You’re on a call with a client when you realize you have to loop in a team member to answer their question. Or a vendor needs to speak directly with a team member to resolve an order issue. Three-way calling is a simple way to handle decisions on the spot without bouncing between separate calls.
iPhones have built-in three-way calling, but the feature has limitations. For example, calls can drop when you try to merge them. Or you may not see the merge button at all, depending on your carrier. Plus, troubleshooting mid-conversation can slow you down.
This guide walks you through three-way calling on an iPhone, what to expect from its built-in features, and how to troubleshoot common issues. We’ll also cover a better alternative that’s built for business conversations and gives you more control.
How to do a three-way call on iPhone
As long as your carrier supports it, you can have a conference call with up to five participants from your iPhone. Here’s how to make a three-way call on an iPhone:
- Call the first person.
- Once that participant has answered, tap the Add button.
- Select a contact or dial the second participant’s number. Wait for the call to connect.
- Once the second person has answered, tap Merge Calls.
- Your first and second calls should merge into a single conference call. If you wish to add more people to the call, you can repeat steps 2, 3, and 4.
During the group call, you can take three additional actions:
How to remove a caller from the conference call
While you’re on the conference call, tap the i icon to open the call details. Find the caller you want to remove and tap End beside their name.
How to speak privately with one participant
To talk privately with one person, tap the i icon, then tap Private next to the person. Just know that this feature is carrier-dependent and might not work for everyone. To go back to the three-way call, tap Merge.
How to add an incoming caller
To add an incoming caller to the group conversation, tap Hold call & Answer, then tap Merge Calls.
Just know that the default conference calling feature on the Apple iOS has a few key disadvantages:
- Carrier dependent. Some users may not have access to the Merge Calls option if their network operator doesn’t support conference calling. They’d have to contact their carrier for support, which adds extra steps when all you want to do is start a quick group call.
- Limited visibility. Only the person who initiated the call can see all participants’ names. Others on the call may not know who else is on the call.
- Privacy considerations. Any participant can add someone to the call, not just the person who started it. But if some callers can’t see who’s been added, that can lead to privacy issues. People might share information without knowing everyone who’s listening.
Can’t merge calls on iPhone? Try these troubleshooting tips
Merging iPhone calls is a great feature — when it works. If you’re struggling to make a three-way call, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Merge Calls button not appearing: Not all carriers or plans support conference calling. Contact your carrier to confirm it’s enabled on your account.
- You tap merge, but nothing happens: Sometimes, it can take up to 30 seconds for calls to merge. Depending on your carrier, it may take even longer. If the calls still won’t merge after waiting, try these steps in order: restart your iPhone, disable WiFi calling and Do not Disturb/Focus mode, then update carrier and iOS settings. As a last resort, you can reset your network settings — but note that this will erase saved WiFi passwords and VPN configurations.
- Call drops when trying to merge: This could indicate a weak internet connection or cell signal. Try moving to an area with better reception.
- Can only merge one person, not multiple: Verify that your carrier supports conference calls with more than three participants. Some carriers limit the number of simultaneous callers.
- Third person can’t hear one of the other callers: This is usually a carrier network issue. Try ending the call and starting fresh, or ask participants to check their signal strength.
Unfortunately, some users still struggle with three-way calls on iPhone even after these troubleshooting tips. There are several calls not merging threads on the Apple community forum with no conclusive answers.
If troubleshooting still doesn’t solve the problem or if you don’t want to deal with carrier limitations and dropped calls, there’s a better way. Business VoIP apps like Quo, formerly OpenPhone, get rid of carrier dependency and offer more useful features. For example, call recording, call transcripts and summaries, and reliable merging every time.
How to start a three-way call on iPhone using Quo
If you need a three-way calling app to build professional relationships, there are better solutions that can save you time. Quo’s iPhone, web, desktop, and Android apps let you easily add multiple participants to a group call.
Plus, unlike the default calling app on an iPhone, anyone in your Quo workspace can see all the participants of a group call. Here’s how to do a 3 way call on iPhone with Quo:
- Start with any active call, incoming or outgoing.
- Swipe up on the call options and select Add people to call or tap the +👤 icon in the call interface.
- Search contacts or enter phone numbers.
- Optionally include an invitation message for team members for extra context.
- Tap Add to invite each participant.
Quo users who receive group call invitations will see an incoming call screen with the option to reject or join the call. If the inviter includes a note with context, they’ll see this as well.
You can also record calls in Quo’s iPhone VoIP app and automatically generate transcripts and summaries. This way, your team can quickly follow up on any action items after a call and reference information later.
If you’re not already a Quo user, you can sign up for a free seven-day trial to test calling on our platform and confirm it’s a great fit for your business.
Once you have an active trial, you can download the iPhone app from the App Store to start calling. Quo works across all devices with our desktop, web, and mobile apps. So you can also call from your PC.
Level-up your conference calls with Quo
To keep your personal number private and unlock all the features you need to work together with your team, it’s best to integrate with a VoIP phone service like Quo. With Quo, you’ll have access to superior business phone features, like:
- Shared numbers to split responsibility for texts and calls
- Advanced call routing features, including three-way calling, phone menus, and ring orders
- Custom business hours and time-based call routing
- Warm transfers to keep customers from repeating themselves
- Auto-replies to acknowledge calls, texts, and voicemails and set expectations
For an easy-to-use, reliable alternative to iPhone conference calling, Quo is the way to go. To try it out for yourself, sign up for a free trial today.
FAQs
The most common reason you can’t merge calls is that your carrier doesn’t support conference calling or the feature isn’t enabled on your plan. Other causes include network connectivity issues or one of the calls not being fully connected. Contact your carrier to confirm that conference calling is available on your account.
If your carrier doesn’t support merge calls or it’s not available in your area, you can use FaceTime to make a three-way call on your iPhone. Here’s how:
1. Open the FaceTime app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the New Call or New FaceTime button.
3. Enter the names, numbers, or emails of the people you want to call in the field at the top of your screen.
4. Tap the Phone icon to make a FaceTime audio call, or tap the FaceTime button to make a video call.
Yes, you can do a group call with iPhone and Android users since both devices have a built-in three-way calling feature.
You can fix poor call quality on a three-way call by eliminating background noise or using headphones. You can also make sure you have a reliable and fast WiFi connection. This will help you avoid experiencing audio delays, dropped calls, and choppy audio.
Here’s how you can make a three-way call on an Android device:
1. Find the contact you want to add to your call.
2. Once you call them and they pick up the phone, tap Add call. If you don’t see the Add call button, you might need to tap the three dots icon to open the menu for more options.
3. Select the contact you want to add to your call and tap the phone icon to call them.
4. Once they pick up, tap Merge to join the calls. If you can’t see that button, tap the three dots icon to open the menu for more options.
5. If you want more than three people, repeat steps two and three.
The exact button names might differ, but to enable 3 way calling, start a call with the first person. Then tap Add call or a similar option, then call the second person. Once they pick up, tap Merge calls to combine everyone into one group call.
Yes, you can make a three-way call between an iPhone and an Android phone using the phone app’s merge calls feature. But FaceTime Audio only works between Apple devices. So stick to the phone app method when calling non-iPhone users.
