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How to three-way call on Android in 2025 (2 ways)

3 way call android

Looking to set up a three-way call on Android? Good news: you can likely do this with Android’s default group calling app.

But there are some drawbacks, especially if you’re trying to make business calls. Depending on your service provider, it might be expensive, and you likely won’t have access to features like hold music or automatic call recording.

Thankfully, we’ve got you covered: this guide explains how to set up conference calls on Android, and we’ll walk through a better way (and explain how it can come in handy for growing your business).

How to make a three-way call on Android’s default conference calling app

If you want to set up a group call with three or more participants, you can use the default calling app on your Android device.

Here are the steps you need to follow on your cell phone:

  1. In your contact list, find the first person you want to add to your call.
  2. Once you’ve called them and they’ve answered, tap Add call (or the + icon on the right of your screen).
  1. Find the second person you want to add to your call and tap the Merge button.
  1. If you want to make a group call with more than three people, repeat steps two and three until everyone has joined your call.
How to make a three-way call on Android’s default conference calling app: step 2
How to make a three-way call on Android’s default conference calling app: step 3
How to make a three-way call on Android’s default conference calling app: step 4

If you can’t complete a three-way call based on these steps (for example, if you’re missing the Add call button, check with your service provider to ensure this feature is available on your plan. If it’s not, it might cost extra — which means your ‘free’ conference call may actually add to your phone bill.

5 drawbacks of using Android’s built-in app

You can use the built-in app to make three-way calls on your Android phone. However, this isn’t always the best idea for business owners, especially if you’re looking to grow your brand. Here are a few more drawbacks of using Android’s default calling app for conference calls. 

1. You won’t be able to keep your personal number private

Using your personal number to set up a group call with an Android phone could be a bad idea for your privacy since anyone in the group could write down or distribute your number. Plus, you may start getting business calls at inconvenient hours, like the middle of dinner (or worse, the middle of the night).

Using another solution for setting up three-way calling can help create a clear separation between your business and personal life. For example, a virtual phone system like OpenPhone gives you a free business phone number and helps you identify work calls and answer them appropriately. 

2. You won’t deliver a professional phone presence

The more professional your business appears to customers, the more likely they’ll stick around. If you’re using your default app and running into technical errors, customers may get frustrated and hang up the phone. For example, some Android users had audio issues during calls where they couldn’t hear one another. Others reported issues when trying to merge calls, with the second person often getting disconnected.

A more professional solution for three-way calling can help you meet and exceed expectations. For example, you can put callers on hold for warm transfer calls so you can debrief the next member of your team. This prevents customers from having to repeat information, which can lead to negative reviews. 

3. Recording a group call may be difficult

Need to keep records of past interactions with customers? You can’t do that natively on your Android smartphone. Instead, you need call recording software and a provider to store the data — something OpenPhone can do all in one app.

OpenPhone users can store call recordings with a specific group in a single view. Every call, text, or voicemail shows up under this view so you and your team can track their entire conversation history at a glance.

4. It takes a long time to set up a call with multiple people

Want to make sure you don’t have to spend a long time setting up group calls with customers? This might not be possible with an Android phone since you’ll need to add each person separately and repeatedly tap the same buttons to access your contact list. Your customers might even end up feeling frustrated and impatient waiting for you to add everyone to the call.

5. It can get expensive

If keeping the cost of customer calls down is important to your business, making three-way calls with an Android may not be your best option. For example, with Verizon, you may have to pay minutes for each member of the group call, depending on your plan. This can get costly if your reps make a lot of outbound calls.

In contrast, if you use a VoIP provider like OpenPhone, you can get unlimited calls in the US and Canada (which includes group calls) for just $15 per user per month.

Intrigued? Let’s take a closer look at how OpenPhone can help with three-way calling.

How to make a three-way call on an iPhone

Do your teammates need to start making group calls on their iPhones? Here’s how to set up a three-way call on iOS:

  1. Call the first person you want to add to the call.
  1. Once that participant has answered, tap Add Call (or the + icon on the top right of your screen).
How to make a three-way call on iPhone's default conference calling app: step 2
  1. Select a second contact or dial their phone number.
  1. When the person answers, tap Merge Calls (upward arrow).
How to make a three-way call on iPhone's default conference calling app: step 4
  1. Your first and second calls should merge into a single conference call. If you wish to add more people to the call, you can repeat steps 2, 3, and 4.

