Did you know that instead of reaching for your iPhone when a call comes in, you can answer it on MacOS? If you’re actively working, browsing the internet, or playing a game, you can see an incoming call on your Mac’s screen and answer it with a click. This is a convenient way to have a FaceTime conversation while your iPhone is charging elsewhere or on the other side of the room.
We’ll explain the requirements, settings, and options for you to start answering those Mac phone calls.
Requirements for Mac phone calls
To get started, make sure that your Mac and iPhone meet Apple’s continuity requirements. Then confirm that the following are in place:
- You’re signed into iCloud and FaceTime on both devices with the same Apple ID.
- You have Wi-Fi enabled on both devices.
- Your devices are connected to the same network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
If everything is set, you can move onto adjusting a few settings to let those calls come through.
Set your iPhone to send calls to Mac
To allow calls to be answered on your Mac, you’ll need to enable a setting on your iPhone.
Step 1: Open Settings and select Phone.
Step 2: Below Calls, pick Calls on Other Devices.
Step 3: Turn on the toggle at the top to Allow Calls on Other Devices.
Step 4: Under Allow Calls On, enable the toggle for your Mac.
You can then tap the arrow on the top left to exit the Phone preferences and then close your Settings.
Set up your Mac to receive calls
To start receiving calls on MacOS, you’ll simply check a box in FaceTime’s settings.
Step 1: Open FaceTime on your Mac.
Step 2: Select FaceTime > Preferences from the menu bar.
Step 3: Choose the Settings tab at the top of the subsequent window.
Step 4: Check the box for Calls From iPhone.
You can then close the Preferences by clicking the X on the top left of the window.
Answer phone calls on Mac
When you receive a phone call on your iPhone, you can answer it on your Mac via the FaceTime app. You should see a banner or alert display when the call comes in.
Then, take one of these actions:
- Click Answer to take the call.
- Click Decline to send the call to voicemail.
- Click the arrow next to Decline to send the call to voicemail (ensure you have set up voicemail first) and receive a reminder about the call.
Enable and customize FaceTime notifications on Mac
To make sure you don’t miss a call, you can customize the notifications for the FaceTime app on your Mac per your preference.
Step 1: Open System Preferences using the icon in your Dock or Apple icon in the menu bar.
Step 2: Select Notifications & Focus.
Step 3: Pick Notifications at the top of the subsequent window.
Step 4: Choose FaceTime on the left.
Step 5: On the right, turn on the top toggle for Allow Notifications.
Pick Banners or Alerts depending on the option you prefer. Banners are temporary while Alerts remain on your screen until you take an action on them. It's just as straightforward to disable notifications on your Mac.
Optionally, check the boxes for the remaining items. You can show notifications on the lock screen and in the Notification Center, display a badge app icon, play sounds for notifications, show previews, and allow notification grouping.
When you finish, close the System Preferences using the X on the top left of the window.
Answering calls from your iPhone as you work or play on your Mac is handy. To make sure you don’t receive unwanted calls, check out how to block calls on your iPhone.
