How to Use or Turn Off FaceTime on iPhone and iPad

FaceTime needs an internet connection, but it does not require Wi-Fi. On a supported iPhone with a cellular data plan, it can make calls using mobile data. To get started, turn on Settings > Apps > FaceTime, open the FaceTime app, choose New Call, enter the recipient, and select video or audio.

If you want FaceTime to use Wi-Fi only, turn off its individual switch under Settings > Cellular. Keep in mind that a mobile call can use your data allowance and incur carrier or roaming charges.

What you need before making a call

You need a working internet connection and FaceTime enabled on your iPhone. The person you call also needs a way to join FaceTime. Availability of FaceTime and some of its features varies by country, region, and carrier.

The current instructions use Settings > Apps > FaceTime and the New Call button. On older iOS releases, FaceTime settings can appear directly in Settings, and the app may call the new-call button New FaceTime. Follow the section that matches your software rather than looking for identical placement on every iPhone.

The original article's iPhone 5 can use FaceTime over supported Wi-Fi or cellular service, but it runs older software and cannot provide all the newer features discussed here. Its cellular service also depends on an available network and carrier support. A current guide should not treat its menus as the standard layout for a newer iPhone.

Set up FaceTime and choose how people reach you

1. Open Settings, select Apps, then FaceTime. You should reach the page with the FaceTime on/off control and account options. On an older layout, open FaceTime directly from Settings.
2. Turn on FaceTime if it is off. If the phone shows an activation or sign-in prompt, complete that setup before trying a call.
3. Review “You can be reached by FaceTime at.” Select the phone number or email addresses you actually want people to use. If you sign in with your Apple Account, you can use the available account addresses; Apple also documents using just a phone number without signing in.
4. Check Caller ID. Choose the available number or email you want recipients to see for outgoing calls. This is separate from allowing multiple addresses to receive calls.
5. Open the FaceTime app after setup. Settings configures the service; the app provides the controls for starting a conversation.

Apple's FaceTime setup guide explains those contact and Caller ID choices. If you use more than one number or recently changed phones, review them instead of assuming the expected number was selected automatically.

Make a video or audio call

1. Open FaceTime and tap New Call. The recipient field appears. Older versions can label the button New FaceTime.
2. Enter the person's name, number, or email. Choose the correct suggestion or add them from Contacts. Inspect the underlying contact information if similar names or old numbers could lead to the wrong person.
3. Choose the call type. Tap FaceTime for video or the Audio Call button for audio only. Audio is useful when you want a conversation without showing video.
4. Wait for the recipient to answer. Ringing or an unavailable result is different from a connection failure. Confirm that you used a FaceTime-enabled address before repeatedly trying another number.
5. Use the call controls and end the call when finished. Tap the screen if necessary to reveal controls. Inspect the microphone and camera controls before assuming the other person can hear or see you.

While a video call is connected, you can use Picture in Picture on iPhone to keep the call visible while opening another app. Returning to the Home Screen does not hang up the call; use the call controls when you want to end it.

You can also start a call from an iMessage conversation. Tap its FaceTime button and choose FaceTime Audio or FaceTime Video. Apple includes that alternative in its calling instructions.

For an incoming call, use the displayed Accept control. If another call arrives while you are already on FaceTime, inspect the choices carefully: End & Accept ends the current call, while Hold & Accept puts it on hold. Choose Decline if you want to keep the current conversation uninterrupted.

Allow FaceTime to work without Wi-Fi

Use the app-specific cellular setting instead of assuming all apps can use mobile data whenever the phone has signal.

1. Open Settings > Cellular. In some locales the page is named Mobile Data.
2. Check that Cellular Data is on. A phone can have voice service while mobile internet is unavailable or disabled.
3. Find FaceTime in the app list. Expand the list with Show All if your layout requires it.
4. Turn FaceTime's cellular switch on. This permits that app to use the cellular connection when Wi-Fi is unavailable.
5. Check your plan before a long call. Coverage, allowance, roaming, and charges are matters for your carrier. Do not assume the presence of a 5G symbol means unlimited data.

