FaceTime is Apple’s video and audio calling app that allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to connect over WiFi or cellular data. While using FaceTime over WiFi is free, you can also make FaceTime calls over cellular data if WiFi is unavailable. Here are some tips for placing FaceTime calls without WiFi:
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Enable Cellular Data for FaceTime
To use FaceTime without WiFi, you first need to enable cellular data usage for the FaceTime app:
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad
- Go to Cellular > Cellular Data Options
- Turn on Cellular Data and Enable LTE if available
- Scroll down and toggle on FaceTime under Cellular Data
This allows FaceTime to use your cellular data plan to make and receive calls when not connected to WiFi.
Use a Personal Hotspot
If you have an iPhone or cellular-enabled iPad, you can use it as a personal WiFi hotspot for other devices like an iPod Touch. Here’s how:
- On your iPhone/cellular iPad, open Settings > Personal Hotspot and turn it on
- On your iPod Touch/WiFi iPad, go to WiFi settings and connect to your iPhone’s network
- You can now use FaceTime on the iPod/iPad even without WiFi around
Just note that Personal Hotspot uses cellular data, so monitor usage.
Find Public WiFi
If you’re out and about, look for free public WiFi networks in places like cafes and hotels. Connect to these and you can use FaceTime without cellular data. However, beware that public networks may not be secure.
Use FaceTime Audio
FaceTime Audio calls use significantly less data than video calls. So when cellular data is limited, using FaceTime Audio can let you stay connected for longer.
Monitor Your Data Usage
Keep an eye on how much data FaceTime calls are using by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Usage. Some tips:
- Audio calls use ~2MB per minute
- Video calls use ~10MB per minute
- Calls on LTE use less data than 3G
Disable FaceTime Cellular Access When Not Needed
If you won’t need to place FaceTime calls without WiFi for a while, you can disable cellular data access:
- Open Settings
- Go to Cellular > Cellular Data Options
- Scroll down and toggle FaceTime off
This prevents accidental high data usage from FaceTime calls on cellular.
Use Airplane Mode With WiFi Enabled
You can enable Airplane mode to disable cellular, and then turn WiFi back on. This ensures FaceTime won’t use cellular data at all.
By following these tips, you can successfully place both FaceTime Audio and Video calls even when WiFi is not available. Just be conscious of your cellular data usage as video calling can consume a lot of data quickly. Monitor your usage and disable cellular access for FaceTime when not needed.