How to do a three-way conference call on an Android device via the OpenPhone app

If you want to set up professional conference calls on your phone, the default Android app isn’t your best bet. Instead, OpenPhone can help you make three-way calls and transfer incoming calls on any Android tablet, computer, or Samsung phone so you can delight your customers and save time with every call.

Unlike the default Android app, you can use OpenPhone to set up group calls with a simple tap and type. It also lets you place external numbers on hold with customized music in case you need to chat with just your team.

You can follow these seven steps to set up a three-way call on your Android device:

  1. Get a free seven-day trial of OpenPhone.
  2. Find OpenPhone on the Google Play store and install the app on your phone.
How to do a three-way conference call on an Android device via the OpenPhone app: step 2
  1. Once you’ve entered a phone call with someone, you can put them on hold by selecting the room Hold button at the bottom of your screen.

4. Tap the +👤 icon on your call screen.

5. Add people to the call by typing a contact’s name or phone number in the search bar. Once selected, tap Add. If the person you add is a member of your workspace, you can also send a quick note letting them know you need their help.

How to do a three-way conference call on an Android device via the OpenPhone app: step 3
How to do a three-way conference call on an Android device via the OpenPhone app: step 4
How to do a three-way conference call on an Android device via the OpenPhone app: step 5

6. Your team members should now see a pop-up with an invitation to join your call. Your customers will receive an incoming call from your number.

How to do a three-way conference call on an Android device via the OpenPhone app: step 6

7. When you’ve finished, you can press the End call button to dismiss all participants. Need to remove just one caller? Tap the ellipsis () next to a participant’s name and select Remove from call.

How to do a three-way conference call on an Android device via the OpenPhone app: step 7

Here’s what it looks like when you remove a person from a group call on OpenPhone’s desktop app.

Remove a person from a group call on OpenPhone’s desktop app

Other key reasons businesses use OpenPhone over Android’s built-in calling feature

OpenPhone can do a lot more than set up three-way calls on your Android device.

If you need three-way calls to run your business, you likely need other collaboration features to manage your team. OpenPhone can help your business run like a well-oiled machine with shared numbers, internal threads, and tags and mentions.

With shared numbers, you and your team can split responsibility for incoming calls and texts while viewing the same contact list in an intuitive dashboard.

OpenPhone's internal threads

You can also leave internal threads and tag teammates in mentions so they’re notified of your comments. None of your customers can see these threads — only members of your team.

OpenPhone can help you get a 360-degree view of your customers so you can better understand their relationship with your business.

One of the best ways to do this is with custom properties, which you can use to keep track of key customer data. For example, you can set custom tags to distinguish between VIPs and smaller accounts. You can also write custom notes and tag your team members so they can check out recent updates.

Tag team members in the OpenPhone app

OpenPhone integrates with dozens of CRMs, so you can import and export even more customer data. We connect with platforms you’re already using, like HubSpot and Salesforce, and can even push data to a dedicated Slack channel for your customer success teams. That way, everyone on your team has up-to-date information and can go into group calls with plenty of context.

Improve your business calls with OpenPhone

OpenPhone app

OpenPhone is much more than a conference call service — there’s a good reason we’re rated a #1 business phone system on G2. Whether you’re a team of 10 or a crew of one, we can help you scale without a steep learning curve.

We’ve designed our features to make your life as a business owner easier. With internal threads, call recording, and transcripts, you can manage three-way calls from anywhere with a WiFi connection.Plus, OpenPhone’s platform works on all devices and lets you purchase local or toll-free numbers in the US and Canada.

Sign up for OpenPhone’s free seven-day trial and download our Android app to set up your first conference call for your business.

FAQs

How do you fix poor sound quality on a three-way call?

You can fix poor sound quality on a three-way call by making sure you have a reliable and fast internet connection. You can also use headphones or a noise-canceling microphone to ensure customers can hear you talking.

A more reliable way to guarantee your business provides the best sound quality for customers is to use a VoIP phone like OpenPhone. It offers features like HD voice, advanced audio compression, and more.

How do you remove a caller from a three-way call?

It’s easy to remove a caller from a three-way on OpenPhone’s Android app, simply:

1. Tap the ellipsis () next to their name. 
2. Tap the Remove from call button.

What are the main advantages of using Android for conference calls?

One of the advantages of using an Android for conference calls is that you can contact customers while on the go. However, this comes with limitations like poor audio quality, unreliable connection, and sharing your personal number with customers. 

A better alternative is choosing a VoIP provider like OpenPhone, which comes with many advanced business features like shared numbers, auto-replies, and call recording.

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