To check the result, disconnect from Wi-Fi using the Wi-Fi setting, confirm another internet task works over cellular, and make a brief FaceTime call with an expected recipient. Reconnect to Wi-Fi afterward if you prefer to use it.

Both people need a usable internet connection. You can be on cellular while the other person is on Wi-Fi; there is no requirement for the same network.

Keep FaceTime on Wi-Fi only

Open Settings > Cellular, locate FaceTime, and turn its individual switch off. Apple says an app with cellular data disabled uses Wi-Fi for that service. This lets you leave cellular data available to other apps while preventing FaceTime from using it.

Do not turn FaceTime itself off unless you want to stop using the service altogether. The FaceTime switch in Apps controls the service, while its Cellular switch controls the permitted internet connection.

If calls stop working when you leave Wi-Fi after making this change, that is the intended result. Turn the individual cellular switch back on when you want mobile calls again. Apple's cellular data guide explains individual app controls and usage statistics.

For budgeting, look at FaceTime's cellular usage in that page. The displayed usage period may not match your carrier's current billing cycle, so use the carrier's records for the authoritative billed amount. Avoid treating one published “megabytes per minute” estimate as a fixed rate for every FaceTime call.

FaceTime and Ordinary Phone Calls on iPad

For a FaceTime video call on iPad, connect to internet, enable FaceTime in its Settings entry, and sign into the intended Apple Account if prompted. Open FaceTime, choose New Call or the older New FaceTime/+ control, select the person’s FaceTime number or email, and choose video. Wait for an answered call to confirm it works. A Wi-Fi iPad can use FaceTime; a cellular plan is not required for a Wi-Fi call.

Ordinary telephone calls on iPad use a separate iPhone relay setup. Keep both devices nearby on the same Wi-Fi network and signed into the same Apple Account, including FaceTime as required by the installed versions. On iPhone, open Settings > Apps > Phone > Calls on Other Devices, turn on Allow Calls on Other Devices, and enable the intended iPad. Older software puts Phone directly in Settings; on older iPad layouts, also enable Calls from iPhone in FaceTime settings. Answer an incoming call from the displayed iPad notification. Apple’s call-relay guide explains the requirements. Carrier Wi-Fi Calling for situations where the iPhone is not nearby is a separate, carrier-dependent feature.

Older Contacts Shortcuts and FaceTime Call History

On an iPhone 5’s older layout, open Phone > Contacts, select the person, and use the FaceTime button to place the video call. This is an alternative entry point when the newer standalone FaceTime app instructions do not match. Check the underlying contact number or email before calling.

To remove a single recent FaceTime call, open FaceTime’s call list and use its delete action for that entry. On the iPhone 6’s older layout, choose the Video or Audio tab, tap Edit, select the circle beside the call, then tap Delete. Inspect the list afterward. Removing a history entry is different from blocking a caller or disabling FaceTime; it does not erase the other person’s record.

Stop FaceTime Calls on iPad

On iPad, open Settings > Apps > FaceTime and switch FaceTime off. An older iPad layout places FaceTime directly in Settings. Reopen that page to check that the switch remains off. Apple’s iPad setup instructions describe this as stopping incoming and outgoing FaceTime calls. Leaving the app or turning off its cellular permission is different. To use FaceTime again, return to the same switch, turn it on and complete any offered account or activation prompts; review the selected contact address. If ordinary calls relayed from iPhone are the concern, use the separate relay controls in the iPad calling section above.

Troubleshooting connection problems

FaceTime works on Wi-Fi but fails on cellular

Check the app-specific Cellular permission first. Then check whether the phone can load a webpage with Wi-Fi disconnected. If ordinary mobile internet also fails, investigate coverage, the active data line, or the carrier account before changing FaceTime settings again.

With multiple SIMs, verify that the intended line is enabled and selected for the relevant cellular task. After setting up a new phone, check that the expected phone number is selected within FaceTime as well.

