How to Make Phone Calls on a Wi-Fi Only iPad Using Your iPhone.
Learn how to make phone calls with an iPad that doesn’t have cellular service. You can use your iPhone to let your iPad make and receive calls. This is great for using the bigger screen without needing to grab your phone every time it rings.
What You Need Before You Start
Before setting this up, make sure you have a few things ready.
Your iPhone and iPad must be signed into the same Apple ID. Both devices need Bluetooth turned on. Both devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Your iPhone also needs to have a working cellular plan with a carrier that supports Wi-Fi calling. Most major carriers support this, but you can check in your iPhone settings.
How to Set Up Calls on Your iPad
The feature is called Calls on Other Devices. You enable it on your iPhone first, then your iPad will be able to make and receive calls. Here is exactly how to do it.
Step 1: Enable the setting on your iPhone
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap on Phone. Look for Calls on Other Devices and tap on it. Turn on the toggle that says Allow Calls on Other Devices. Below that, you will see a list of your other Apple devices signed into the same Apple ID. Turn on the toggle next to your iPad. That is all you need to do on your iPhone.
Step 2: Check your iPad
Your iPad does not need any extra settings turned on for this to work. As long as both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network and signed into the same Apple ID, your iPad should automatically be able to make and receive calls through your iPhone.
If you want to double-check, open Settings on your iPad. Tap on FaceTime. Make sure FaceTime is turned on and that you are signed in with the same Apple ID as your iPhone.
How to Make a Phone Call from Your iPad
Once the setup is done, making a call from your iPad works just like making a call from your iPhone.
Open the FaceTime app on your iPad. You will see a keypad at the bottom. Tap the numbers to dial the phone number you want to call. Tap the green phone icon to start the call.
You can also make calls directly from the Contacts app. Open Contacts, find the person you want to call, and tap the phone number.
When the call connects, the audio comes through your iPad speakers or any headphones connected to your iPad. Your iPhone is doing the actual cellular work in the background, but you control everything from your iPad. There is a mute button, a keypad button, and an end call button just like on your iPhone.
How to Receive Incoming Calls on Your iPad
When your iPhone gets an incoming call, your iPad will ring at the same time if it is on the same Wi-Fi network. The call notification looks very similar to what you see on your iPhone.
You will see the caller’s name and number on your iPad screen. Swipe or tap the green answer button to pick up the call. Talk through your iPad just like you would through your phone.
If you do not want your iPad to ring for certain calls, you can silence it by pressing the volume button on your iPad when the call comes in. That only silences that one call. Your iPad will still ring for future calls.
What to Do If Your iPad Won’t Make Calls
Sometimes the feature does not work right away. Here are the most common fixes.
Check that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi on each device and look at the network name. They must match exactly.
Make sure Bluetooth is on for both devices. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and check that the toggle is green.
Restart both your iPhone and your iPad. Turn them off, wait 30 seconds, and turn them back on.
Check that Allow Calls on Other Devices is still turned on in your iPhone Settings > Phone > Calls on Other Devices.
Make sure your iPad is not in Do Not Disturb or Focus mode that blocks calls. Swipe down from the top right corner of your iPad screen and check that Focus modes are off.
If you still have problems, sign out of Apple ID on both devices and sign back in. Go to Settings > Your Name > Sign Out. Then sign in again.
Important Things to Know
Your iPhone needs to be turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular for your iPad to make calls. If your iPhone is off or not connected, calls from your iPad will not work.
Your iPhone does not need to be right next to your iPad. As long as both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, they can be in different rooms. Your phone could be charging in the bedroom while you use your iPad in the living room.
This feature works for regular phone calls to any number, not just other Apple devices. You can call landlines, business phone numbers, or friends with Android phones.
Text messages also work the same way. Your iPad can send and receive regular SMS text messages through your iPhone, not just iMessages. This works automatically once you enable calls on other devices.
Quick Summary
Here are all the steps in one simple list.
Open Settings on your iPhone.
Tap on Phone.
Tap on Calls on Other Devices.
Turn on Allow Calls on Other Devices.
Turn on the toggle next to your iPad.
Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
Make sure both devices have Bluetooth on.
Open FaceTime on your iPad to dial calls.
Answer incoming calls directly on your iPad.
Final Thoughts
This feature turns your Wi-Fi only iPad into a usable phone as long as your iPhone is somewhere on the same network. You do not need a separate cellular plan or a second phone number. It just works using your existing iPhone service.
The best part is how seamless it feels. Your iPad rings at the same time as your iPhone. You can answer on whichever device is closer. For anyone who spends a lot of time on their iPad at home or in an office, this saves you from constantly reaching for your phone.
If you have questions about using other Continuity features between Apple devices like handoff or universal clipboard, let me know. I can show you how those work too.
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