How to Receive Calls via Bluetooth Devices on iPhone

Taking a phone call on a wireless headset is one of the best use cases of Bluetooth. And like any smartphone, you can receive calls via Bluetooth devices on iPhone too. But there's a catch. If you are an iPhone user, you might have observed that despite connecting your iPhone to a headset, you hear the audio on the earpiece. Well, this is not a bug or a software issue, but just how iOS works.

However, you can fix this issue through the call audio routing option. To understand what it is and how to route audio calls to your Bluetooth headset on iPhone, read on.

Call audio routing, as the name suggests, refers to automatically ‘routing’ audio or FaceTime calls to the selected audio mode on your iPhone.

This audio mode can be the iPhone's earpiece, the default option, the loudspeaker, or an external device like a Bluetooth headset or another hearing device. As you read further, you will understand how to receive calls via Bluetooth devices.

To receive calls via Bluetooth devices, you need to ensure two things. First, you need to connect your Bluetooth device to your iPhone. Second, configure the settings to route the call audio to your device by default. Here's a step-by-step procedure for the same.

Step 1: Open Settings.

Step 2: Select Bluetooth.

Step 3: Toggle on Bluetooth and click the device's name you wish to pair under Other Devices. I am trying to pair OnePlus Buds Z.

Step 4: Once your device pairs, you will see Connected written next to it.

This is how you can connect your Bluetooth device. If you have a trouble connecting, you can read our article to fix issues and successfully connect Bluetooth devices. Now, we move to the next section, changing the call audio routing settings.

Step 1: Go to Settings and select Accessibility.

Step 2: Select Touch.

Step 3: Tap on Call Audio Routing.

Step 4: Now, select Bluetooth Headset.

That's it! The next time you pick up a call while connected to your headset, you will hear the other person's voice on your headset by default.

As a bonus, here's another feature that might interest you, Auto-Answer Calls. It enables the iPhone to answer calls automatically after a specific duration.

This feature is useful if you wish to receive calls on your Bluetooth device without having to press a button and is a good add-on to call audio routing.

Step 1: In Settings, go to Accessibility and select Touch.

Step 2: Next, tap on ‘Call Audio Routing’ and select ‘Auto-Answer calls.’

Step 3: Toggle on ‘Auto-Answer calls.’

Step 4: Now, set the time duration to auto-answer the call.

Once done, your iPhone will auto-answer your calls after the set duration. This feature works with as well as without the connected Bluetooth device.

Here's how you can quickly switch between Bluetooth device and speaker during calls.

Step 1: Tap on the Audio icon on your call screen.

Step 2: Now, select the appropriate option. As you can see, my call is connected to Bluetooth and I am switching it to Speaker.

This is how you can quickly switch between the Bluetooth device and speaker during calls. Once you follow the above steps, you might still have a few questions. So, we have answered a few commonly asked questions for you.

Check if the ringer is on mute. Make sure the side button is not silent. Next, increase the volume by pressing the volume control keys. Now, in the Control Center, turn off Do Not Disturb if not already. This might be silencing your calls. Another possibility is that Silence Unknown Callers is enabled. Go to settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers and toggle it off.

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Call Audio Routing and select Automatic. This will prevent the routing of calls to any different mode.

You get three options in call audio routing on iPhone: Automatic, Bluetooth Headset, and Speaker. When you select Automatic, the calls will be routed to the last selected mode. Suppose you got a call, and you chose the Bluetooth headset. As long as you are connected to the headset, you will continue receiving calls on your headset.

This is how you can receive calls via Bluetooth devices on iPhone. Have more doubts or want us to solve other queries for you? Share them in the comments below.

Last updated on 28 March, 2023

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The iPhone 5s is one of the most popular Apple phones, with more than 70 million units sold since 2013.

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Supreeth is an out and out tech fanatic, and has had fun around it since he was a kid. He currently does what he loves best - writing about technology at Guiding Tech. He is a former mechanical engineer and has worked in the EV industry for two years.