FaceTime is missing from Settings or Contacts

Check whether the FaceTime app is installed. Apple's current guide says removing it can remove FaceTime options from settings and contact cards until it is redownloaded. Also review Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps & Features for Camera and FaceTime restrictions.

On a managed or family-controlled phone, consult the person who controls those restrictions. Do not reset the device to get around a disabled feature.

You see Waiting for Activation

For Waiting for Activation or Activation Unsuccessful, follow Apple’s iPhone activation instructions. Phone-number activation needs SMS, which your carrier may charge for. Accept a charge prompt only if you want to proceed.

1. Check Wi-Fi or cellular internet, the latest iOS update, and Settings > General > Date & Time for the correct time zone.
2. For current iOS, open Settings > Apps > Messages and turn iMessage off. Then open Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn FaceTime off. For the Messages side, see how to enable iMessage on iPhone.
3. Restart the iPhone, then turn both services back on. Review the number or email selected in FaceTime.
4. Allow up to 24 hours for phone-number verification after troubleshooting. If the number still lacks a checkmark, ask your carrier whether international SMS is available.

An email address can be an alternative while the number is unavailable. Sign in with your Apple Account, verify the email in your account settings if necessary, then select it under You Can Be Reached by FaceTime At. People must call that selected address; it does not activate your phone number.

Calls are choppy, show a black screen, or disconnect

Apple identifies slow Wi-Fi or cellular connections as possible causes. Check the connection on both sides, try a less congested connection, and compare a brief audio call with the video call that fails. Restart and update the device when the basic account and network checks do not resolve the issue.

If only one contact fails, verify that person's FaceTime address. If several contacts fail at the same time, check Apple's service status and your connection. That distinction helps avoid changing a working contact entry to fix a broader outage.

Can someone on Android or Windows join?

An Android or Windows user can join through a FaceTime invitation link, rather than receiving the same native app call as an iPhone contact. Apple's browser joining guide requires a strong connection and a current Chrome or Edge browser.

They open the invitation, enter their name, allow the necessary camera and microphone permissions, and choose Join. The host must admit them. Browser participation has limitations; SharePlay and screen sharing are not available there. Use a link-based invitation when that is the recipient's platform instead of trying their phone number repeatedly as a native FaceTime contact.

Create an Invitation or Use Another Video-Chat App

To host the browser call described above on a current iPhone, open FaceTime > New Call > Create Link. Choose Messages, Mail or another sharing option and send the link to the intended person. Apple’s iPhone link-creation guide documents that layout; earlier versions can show Create Link directly in FaceTime. Join the linked call on your iPhone and admit the expected browser participant. Links are not supported in China mainland, and link creation is not supported on iPhones purchased there.

If your group uses a different meeting service, everyone must join the same service’s invitation. In the current Google Meet iPhone app, tap New > Create link, copy or share it, then use Join meeting > Join to enter your meeting. Follow Google’s iPhone meeting instructions for the current controls and account restrictions.

For an existing Zoom meeting, open the organizer’s invitation link, launch the supported Zoom Workplace app, check audio and video, and join. You may wait for the host to admit you. Zoom’s joining instructions explain the app and invitation routes. A Zoom link is not a FaceTime link; changing apps alone does not connect you to the other person’s meeting.

Older video-chat guides may recommend Skype. Microsoft retired consumer Skype on May 5, 2025 and directs users toward Teams Free. Choose an available service together rather than installing an obsolete calling app. Review the recipient, camera and microphone state before joining any call.

Use the Same FaceTime Number or Move a Call to iPad

To receive FaceTime calls to your iPhone number on iPad, first check the iPhone’s Settings > Apps > FaceTime reachable-number selection. On iPad, open the corresponding FaceTime settings, sign into the same Apple Account and select that number under You can be reached by FaceTime at when it is available. Older software puts FaceTime directly in Settings. Apple’s phone-number setup guide explains activation and matching account requirements. Merely signing into a different account on iPad does not transfer the number.

