How to Place Calls on Your iPad Using FaceTime
The easiest way to make phone calls with your iPad is by using the video conferencing software called FaceTime. It comes with your iPad and uses your Apple ID to place phone calls to anyone who also has an Apple ID, which is anyone who owns an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac computer. These calls are free, so even if you’re using your iPhone, you won’t be using your minutes. You can even receive calls on FaceTime by having people contact the email address associated with your Apple ID. These instructions apply to devices running iOS 10 and later. Here’s how to use FaceTime.
How to Make FaceTime Calls Using Messages
You can also make FaceTime calls to your contacts through the Messages app.
Place Calls on Your iPad Using Your iPhone’s Cellular Number
As an alternative to FaceTime, you can place “iPhone calls” on your iPad. This feature syncs your iPad and iPhone to allow you to place and receive calls on your tablet as if it were really your phone. These calls are actually routed through your iPhone, so you can place calls to anyone, even if they don’t have an Apple ID. Here’s how you turn the feature on:
Other Ways to Use Your iPad as a Phone
If you want some options other than the standard ones on your iPad, you can also look into third-party internet calling apps.
Skype
Skype is the most popular way to place internet calls, and unlike FaceTime, it isn’t restricted to people using an iOS device. Skype on the iPad is a relatively simple process, though you need to download the Skype app. Unlike FaceTime, there could be fees involved with placing calls through Skype, but Skype-to-Skype calls are free, so you only pay for calling people who do not use Skype.
Talkatone With Google Voice
FaceTime and Skype are great, both offering the advantage of placing video calls, but what about placing a free call to anyone in the U.S. regardless of whether or not they use a specific service? FaceTime only works with other FaceTime users, and while Skype can place a call to anyone, it’s only free to other Skype users.
Talkatone in conjunction with Google Voice has a way of placing free voice calls to anyone in the U.S., though it’s a little more confusing to set up. Google Voice gives you one phone number for all of your devices. But voice calls you make use your voice line, and you can’t do that on an iPad.
Talkatone is a free calling app that extends the Google Voice service by allowing calls over the data line, which means you can use it with your iPad. You need both the Talkatone app and the Google Voice app. Go to your Google Voice account and add your Talkatone number as a forwarding phone number. After you do this, outgoing calls show from your Talkatone phone number. Google Voice doesn’t allow you to forward text messages to linked numbers, though, due to potential spam issues.
