iPhone Conference Call: A Simple Guide

Initiating Conference Calls on Your iPhone

The iPhone provides a convenient feature for conducting conference calls, enabling you to connect with up to five participants simultaneously.

This functionality streamlines the process of quickly assembling a group discussion.

Requirements for Participants

Notably, individuals joining your conference call are not required to possess smartphones or utilize any specific applications.

Standard cellular phones or traditional landline telephones are fully compatible with this feature.

Accessibility is a key benefit, ensuring broad participation regardless of the technology available to each caller.

Setting up a conference call through your iPhone is a straightforward process, designed for ease of use.

The system is designed to accommodate a maximum of five call recipients in addition to the call initiator.

Initiating a Conference Call on Your iPhone

Begin the conference call process by initiating a standard phone call to one of the intended participants using the Dialer application. It’s advisable to inform this initial caller that you intend to include additional individuals in the conversation.

While actively engaged in the call on your iPhone, select the "Add Call" option. The initial call will then be temporarily placed on hold as you initiate the second call.

Proceed to dial the number of the second participant or select their contact information from your address book.

Upon the second person answering, you will observe the initially placed call remaining on hold, with the active second call displayed beneath it. Contact names will appear if available; otherwise, phone numbers will be shown.

To establish the conference, tap the "Merge Calls" button. This action will connect you and the two previously called individuals in a single conference call.

To include further participants, repeat the preceding steps. Select "Add Call", dial the next number, and then tap "Merge Calls" once the call is answered. A maximum of five individuals can be included in a single call initiated this way.

Managing Incoming Calls During a Conference

Should you receive an incoming call while already on a conference call, or any other call, utilize the "Hold & Accept" function. This will place the current call on hold, allowing you to answer the new incoming call.

After accepting the incoming call, you can then select "Merge Calls" to integrate the new caller into the existing conference, mirroring the process of directly dialing them.

Avoid selecting "End & Accept," as this will terminate the current call, disconnecting all participants, and answer the new call. Alternatively, you can direct the incoming call to voicemail by tapping "Send to Voicemail" if immediate attention isn't required.

For conference calls requiring more than five participants, a dedicated and more robust conference calling system will be necessary.

Managing Participants and Initiating Private Conversations

Related: A guide to activating Wi-Fi Calling on your iPhone

During an ongoing conference call, accessing the participant list is simple. Locate and tap the blue "i" icon situated in the upper-right corner of your screen.

Removing a participant from the call is achieved by tapping the "End" button next to their name. This action will disconnect them from the conference.

To engage in a private conversation, select the "Private" button. This will place all other call participants on hold, allowing for a one-on-one discussion.

Once the private conversation concludes, utilize the "Merge Calls" function. This reintegrates the private call back into the main conference, re-establishing communication with all participants.

Functionality of the private call feature can be network-dependent. For instance, it may be disabled or appear grayed out when utilizing Wi-Fi calling.

Performance can vary based on your cellular carrier and the network conditions in your specific location.

Additional iPhone Conference Call Features

During a conference call, the "Mute" button allows you to silence your microphone. While muted, you can continue to listen to other participants, but your voice will not be transmitted until you re-activate the button.

The functionality of speaker mode can be activated by selecting the "Speaker" option. This allows for hands-free participation in the call.

Multitasking During Calls

iPhone users have the flexibility to navigate away from the call screen and utilize other applications simultaneously. Enabling speaker mode prior to doing so is recommended.

Pressing the "Home" button while in speaker mode will return you to the iPhone’s home screen. A green bar labeled "Touch to return to call" will appear at the top of the display, providing easy access back to the ongoing conversation.

This feature allows for seamless integration of other tasks, such as browsing the internet, provided your mobile carrier supports data usage during calls.

Managing Call Participants

To conclude the call, you have two options for disconnecting participants. Individual participants can be removed one at a time using the "End" button located on the participants screen.

Alternatively, a single tap of the red "Hang Up" button at the bottom of the call screen will terminate the call for all participants.