How to Use the New Phone App on macOS 26 Tahoe

Apple’s latest update, macOS 26 Tahoe, introduces a long-awaited feature—an official Phone app on Mac. For the first time, you can make and receive calls, manage voicemails, and access advanced calling features directly from your Mac. Thanks to Apple’s Continuity enhancements, the iPhone experience is now fully integrated with your desktop setup.

Sounds interesting, right? In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about the Phone app on macOS 26, from its key features to how to use it, along with troubleshooting tips.

iOS Calling Experience Now on Mac

The new Phone app in macOS 26 marks a huge upgrade to Apple’s Continuity ecosystem. Until now, you could only take calls on your Mac via FaceTime. But with the dedicated Phone app, you get a full-blown iOS-like calling experience that feels native and seamless.

With Continuity, your Mac syncs with your iPhone’s calls, contacts, and voicemails. That means you can place or receive calls directly from your Mac—no need to touch your iPhone. As someone who spends hours on a Mac daily, this change is a major productivity boost.

The interface mirrors the iPhone’s Phone app layout, featuring tabs for Favorites, Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails. It feels like your Mac just became your second phone.

Requirements to Use the Phone App on Mac

To use the Phone app on macOS 26, make sure you meet these requirements:

Mac running macOS 26 (Apple Silicon: M1 or newer).
iPhone running iOS 26 with an active cellular plan.
Same Apple ID signed in on both iPhone and Mac, including FaceTime.
Continuity features, including Handoff, must be enabled on both devices. Go to Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff.

Your Mac and iPhone must be connected via the same Wi-Fi network. They should be within 30 feet of each other for reliable performance.
Calls on Other Devices enabled: On iPhone, go to Settings > Phone > Calls on Other Devices and enable it. Then, on Mac, go to Phone > Settings > Calls and turn on Calls from iPhone.

Apple Intelligence features, such as Live Translation, require an M1 or later Mac and an iPhone 15 Pro or newer.
An external microphone or headset is required for Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.

Top Features of the Phone App on macOS 26

Apple packed several powerful calling tools into the macOS Phone app. Here are the key features:

Call Screening: Apple Intelligence automatically answers calls from unknown numbers, identifies the caller, and lets you decide whether to accept or send to voicemail.

Hold Assist: Hate waiting on hold? Your Mac can now detect hold music, stay on the line, and notify you when a real person answers.

Live Translation: During a call, it provides real-time audio translations, so you and the caller hear AI-generated translations in your preferred languages. It supports languages like English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Live Activities Integration: Active call status appears in your Mac’s menu bar, just like timers or rideshare updates.

All of this is wrapped in macOS 26’s sleek new Liquid Glass design, giving the Phone app a polished, modern feel.

How to Use the Phone App on Mac

Here’s how to get started:

Dialing a Contact

Launch the Phone app on your Mac (it’s pre-installed with macOS 26). For first-time users, sign in with your Apple Account.
In the app’s unified interface,
- Click a contact under the Favorites tab to call them.
- Use the Keypad button to enter a phone number manually.
- Type a contact name in the Search bar and click the call icon.
Click the call button to start the call. Your Mac uses your iPhone’s cellular connection via Continuity, so no cellular plan on the Mac is needed.
Use your Mac’s microphone and speakers or connect AirPods for better audio quality.

Receive Calls

When a call comes in, a pop-up appears in the top-right corner of your Mac’s screen, showing the caller’s name or number (and their Contact Poster, if set).
Click Answer to accept the call, or Decline to send it to voicemail.
If Call Screening is enabled, unknown callers will be prompted to identify themselves, and you’ll see their response before deciding to answer.

During the call, you can click the mic icon to mute yourself.

View Call History

Open the Phone app and scroll down to see the Recents section.
You’ll see a list of recent calls synced from your iPhone, including missed, answered, and outgoing calls.
Click a call to view details or return the call with one click. You can also view all the calls with that contact by clicking Call History.

