How to FaceTime Without Wi-Fi in 3 Steps (with Photos)

Key Points

• FaceTime is a pre-installed app on Apple devices that allows users to make phone and video calls to other Apple users for free using an internet connection.
• You can enable a setting to use FaceTime without Wi-Fi by checking your internet connection, enabling cellular data for FaceTime in your settings, and making a test call.
• On average, FaceTime uses about 3MB per minute for a FaceTime call, so it’s important to be mindful of your mobile data allowance.

FaceTime is the easiest way to talk to someone over the internet without using third-party apps on Apple devices. Since FaceTime is pre-installed on iOS and macOS devices, you can easily call your friends and family who own Apple products for free.

The reason FaceTime doesn’t cost anything is because it uses an internet connection to make the call. You can use FaceTime to make calls over Wi-Fi, but can you use it when you leave your house and only have access to mobile data?

The answer is yes, and if you’re having trouble with that, you’ve come to the right place. Below we’ll break down how to enable an important setting to use FaceTime without Wi-Fi, so read on!

How Does FaceTime Work and Do You Need Wi-Fi?

FaceTime is an app from Apple that allows Apple users to make phone and video calls to other Apple users through a simple app that comes pre-installed on all iOS and macOS devices. To make a FaceTime call, you can call one of the contacts from your contact list (using the phone number or email associated with their Apple ID).

You can also create a FaceTime link that you can send to users. The great thing about the FaceTime link is that you can invite web or Android users to join the call. Even if they can’t fully use FaceTime, they can open the link in a browser to join the conversation.

How to FaceTime Without Wi-Fi in 3 Steps

There is one important setting you need to enable before you can use mobile data for the FaceTime app. This is the point where most people get stuck, but it only takes 3 steps to enable it, so let’s break it down.

Step 1: Check Your Connection

The first thing you need to do on your iOS device is to check your internet connection. To do so, pull down the Control Center by dragging your finger from the top right corner to the bottom.

On the left side, you’ll see features such as Airplane Mode, Cellular Network, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Make sure you turn off your Wi-Fi by tapping on the blue Wi-Fi icon. This will ensure you disable your Wi-Fi so you can rely on the cellular network.

At the same time, you also need to enable the cellular network by tapping once on the cellular network icon (it should change from gray to green).

Step 2: Enable Cellular Data for FaceTime in Your Settings

This is one of the most important steps as some Apple users may have this option disabled by default. But without it, your FaceTime won’t work without Wi-Fi.

Go to Settings by clicking on the wheel icon, tap on the Mobile tab, scroll through the app list, and find FaceTime.

When you find the FaceTime line, tap on the button and make sure it’s green to enable it. When this setting is disabled, FaceTime won’t use your mobile data (cellular network), so if you open FaceTime without Wi-Fi, it’ll be offline.

Step 3: Open FaceTime and Try to Make a Call

Leave the settings and click on the FaceTime icon to open the app. In FaceTime, you can make a quick test call by browsing contacts and calling one of your friends or family members.

If FaceTime is working and you can hear the ringing, you know that your FaceTime is working over the cellular network. To verify this, you can pull down the Control Center again to see if the Wi-Fi button is gray and the cellular button is green. You’ll also see a small 4G or 5G icon in the top corner instead of the Wi-Fi icon.

How Much Data Does FaceTime Use?

Since you’re not using Wi-Fi for FaceTime calls, FaceTime uses the mobile data you get and pay for. Wi-Fi networks at home are usually unlimited but data plans for mobile users are often limited.

On average, FaceTime uses about 3MB per minute for a FaceTime call. So, unless you have unlimited data on your phone, you can expect to use about 200MB for a one-hour FaceTime call. That may not seem like much at first but it can add up quickly if you use FaceTime frequently. We strongly recommend using Wi-Fi when you want to use FaceTime if it’s a possibility.

Wrapping Up

If you use FaceTime with your mobile data instead of Wi-Fi, you can use FaceTime wherever you are. It only takes one setting to activate and once you’ve done that, your iOS device won’t prioritize Wi-Fi for the FaceTime app.

With the help of this guide, you can do it in a couple of minutes by following the steps and photos above so that you can make your FaceTime call anywhere, even when you’re on the go. But be mindful of your mobile data allowance so you aren’t maxed out!

Summary Table

The image featured at the top of this post is ©iStock.com/happyphoton.