How to Conference Call on iPhone: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Need to talk to multiple people at once? Your iPhone makes it easy to set up a conference call with up to five people total — no extra apps required. Whether it's a family catch-up, a team meeting, or just a quick group chat, here's how to conduct a conference call right from your mobile device.

What Is a Conference Call and Why Use It?

A conference call is more than a regular call where you speak to one person. Instead, you call one person, then add others to join the same conversation. This call feature lets you communicate effectively with multiple participants without needing everyone to be in the same location.

Before you start: what to check

A few things you should know:

• You can add up to 5 people total (including yourself)
• It works over your carrier’s voice network — not FaceTime or data
• Some carriers (or prepaid plans) might block conference calling
• Everyone hears each other as soon as you merge calls
• iPhone doesn't have a built-in option to record calls

How to Make a Conference Call on iPhone

You don’t need any special app to set up a group call — your iPhone’s Phone/Contatcs app already has everything you need.

1. Call the first person as usual using your contact list
2. When they answer, tap Add Call (+) on your call screen
3. Call the second person — the first caller is automatically placed on hold
4. When the second person picks up, tap Merge Calls
5. Repeat this process to add up to five people total

Think of it like building a group chat, but with voice.

Managing Your Conference Call

Once your group call is running, your iPhone gives you a few handy tools to keep things organized. You can see who’s on the call, talk to someone privately, remove a participant, or simply mute yourself when you’re not speaking.

See Who's On the Call

Tap the "i" icon to view:

• Who's connected
• Who's muted
• Connection quality for each caller

Talk privately to one person

Want to chat with just one participant without others listening?

• Tap Stop Conference, then tap Private next to their name
• When you’re ready, tap Merge Calls to bring them back to the group

Control Call Participants

Need to manage the group? You can:

• Remove someone by tapping End next to their name
• Check if anyone has signal issues affecting call quality

Use Standard Call Controls

• Mute/unmute yourself to reduce background noise
• Switch to speakerphone for better sound
• End the entire call when your meeting is finished

Troubleshooting Common Conference Call Issues

"Add Call" Button Is Grayed Out

• You've hit the five people limit for your conference call feature
• Weak cellular signal on your mobile device
• Your carrier or plan may not support this call feature

Try moving to a better signal area, restarting the call, or checking with your carrier about conference calls using their service.

Calls Won't Merge Properly

• Make sure you tap Merge Calls after adding each person
• Check the participant list to confirm everyone joined the call
• Restart the conference call on Android or iPhone if necessary

Poor Audio Quality

• Ask people to mute when not talking to minimize background noise
• Use a headset for better sound quality
• Switch to Wi-Fi calling if cellular signal is weak on your mobile devices

When to Use Other Options for Video Conferencing

For Video Conference Needs: Use FaceTime

• Supports up to 32 people for video meetings
• Great for family or meetings when you want to see faces
• Open FaceTime → tap + → add contacts → tap FaceTime

For Larger Groups or Advanced Features

Need more than five participants? Want to record calls or share your screen? Looking for a better way to make international calls more affordably?

Consider these alternatives:

• Zoom - Popular for business video conferencing
• Microsoft Teams—Great for workplace collaboration
• Google Meet - Easy integration with Google services
• Skype - Classic VoIP option for international calling
• WhatsApp - Convenient if your contacts already use it

Many offer a free trial to test features before committing to a conference call service.

Quick Recap

• Call → Add Call → Merge Calls → repeat (up to 5 people)

• Use the i icon to manage participants

• Works with Android, iPhone, landlines — as long as they can take regular calls

• Need video or more people? Use FaceTime or other apps

And that's it! You're ready to host group calls like a pro — right from your iPhone. This comes in handy whether you're coordinating with a teammate, planning with family, or conducting business meetings from different locations.

FAQs