Before you start
HiFi needs microphone access so the person you call can hear you.
Your phone needs a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection, because HiFi calls use the internet.
Call a contact
Open a contact in HiFi and tap Call to call them.
Tap the Contacts tab at the bottom of the screen.
Find the contact. You can type a name in Search contacts at the top.
Tap the contact to open their details.
Tap Call.
You can also call someone from the Frequent Contacts row on Home. Tap a contact in the row, then tap Call.
Call someone back from a past call
Open the call in Call Activity and tap Call back to return a call without typing the number.
On Home, find the call in Call Activity.
Tap the call to open Call Details.
Tap Call back.
This works for any call in your history, including calls HiFi handled, missed calls, and calls you placed.
Dial a phone number
Use the keypad on the Dial tab to call a number you haven’t saved as a contact.
Tap the Dial tab at the bottom of the screen.
Enter the phone number on the keypad.
Tap the call button below the keypad.
To call this number again later, find it in Call Activity on Home, or save it as a contact.
What will I see while my call connects?
HiFi shows the status of your call at the top of the call screen:
Connecting: HiFi is setting up the call over the internet.
Ringing: The other person’s phone is ringing.
Connected: The other person answered. You can both talk normally.
Once the call connects, you can use the in-call controls, like mute, speaker, and keypad. See “Use in-call controls”.
If the other person doesn’t answer, the call appears in Call Activity with a caption like … didn’t answer your call.
What does the person I call see?
The person you call sees an ordinary phone call from your HiFi number. They answer it with their own phone the usual way. They don’t need HiFi or any other app.
Calls you place from your phone’s built-in Phone app don’t go through HiFi. Those calls use your regular carrier line. HiFi can’t replace your phone’s built-in Phone app. For more, see “Can HiFi replace my phone’s built-in Phone app?”.
Choose which number to call from (Android)
If you have more than one line on your Android phone, HiFi can ask which number to use each time you make a call. This option is available on Android only. When you place a call, a Make calls with… picker appears.
Optional: To stop being asked, turn on Always use this number.
Tap the number you want to call from.
To change this choice later, go to Account & settings > Manage phone numbers > Outbound calling and select a line, or select Ask me each time.
Troubleshooting
You see “Sign in again to place calls.”: Your session has ended. Sign in again with the same method you used before.
You see “Update the app to place calls.”: Update HiFi from the App Store or Google Play, then try again.
The call won’t connect or you see another error message: See the list of calling errors in “Internet calling and call quality”.
The other person can’t hear you: Allow microphone access for HiFi in your phone’s Settings.
Related articles
“Use in-call controls”
“Internet calling and call quality”
“Do the people I call or text need HiFi?”
“Can HiFi replace my phone’s built-in Phone app?”