How do I start your first call?

Call the first person using the Phone app on your iPhone. Have a normal conversation — or let them know you are about to add someone to the call.

How do I tap "add call"?

While on the call, look at the in-call screen. You will see buttons for Mute, Keypad, Speaker, Hold, and "Add Call." Tap "Add Call." Person one is automatically placed on hold and a soft hold music tone may play for them.

How do I dial the second person?

Your keypad appears. Dial the second person's number or search for them in your contacts using the search bar at the top. Tap the call button. Wait for them to answer. You are now speaking with person two while person one is on hold.

How do I merge the calls?

Once person two answers, you will see a "Merge Calls" button on screen. Tap it. Both calls combine into one conference. All three of you can now speak and hear each other at the same time. The in-call screen shows "Conference" at the top.

How do I manage the conference?

Tap the small "i" (information) icon next to "Conference" on the in-call screen to see a list of participants. From here, you can tap "End" next to any person to drop them from the call, or tap "Private" to have a private side conversation with just one person (the other goes on hold). Tap "Merge Calls" to bring everyone back together.

How to Make a Conference Call on iPhone (Add a Third Person) — Step-by-Step Guide

A conference call lets three or more people talk together in the same phone call. On iPhone, you can add a second person while already in a call — no special app needed. The feature is built into the standard Phone app and works with any phone number.

The process is called "merging" calls. You call person one, then use the "Add Call" button to call person two while putting person one on hold, then "Merge" both calls together. All three of you can then talk at once.

Your ability to make conference calls depends on your carrier. Most US carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) support up to 5 people in a single conference call. Some prepaid or international plans may not support this feature — if the "Merge Calls" button appears grayed out, contact your carrier.

Wi-Fi Calling, if enabled, also works for conference calls as long as everyone is connected to cellular or Wi-Fi.

Note that conference calls using the Phone app are not encrypted like FaceTime calls. They use the standard phone network. For private conversations, use FaceTime Group Calls or Zoom instead.

How to Make a Conference Call on iPhone (Add a Third Person)

Start Your First Call

Tap "Add Call"

Dial the Second Person

Merge the Calls

Manage the Conference

Official Resources

Still stuck? Let a pro handle it.

Related Guides