To delete a call log, click Edit at the top > Select. Now, choose the call log and click Delete at the bottom.

Set a Contact Poster

By default, your iPhone’s Contact Posters sync to Mac. You can customize it from your Contacts app on Mac. For other contacts, you may add custom photos as Contact Posters.

In the Phone app, select a contact.
Click the dropdown icon next to Contact Photo & Poster and select Custom Photo.

You can edit contact details by clicking the Edit button at the top right corner and selecting Edit Contact Info.

Note

This feature was found to be unstable during testing in the macOS 26 Developer Beta.

Record a Call

During a call, look for the Record button in the Phone app’s interface.
Click to start recording. The call is saved securely on your Mac and can be transcribed using Apple Intelligence.
Access recordings in the Notes app, where you can export or share them. This feature also works on iPhone and iPad.

Check Voicemails

In the Phone app, tap the menu icon (three-line icon) at the top and select Voicemails.
Under the Voicemails tab, you will see a list of voicemails that were synced from your iPhone.
Click a voicemail to listen to it or see its transcription. You can also add the caller to your contacts or report it as spam.

macOS 26 Tahoe also supports Live Voicemail that shows real-time transcriptions as the caller leaves a message, so you can decide whether to pick up mid-message.

Block or Unblock a Number

To block a contact, click their call from Recents on the left side. It will show the call details. Scroll down and select Block Contact. Confirm your choice by clicking Block Contact on the popup.

You can also unblock numbers on your Phone app on Mac.

Click Phone at the top menu bar and select Settings.
Move to the Blocked tab and click the number you want to unblock.
Click the minus (–) icon at the bottom to remove the number.

These steps make the Phone app intuitive, whether you’re managing calls or voicemails. The app’s design ensures everything is accessible in one place, so you don’t need to switch between tabs constantly.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

While the Phone app is a major upgrade, there are some limitations to keep in mind:

iPhone Dependency: The Phone app relies on Continuity, meaning you need an iPhone nearby with an active cellular plan. Also, some features need Apple Intelligence to be enabled on the iPhone.
Language Support: Several features, such as Call Screening and Live Translation, are currently limited to English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish for Phone and FaceTime calls.
Continuity Bugs: Some users report occasional glitches with Continuity, especially when multiple Apple ID accounts are logged into the same Mac.
Hardware Requirements: The Phone app requires macOS 26, which only supports M1 or newer Macs, leaving older Intel-based models out.

Phone App Not Working on macOS 26? Try These Quick Fixes

You may run into errors like “iPhone Calls Not Available on” on your Mac while dialing a number.

If the Phone app isn’t working as expected on your Mac, try these troubleshooting steps:

Check Compatibility: Ensure your Mac supports macOS 26 (M1 or newer). If not, the Phone app won’t be available.
Check Continuity Settings: Ensure your iPhone and Mac are signed into the same Apple ID, and Wi-Fi is enabled. Go to System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff on your Mac and enable Handoff.
Update Devices: Ensure your Mac is running macOS 26 and your iPhone is on iOS 26. Check for updates in Settings > General > Software Update.
Restart Devices: A quick restart of your Mac and iPhone can fix connectivity issues.
Reset Network Settings: On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Note that this clears Wi-Fi passwords.

If issues persist, contact Apple Support for expert advice.

Will Macs Ever Go Cellular?

With this new Phone app, rumors are buzzing around cellular-capable Macs. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is exploring adding a modem chip to future Macs, possibly by 2026. This would bring native calling and texting—no iPhone needed.

But for now, Apple is clearly doubling down on Continuity. And with the new Phone app, it’s working better than ever.

Stay Connected with macOS 26’s Phone App

The new Phone app in macOS 26 is more than just a utility—it’s a major step forward for Apple’s ecosystem. With native call controls, voicemail access, real-time translation, and call recording all in one place, your Mac just became smarter and more useful.

Whether you’re a remote worker, a multitasker, or just someone who hates picking up their phone, this feature is one you’ll love using.

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