For an active FaceTime call, compatible devices running iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 or later can use Handoff. Use the same Apple Account and matching selected FaceTime contact information on both. On the destination iPad, tap the “Move call to this device” notification or the FaceTime call button, then tap Switch or Join and confirm when requested. Check that the call continues on iPad; the original device displays that it continued elsewhere. Apple’s FaceTime Handoff guide describes this transfer. Ordinary carrier calls use the separate relay setup above.

Use FaceTime on an iPad Without an iPhone

An iPad can make internet FaceTime calls without an iPhone. Connect it to Wi-Fi, open Settings > Apps > FaceTime (directly Settings > FaceTime on older software), turn FaceTime on and sign into the intended Apple Account if prompted. Review the reachable email address and Caller ID where offered. Open FaceTime, start a new call to an expected person’s FaceTime address and check that the answered video and sound work. Apple’s iPad setup guide covers activation. An iPhone number needs the separate number-sharing setup above; an email-based FaceTime call does not require ordinary iPhone call relay.

For the original iPad 2’s older interface, open Settings > FaceTime and move FaceTime from Off to On. If the FaceTime app asks for an Apple ID, sign in, select the offered reachable email addresses or numbers and continue with Next. Then select a contact and its FaceTime address for a test call. Apple Account is the current name for Apple ID. These older controls do not add modern features or guarantee activation on every aging device. An iPad 2 cannot use the iOS/iPadOS 16 FaceTime Handoff feature described below.

Move an Active FaceTime Call From iPad to iPhone

For an active FaceTime call on compatible devices with iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 or later, sign into the same Apple Account and use matching FaceTime contact information. While the call continues on iPad, use the destination iPhone’s Move call to this device notification or the FaceTime Handoff button at the top, then choose Switch or Join. Check that the call continues on iPhone and the iPad shows it continued elsewhere; use the original device’s Switch control if you want to move it back. Apple’s iPad-to-iPhone Handoff instructions explain this route. A green status bar alone is not a universal transfer button. Future incoming calls and ordinary carrier call relay use different settings.

Turn Off FaceTime on iPhone or Choose Where Calls Ring

On iPhone, open Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn FaceTime off. On an iPhone 7 running iOS 10.3.1, use Settings > FaceTime directly; its switch is off when moved left with no green shading. Reopen the page to check the off state. This stops that phone’s FaceTime calls; leaving the app or disabling its cellular data is different. Turn it back on and review activation and reachable addresses to restore service. Apple’s iPhone setup guide describes disabling the service.

If you want incoming FaceTime calls on iPad instead, first enable and test FaceTime there using the intended reachable email or the documented shared-number setup above. Confirm the iPad’s Caller ID for outgoing calls; it does not choose which device rings. Then turn off FaceTime on iPhone if you want it unavailable there and test an incoming call to the selected iPad address. Do not assume an iPhone number remains usable on iPad after changing the phone’s activation or account. Keeping FaceTime enabled on both devices can let both ring. These settings control future calls; use Handoff above to move an active call.

Frequently asked questions

Is FaceTime the same as Wi-Fi Calling?

No. FaceTime is Apple's internet calling service. Carrier Wi-Fi Calling is a separate feature for ordinary phone calls through a supported carrier. Turning on one does not automatically configure the other.

Does FaceTime work without any internet connection?

No. “Without Wi-Fi” means using another supported internet connection, such as cellular data. An offline phone cannot complete an ordinary FaceTime call just because FaceTime is enabled.

Can I switch a FaceTime video call into an ordinary phone call?

Apple says you must end the FaceTime call and start the other call type. Do not assume turning the camera off transfers the call to your carrier's voice service.

How do I disable FaceTime completely?

Return to Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn FaceTime off. This is different from leaving it enabled but disabling cellular data. To restore it, turn it on again and review the available numbers, addresses, and activation status.

Why is my ordinary iPhone call going to voicemail?

That is a separate calling problem. Our guide to an iPhone going straight to voicemail covers the relevant phone-call checks.

Set up your reachable address, make a brief call, and then choose whether FaceTime may use cellular data. If it works only on one connection, check that connection's permissions and internet access before changing the rest of your setup.