. Here's what some of them say on their official pages:

• T-Mobile (US): Wi-Fi calls and texts to US numbers have no fees. Calls to other countries can be charged, depending on your plan. T-Mobile also says Wi-Fi calling isn't available in countries where it's prohibited by law, such as North Korea, Iran and Syria (T-Mobile: Wi-Fi Calling).
• Verizon (US): calling back to the US over Wi-Fi from abroad is free. Calls to other countries are billed under your international long-distance plan or at pay-as-you-go rates. On iPhone, you must turn on Wi-Fi Calling while you're in the US, as it can't be activated after you leave (Verizon: Wi-Fi Calling FAQs).
• EE (UK): its help page says you need a Wi-Fi connection in the UK to use Wi-Fi calling (EE: Use WiFi Calling).
• Vodafone (UK): its terms say Wi-Fi calling while roaming isn't supported. Where it does work abroad, extra charges apply, and calls to numbers in the country you're visiting are charged at international rates (Vodafone: Wi-Fi Calling terms and conditions).

So check your own carrier's page before you go. Also watch out for one trap: if the Wi-Fi drops, your phone can switch the call to the local mobile network, at roaming rates. T-Mobile suggests checking for the Wi-Fi calling icon before you call. More tips in our guide on how to avoid roaming charges. Choosing a network for your trip? See how to choose the best mobile network for international travel.

How to use Wi-Fi calling with a travel eSIM

Most travel eSIMs, including the SimOptions data eSIMs, give you mobile data but no phone number. Wi-Fi calling on your home line fills that gap. Your phone can hold both lines at once, so you can stay reachable on your usual number while the travel eSIM handles your data.

1. Before you leave, turn on Wi-Fi calling for your home line and check your carrier allows it abroad. Some carriers, like Verizon on iPhone, need you to do this at home.
2. Install your travel eSIM and keep your home line on. Don't delete it.
3. Choose the travel eSIM for mobile data and turn off data roaming on your home line. See the correct roaming settings for an eSIM and our guide to setting up dual eSIM.
4. Connect to Wi-Fi. At your hotel or a cafe, calls and texts to your home number can now reach you over Wi-Fi, if your carrier allows it.

Can Wi-Fi calling run over the travel eSIM's mobile data instead of Wi-Fi? Sometimes. Apple shows this setup on iPhone as "Carrier 2 is using the cellular data of Carrier 1". It depends on your phone and both carriers. Apple also notes that this cellular-data switching doesn't work while you're using data roaming, which is how most travel eSIMs connect (Apple: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM). So don't count on it, and test it before you rely on it.

Your home line also stays connected to local networks when there's no Wi-Fi, so calls you take on it can still cost roaming fees. Check your carrier's roaming rates before you travel.

Going to Europe or the US? A data eSIM keeps maps, messages and app calls running, and your home line stays on your phone for Wi-Fi calling.

Europe 10GB and United States 10GB are data-only · Travel Basic+ includes a French +33 number with calls and SMS · Europe eSIMs · US eSIMs · All destinations

Need a number people in Europe can call? The Bouygues Telecom plans, such as Travel Basic+, come with a French +33 number with calls and SMS. Here's more on Europe eSIMs with a phone number. Using a data-only eSIM? See how to make phone calls with a data-only eSIM.

Wi-Fi calling and emergency calls

Wi-Fi calling can reach emergency services, but don't rely on it as your first option:

• Apple says your iPhone uses the mobile network for emergency calls when it's available. If it isn't and Wi-Fi calling is on, emergency calls might use Wi-Fi calling.
• Over Wi-Fi, emergency services may not get your location automatically. That's why carriers ask for an emergency address when you turn the feature on. EE says it will try to send your location for a 999 call over Wi-Fi, but it's not guaranteed. T-Mobile asks you to update your E911 address if you use Wi-Fi calling somewhere else.
• Keep that address up to date, and give your location out loud when you call.

When you travel, dial the local emergency number over the mobile network if you can. In the EU, 112 works in every country. More in our guide to emergency calls on iPhone.

Wi-Fi calling not working? Try these fixes

1. Check it's on for the right line, in the settings above.
2. Check your carrier and plan support it. If the setting is missing, your carrier probably doesn't offer it for your phone or plan.
3. Check your Wi-Fi. Open a website to make sure the connection works. Hotel and cafe Wi-Fi often needs you to sign in on a login page first. Try another network if you can.
4. Add or confirm your emergency address. Some carriers won't turn on Wi-Fi calling without it.
5. Update your phone's software. Apple asks you to check your devices have the latest software before you use Wi-Fi calling.
6. Restart your phone. Google notes that Android can turn Wi-Fi calling off on its own if it detects a problem, and a restart may bring it back.
7. Abroad? Your carrier may block Wi-Fi calling outside your home country, or you may need to have turned it on before you left.
8. Still stuck? Contact your carrier and ask them to check Wi-Fi calling is active on your account.

If Wi-Fi calling isn't an option, apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime or Signal work over any internet connection, as long as the other person has the same app. Here are the best Wi-Fi calling apps.

FAQs

What does Wi-Fi calling mean?

It means your phone makes a normal call from your own number over Wi-Fi instead of the mobile network. Your carrier connects the call as usual.

Is Wi-Fi calling free?

Usually it costs the same as a normal call on your plan, and it doesn't use your mobile data allowance. Abroad, it depends on your carrier: some let you call home for free, others charge or block it.

Does Wi-Fi calling use data?

It uses data on the Wi-Fi network, not your mobile data allowance. Carriers like EE and Verizon say Wi-Fi calls don't count against your mobile data.

Does the other person need Wi-Fi?

No. Only you need Wi-Fi. The person you call gets a normal call, on Wi-Fi or on their mobile network.

Should I turn Wi-Fi calling on or off?

Keep it on at home if your signal is weak indoors. Before a trip, check your carrier's rules abroad. If your carrier charges for Wi-Fi calls abroad, turn it off and use apps instead.

Does Wi-Fi calling work internationally?

It depends on your carrier. T-Mobile and Verizon let you call US numbers over Wi-Fi from abroad at no extra cost. EE needs a UK Wi-Fi connection, and Vodafone UK says it isn't supported while roaming.

What does "prefer Wi-Fi while roaming" mean?

It's a setting on some Android phones. When you're abroad, it tells your phone to use Wi-Fi calling first instead of the local network, which can help you avoid roaming charges.

Can I use Wi-Fi calling with a travel eSIM?

Yes, on your home line. Keep your home line on, use the travel eSIM for data, and connect to Wi-Fi to get calls and texts on your usual number, if your carrier allows Wi-Fi calling abroad.

Can I make Wi-Fi calls with a data-only eSIM?

Not normal Wi-Fi calls, because a data-only eSIM has no phone number. Use apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime over its data instead.