iPhone Text Effects: Tips and Tricks
March 18, 2025
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Did you know that you don’t have to solely rely on a cellular network to make calls and send texts? WiFi calling is a hidden feature that allows you to call and text via wireless internet, bypassing the need for a cellular connection. Whenever you’re in a place with a strong WiFi but a weak cellular signal, simply engage WiFi calling and you’ll be able to use your phone as you normally would.
The majority of cell phone carriers support domestic WiFi calling and texting (including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile), and don’t charge extra for it. You can enable WiFi calling in the settings menu of your smartphone.
In this article, we’ll cover the ins and outs of WiFi calling, including how to turn it on, its advantages and limitations, and what to do if it’s not working.
WiFi calling allows you to make phone calls and send text messages over an internet signal. When you have WiFi calling enabled on your phone, your calls and texts get routed via the strongest available network, whether that’s a cellular one or a WiFi one.
Every modern smartphone gives you WiFi calling functionality, and most wireless carriers support it. Carriers tend to treat domestic WiFi calls and texts like regular calls and texts, so they don’t charge extra for them—they simply come out of your cell phone plan’s monthly voice and text allotment (international calls may be subject to additional charges).
WiFi calling is often confused with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) calling, which similarly uses a wireless internet signal to send calls and messages. However, unlike WiFi calling, third-party VoIP platforms like Skype and WhatsApp are distinct from and have no affiliation with your cell phone carrier and network. They are purpose-built apps that you have to download, and whatever you do on them will come out of your cell phone plan’s monthly mobile data allowance.
To start making WiFi calls, you have to manually enable WiFi calling in the settings menu on your smartphone. The process for turning on WiFi calling is distinct for iPhones and Android devices.
Here’s how to enable WiFi calling on an Apple iPhone:
Enabling WiFi calling on an Android phone (Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, etc.) is a similarly straightforward process. Here’s how to do it:
Once you’ve enabled WiFi calling on your phone, there aren’t any extra steps to start using the feature. Just place a call or send a text as you normally would, and your phone will automatically route it through the strongest network, whether that’s WiFi or cellular.
If what you really want is to force WiFi calling—i.e., ensure your call or text doesn’t go out over a cellular network at all—one method that gets bantered about on forums like Reddit is to put your phone in Airplane mode, then manually engage WiFi. While we tried this and it worked successfully, some users have reported difficulty with it.
If you have any questions about how WiFi calling works on your specific mobile network, it’s a good idea to visit your carrier’s website.
There are a number of scenarios in which WiFi calling might not only be a good option, but the best one. Here are two:
Despite the advantages of WiFi calling, there are some noted drawbacks to it. These include:
WiFi calling, for all of its benefits and uses, is only as good as the WiFi network it’s connected to. Internet outages, latencies, and network congestion can all impact your ability to actually use it.
That said, here are a few troubleshooting tips if you’re encountering issues getting WiFi calling to work.
WiFi calling is a handy–if somewhat underpublicized—feature that can make calling and texting possible in areas with less-than-stellar cellular coverage. While you may decide not to rely on it all the time—particularly given the fluctuations in call quality in times of Internet network congestion or interruptions—it may be just what you need when a cellular signal can’t be relied upon. Rest assured that it’s easy to turn this feature on and off from your cell phone whenever you want.
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WiFi calling allows you to make and receive phone calls using a WiFi network instead of relying on cellular signal. This feature works by routing your voice calls over the internet, which can enhance call quality, especially in areas with weak cellular reception.
WiFi calling and texting is free aboard most carriers, since they treat them like regular cellular calls and texts. However, some of these same carriers will charge extra for WiFi calls if they go to or come from international phone numbers.
The biggest downside of WiFi calling is that it relies on an internet signal to work—and if that signal experiences interruptions, outages, or latency, your WiFi calling functionality will suffer.
Make Calls Over WiFi on an Android Phone | Google
Make a Call with WiFi Calling | Apple
What is Wifi calling & how to turn it on using my Galaxy phone | Samsung
What is WiFi calling, and when should you use it? | Popular Science
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