Sometimes I get a call when my iPhone isn’t within reach. That’s not a problem, thanks to a feature called iPhone Cellular Calls. With it set up, I can answer the call on my nearby iPad or Mac. I can even pick up the call on my Apple Watch, either through a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. iPhone Cellular Calls is part of Apple’s Continuity system, which is designed to sync and share certain capabilities across your Apple devices, including Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and phone calls.
Before you can start taking calls from your Mac, there are a few requirements you’ll need to meet. Each device must be signed into iCloud and FaceTime using the same Apple account. They must also be connected to the same network. Cellular-enabled iPad and Apple Watch models can pick up the call through a Wi-Fi or cellular connection. If you have a Mac mini or Mac Pro, it needs an external microphone or headset as well. Here’s how I set up the feature so you too can start making and taking calls without ever having to touch your phone again.
Allow Calls on Other Devices
Before I could accept calls on my iPad or Mac, I needed to enable the feature. I went to Settings > Apps > Phone > Calls on Other Devices on my iPhone and turned on the switch next to Allow Calls on Other Devices. If you have more than one other supported Apple device, you can choose the devices on which you want to allow calls. In my case, I enabled my iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and iPad mini, but left off my older Intel-based Mac.
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From there, you’ll then have to enable the feature on the other devices. To take calls on my iPad, I opened Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turned on the switch next to Calls From iPhone.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
For calls to my Mac, I had to open FaceTime on my computer, click FaceTime > Settings, then check the box next to Calls From iPhone. I didn’t have to do anything for my Apple Watch, since the feature is built directly into the device.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
Accept Incoming Calls
Once you have it all set up, accepting calls on these devices should work seamlessly. When a call comes into my iPhone, it will also ring on my iPad and Mac. I can tap the answer button to pick up the call on my iPad and start talking. On my Mac, a small notification pops up alerting me to an incoming call. When I click the Accept button, it picks up the call on the computer.
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On my Apple Watch, any incoming call automatically appears on the screen. To answer it immediately, I can tap the answer button and just start talk through the watch like a modern-day Dick Tracy, thanks to the built-in microphone and speaker (paired headphones can also come in handy here). To transfer the call to my iPhone, I just have to tap the More Options ellipsis button and select Answer on iPhone.
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If there’s an instance where I can’t talk, there are a few options. I can tap End Call to send the call to voicemail or the More Options button to see a list of automated responses that can be sent over text message. These include “Sorry, I can’t talk right now” and “Can I call you later?” but there’s also Custom to create my own response.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
Make Calls From Your iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch
If I want to place a call to a specific contact using my iPad, I can open the Contacts app, select the contact, and tap the number I want to call. The calling screen then pops up while I wait for the person to answer.
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(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
It’s also possible to dial a number manually from the FaceTime app. I can tap the green New FaceTime button, type the phone number, and then tap the Return key on the keyboard. When I tap the phone icon, it places the call using audio only.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
Calling someone from my Mac works similarly. If I open the Contacts app, I can select the contact, hover the mouse over the number, and then click the resulting phone icon to place the call. To manually dial a number, I’d open the FaceTime app and type the number. Just make sure the call is set to audio, then click the Audio button to make the call.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
To make a phone call from my Apple Watch, I can turn to the Phone app right on the device. I can access my Favorites, Recents, or Contacts with a tap. Alternatively, Siri can also make calls for me. I just have to say “Siri, call [name of contact]” or “Siri, dial [phone number]” to place the call.
(Credit: PCMag / Apple)
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