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How to set up simultaneous ring on your iPhone (+ a better alternative)

Simultaneous ring iphone

Tired of missing important business calls when you’re away from your desk? Wish your cell phone would ring when customers call your office line? Simultaneous ring (also known as multi-device ring) can help ensure you never miss another customer call.

Simultaneous ringing works like this: When someone calls your business phone number, all the connected devices — such as your iPhone, tablet, or your colleague’s work phone — will ring at the same time. That way, customer calls get answered promptly no matter where you are.

In this guide, we’ll explore if the iPhone has a built-in simultaneous ring feature or if a workaround is needed. Plus, we’ll offer a solution that’s better for growing small businesses.

Does an iPhone simultaneous ring feature exist?

Short answer: No, iPhones don’t have a built-in simultaneous ring feature. 

Long answer: You can use Apple’s Continuity features to make devices ring at the same time — like your iPhone, iPad, and Mac — but they all must be on the same WiFi network and be signed in with the same Apple ID. Your iPhone must also use iOS 8.1 or later and have an activated carrier plan. Since this requires sharing personal details, it works for personal use but isn’t built for businesses that need a reliable way to handle customer calls.

How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS 

Here’s how you can set up Apple’s Continuity features to receive calls on your iPhone, Mac, and iPad at the same time. 

  1. Ensure your iPhone, Mac, and iPad are signed in with the same Apple account. Plus, make sure WiFi is on and all devices are on the same network.
  2. On your iPhone, go to Settings, then Apps. 
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 2
  1. Next, tap Phone and select Calls on Other Devices. 
  1. Then toggle Allow Calls on Other Devices.
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 3
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 3b
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 4
  1. Next, go to your iPad’s Settings and tap Apps.
  2. Go to FaceTime and toggle on Calls from iPhone
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 5 and 6a
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 6b
  1. Open the FaceTime app on your Mac.
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 7
  1. In the top menu bar, click FaceTime and tap Settings.
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 8
  1. Make sure you’re signed in with the same Apple ID as your iPhone and iPad. Next, check the box labeled Calls from iPhone.
How to set up simultaneous ring on iOS: Step 9

Now when you get a call on your iPhone, your iPad, Mac, and other connected devices will ring simultaneously. 

Just remember, devices have to be nearby, connected to the same WiFi, and signed into the same Apple account.

Drawbacks of using a workaround to simultaneously ring devices from your iPhone

While the Continuity solution can be a good start to simultaneous ringing, it may not be enough for these reasons:

  1. You don’t have other ways to route phone calls: The iPhone lacks built-in call-handling features many businesses need, like multi-level phone menus (IVR), call transfers, and ring groups. Without these, it takes more time and effort for customers to reach the right person or department.
  2. You’ll receive business calls and texts on your personal number: Want to keep your work and personal life separate while using an iPhone for customer calls? The only way to do this is to buy a second iPhone for personal use or get a dual SIM phone — both of which can be costly and inconvenient.
  3. You’re stuck with time-consuming admin tasks: iPhones don’t integrate with third-party apps like HubSpot, Salesforce, or Slack. This means you can’t automate workflows or eliminate administrative tasks, such as logging call activity into your CRM. For example, every time a customer calls, your team has to switch between their computer and iPhone to manually log important details.
  4. It’s tough to piece together customer interactions: When your team is using their iPhones, customer conversation history is scattered across each person’s device. There’s no shared inbox or centralized place for customer calls, texts, and voicemails. If a customer calls back later, you have to track down who they spoke with last and what was said. Details get lost, follow-ups fall through the cracks, and customer relationships suffer.

Shared phone numbers: The best way to set up and manage simultaneous ring

If the iPhone’s Continuity features don’t meet your business needs, using shared phone numbers through a business phone system is a better solution.

With a VoIP service like OpenPhone, you get a dedicated business number that can simultaneously ring across your team’s Androids, iPhones, and computers — basically any device with an internet connection. All calls, texts, and voicemails from that shared number are stored in a unified inbox. Plus, you can see when a teammate is actively typing, so you don’t reply to customer texts at the same time.

You also get advanced call-handling features that aren’t available with a standard iPhone. For example, you can set customizable business hours call routing to automatically route incoming calls during and after business hours. Plus, multi-level phone menus let you route callers to the right team quickly.

If you have a larger team, ring groups make it easy to route important calls to specific team members based on skillset, department, or availability. This way, the right person picks up the phone every time.

 Here’s how to set up simultaneous ring in OpenPhone:

  1. Go to Settings on your web or desktop app.
  2. Under Workspace, click on Phone numbers.
  3. Select a phone number.
How to set up simultaneous ring in OpenPhone: Step 3
  1. Under Call flow, go to Ring order and tap the down arrow.
How to set up simultaneous ring in OpenPhone: Step 4
  1. Next, select the All at once ring order.
  2. Select the ring duration you prefer from the dropdown menu.
How to set up simultaneous ring in OpenPhone: Step 6

Now when that number receives a call, it will ring everyone you’ve added to the phone number at once — on their cell phone, computer, tablet, or even desk phone if you have one connected. Unlike with the iPhone’s Continuity features, there’s no need to be signed into the same account, be connected to the same WiFi, or have devices next to each other. 

OpenPhone: The easy way to make all your team’s phones ring at once

OpenPhone app

If your business needs multiple devices to ring at the same time, the workaround using the iPhone’s Continuity features falls short. It’s really designed for personal use — not for teams helping customers.

With a VoIP service like OpenPhone, you can easily add a business line to your cell phone that can simultaneously ring across your team’s desktops, browsers, and mobile apps as long as they have an internet connection. All calls, texts and voicemails are stored in a unified inbox so your team can collaborate from the same view. Plus, you’ll also get access to business features like:

  • Texting automation features that save you time, like scheduled messages 
  • Snippets (pre-saved text messages) that let your team quickly respond to FAQs
  • AI call tags that automatically label calls after they have ended so you can easily organize them
  • AI call summaries and transcripts that let you quickly get context on phone calls
  • Automatic call recording so you can review calls at a later date
  • Unlimited calls, SMS, and MMS to US and Canadian phone numbers
  • Auto-replies for unanswered calls so customers always get a response from your business

Sign up for a free seven-day trial of OpenPhone today.

 FAQs

What does simultaneous ring mean?

Simultaneous ring is when someone calls your phone number and multiple devices ring at the same time. This can include your desk phone, your cell phone, your colleague’s phone, or any other device you connect to the number. It helps ensure that no matter where you are, your customers get a response.

What is the difference between simultaneous ring and call forwarding?

With simultaneous ring, multiple devices ring at once when you receive a call, and whoever picks up first takes the call. With call forwarding, your calls go straight to another number — like sending office calls to your cell phone, where only that device rings.

What is *73 on an iPhone?

If you’ve set up call forwarding and your carrier is Verizon, you can dial *73 and press the call button to turn off call forwarding. This will ensure that incoming calls ring directly on your iPhone again. (Note: The dial code may vary with other carriers.)

How do I set up a team simultaneous ring?

To set up simultaneous ring for your team, you’ll need a business phone system that offers the feature, like OpenPhone. 

Is simultaneous ring the same as sequential ring?

With simultaneous ring, all specified devices ring at the same time and the first person to answer gets the call. Sequential ring, also known as hunt groups, rings phones one at a time in a specified order until someone answers. 

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