Certain network providers allow you to make and receive calls on your iOS, watchOS and Mac devices over Wi-Fi (and/or over mobile data on Wi-Fi + Cellular models of iPad when a Wi-Fi signal is weak or unavailable).

If you enable Wi-Fi Calling and connect to a Wi-Fi network from a Wi-Fi Calling–enabled device, information about the country where your network connection is made, based on your IP address (or mobile network if applicable), may be sent to your network provider for billing and service availability purposes. If you do not want to share this information with your network provider, you may turn off Wi-Fi Calling on your iPhone and paired Apple Watch by going to Settings > Phone, and tapping to turn off Wi-Fi Calling (for iPhone) and Calls on Other Devices (for your other devices, including your paired Apple Watch). To turn off Wi-Fi Calling on your iPad or iPod touch, go to Settings > FaceTime and turn off Calls from iPhone. To turn off Wi-Fi Calling on your Mac, go to FaceTime > Settings and turn off Calls from iPhone.

In order for your network provider to complete short code calls (calls to abbreviated numbers that provide access to public services) via Wi-Fi or mobile data, Apple must provide the town or city from which the call is placed to your network provider to help them properly route the call. If you do not want to share the city you are calling from with your network provider when making short code calls, you may turn off Location Services for Wi-Fi Calling on your iOS or watchOS device by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services, and tapping to turn off Wi-Fi Calling. You can turn off Location Services for Wi-Fi Calling on Mac by going to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, then clicking Details next to System Services and deselecting Wi-Fi Calling. If you turn off Location Services for Wi-Fi Calling, your device will not be able to determine or send the city you are in to your network provider when you dial a short code number for a Wi-Fi call and, as a result, your provider may not be able to properly route or connect your call.

Emergency calls on your iPhone are routed through mobile services when available. In the event that a mobile network is not available and you have enabled Wi-Fi Calling, emergency calls may be made over Wi-Fi, and your device’s location information may be used for emergency calls to aid response efforts regardless of whether you enable Location Services. However, your network provider may choose to use your billing address or other address you provide to them for the purpose of routing emergency services. You may update your address information for your network provider in Settings on your iOS devices and in FaceTime Settings on your Mac. You should keep this information up to date. Failing to do so may prevent emergency services from being properly routed to your physical location. For location reliability reasons, it is preferable to make emergency calls over traditional mobile or landline services, and only use Wi-Fi Calling features for such calls as a last resort.

For more information about Wi-Fi Calling, refer to your network provider’s terms, privacy policy and practices. At all times, information collected by Apple will be treated in accordance with Apple’s Privacy Policy, which can be found at www.apple.com/uk/privacy

Published Date: December 12, 2022