How to Do a Conference Call on an iPhone? 3-Way Phone Call

Before making a conference call meeting on an iPhone, make sure your carrier supports call merging, know how many participants you can add, and understand that callers must join individually. Also, be aware of international calling charges and basic call management controls to keep the conversation smooth and organized.

1. Carrier Support: Conference calling depends on your carrier, so make sure your carrier supports this feature. Without carrier support, you won’t be able to merge multiple calls.
2. Call Management: During a conference call on an iPhone, only the host, the person who initiated the call, can manage participants to keep the conversation organized. This includes muting individual callers, removing participants from the call, or separating callers into individual conversations if needed
3. Participant Capacity: A standard 3-way phone call on an iPhone includes you and two other participants, while full conference calling allows you to merge up to five callers, including yourself, depending on your carrier.
4. Call Merging Process: Each participant must be called individually, and they must answer the call before you merge them into the conference. You can’t add multiple callers at the same time.
5. International Calling Charges: If you add international numbers, standard international rates apply. Conference calling does not bypass international calling fees.

To start a conference call on an iPhone, dial the first participant and once connected, tap More > Add People to call the next person. After they answer, tap Merge to combine the calls, and repeat these steps to add more participants to the conference.

1. Start the first call: Open the Phone app, dial the first person, and wait for the call to connect.
2. Add the next participant: Tap the More button during the active call, then select Add People.
3. Call the second person: Dial another number or select from your Contacts.
4. Merge the calls: Once the second person answers, tap Merge to combine both calls into a conference.
5. Add more participants: Repeat steps 2–4 to include additional participants, up to the limit allowed by your carrier.

When you receive an incoming call during an active conference call on your iPhone, tap Hold & Accept to place the current call on hold and answer the new caller. Once the incoming caller is connected, tap Merge Calls to add them to the existing conference.

1. Accept the Incoming Call: If you are already on a conference call and someone calls you, tap Accept to connect with the new caller.
2. Merge the Call: Once connected, tap Merge to add them to the existing conference call.

To drop one person from a conference call on an iPhone, tap the Info button (blue "i"), then tap the End button next to the specific person's name or number in the participant list; this disconnects only them, not everyone.

1. Open participant options: While on the conference call screen, tap the Info (i) icon to view the list of participants.
2. Select the participant: Find the name or number of the person you want to remove from the conference call.
3. End the participant’s call: Tap the red End button next to their name to remove them from the conference.

To talk privately with one person during a conference call on an iPhone, tap the “i” (Info) on the call screen. Then, select Private next to the person you want to speak with, which puts the others on hold, and tap Merge Calls to rejoin the group when finished.

1. Open participant options: While on the conference call, tap the “i” (Info) icon on the call screen.
2. Select a participant: Find the person you want to speak with privately.
3. Start a private conversation: Tap Private next to their name or number, which places the other participants on hold.
4. Return to the conference: When finished, tap Merge Calls to reconnect all participants and resume the conference call.

For smooth conference calls on an iPhone, use headphones or an earpiece, mute yourself when not speaking, keep your phone charged, and notify participants ahead of time. You can also take notes or record the call on your iPhone to capture important discussions for later reference.

1. Use Headphones or Earpiece: Using wired headphones or an earpiece reduces background noise and echo. It also keeps your hands free, making it easier to take notes or multitask during the call.
2. Mute Yourself When Not Speaking: Background sounds like typing, traffic, or side conversations can distract everyone. Muting yourself when you’re not speaking keeps the call professional and clear.
3. Keep Your iPhone Charged: Conference call meetings can drain your battery quickly. Start the call with enough charge or keep your phone plugged in to avoid sudden disconnections.
4. Record Key Points: Take notes or record the call to capture important discussions for later review.
5. Notify Participants Ahead: Let people know the meeting time, so they’re ready when you merge them into the call.

Conference calling on an iPhone makes it easy to connect multiple people at once for quick discussions or small meetings. By understanding carrier support, participant limits, merging steps and basic call controls, you can manage group calls smoothly and avoid common interruptions.

With the right setup, iPhone users can host professional, organized and efficient conference calls from virtually anywhere.