
Don’t know how to put the existing call on hold while voice calling on your iPhone? Are you facing difficulty finding the hold option on your phone? Although this process is easy, it’s pretty different from Android devices.
To put a call on hold to call someone else from your iPhone, tap and hold the “Mute” button in the calling panel until it turns grey and changes to “Hold“. If you receive a second call while on an ongoing voice conversation, tap on the “Hold & Accept” button to put the previous call on hold and attend the new one.
Most iPhone users put a call on hold when receiving an incoming call on the same line. However, the “Hold” option is not directly visible on the iOS calling interface.
This article will guide you on using two methods to put an iPhone call on hold. We will also discuss the difference between the “Hold” and “Mute” options to define their functioning on your phone.
Holding a Call on iPhone
Not sure about putting a call on hold on your iPhone to receive another one or make a new call? Here are two methods to do this task effortlessly.
Method #1: Putting a Call on Hold To Call Someone Else
The hold feature is by default available on iPhone, so you don’t have to depend on your carrier or any third-party application to put your calls on hold.
Follow this step-by-step process to put a call on hold to call someone else from your iPhone.
- Initiate a voice call on your iPhone by dialing someone from the Dialer app.
- After calling or dialing the number, you will see a calling panel on the screen.
- Tap and hold the button labeled “Mute” on the screen’s top-left side.
- Wait for the “Mute” option to turn grey and change to “Hold“.

After placing an ongoing call on hold, tap the “Add Call” or “Contacts” button to make a new call. When you are done, tap the “Hold” button to resume the previous call.
As soon as you put a call on hold while speaking on a continuous line, the person on the receiving end would hear random music to let them know you’re on another call.
Method #2: Putting a Call on Hold for Incoming Call
It often happens when you are talking to someone and receives another call. Luckily, iPhone lets you attend another call without forcing you to put an end to the current call.
Follow these easy steps to attend the second call by holding the ongoing one.
- While on a call, you’ll hear a sound if you receive a second call.
- Bring the phone to your face to see the iPhone call panel.
- Tap on “Hold & Accept” to attend the second call while putting the previous call on hold.

If the Wi-Fi Calling is not active for a call, all incoming calls are transferred directly to voicemail. This condition is applied to iPhone models with a dual SIM.
Difference Between Mute and Hold
Many iPhone users place their call on mute to have a private conversation and believe their line is on hold. Although both options restrict the mic usage, they work differently when receiving a second call or initiating a conference call on iPhone.
Mute
The “Mute” function cuts off the iPhone mic on an ongoing call, meaning that you can hear the caller, but they cannot hear anything from your end. This feature is highly beneficial if you want a private conversation in the background and don’t want your caller to listen to it.
By choosing the “Mute” option, the person on the other side will not indicate that the call is active. Therefore, the “Mute” feature for short intervals in a conversation is recommended.
Hold
The hold button is not visible on iPhone while having a call. You must press and hold the “Mute” button to put a line on hold. Once done, the person on the other end will hear a musical tune that lets them know they are placed on hold.
Summary
In this guide on putting a call on hold on an iPhone, we shared two simple methods which only require a button tap to place calls on hold. We also defined the difference between the “Mute” and “Hold” options for a better understanding.
Hopefully, you can now easily hold and resume calls on your iPhone without difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions
FaceTime calls on iPhones also support the “Hold” feature. If you receive another FaceTime call on your iPhone, you can use the “Hold & Accept” option to hold the ongoing FaceTime call and listen to the new incoming call.