How to Call Without a SIM Card: 5 Ways That Work in 2026

You have a phone with no SIM card — maybe you canceled your carrier, you are using an old phone as a WiFi-only device, or you bought a new phone and the SIM has not arrived. You can still make calls. Here are the five ways that actually work in 2026, ranked by how much setup each takes.

The 5 Ways to Call Without a SIM Card

Call emergency services (911 / 999 / 112). Works on any cell phone, no setup, no SIM, no carrier required. Federally mandated in the US, Canada, UK, EU, and most developed markets. See full setup →
App-to-app voice calls over WiFi. WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal, Telegram, Messenger. Free, HD quality, no number needed. Limitation: the other person must use the same app. See full setup →
Free VoIP apps with their own phone number. Google Voice (US/Canada, free with a Google account), TextNow (free with ads), Hushed (paid). Gives you a new number that can call any phone and receive calls back. See full setup →
Browser-based outbound VoIP services. Services like Kinvo run in your browser — no app, no SIM, no carrier relationship. Call any landline or mobile worldwide at $0.03–$0.20/min. Best for one-way outbound calls. See full setup →
Daily-driver setup: SIM-less phone with a virtual number. Combine methods 2–4 with a Google Voice or TextNow number used everywhere your old mobile number was. Lets you turn an old phone into a fully functional WiFi-only device. See full setup →

One of these (method 1) is built in to every cellular device by law. The other four require a few minutes of setup each. Pick based on whether you need outbound only (method 4 is cheapest), both directions (method 3), or app-to-app only (method 2 is free).

1. Call 911 / Emergency Services Without a SIM Card

Yes. In the US, the FCC has required since 1997 that all cellular phones (even ones not activated with a carrier) must be able to dial 911. The phone connects to whatever cell tower has the strongest signal — it does not care whether you have an active plan, a SIM card, or anything else. Same rule applies in Canada (CRTC), the UK (Ofcom), the EU (universal service obligation), and most other developed markets.

To make an emergency call from a SIM-less phone: turn it on, wait for the emergency call screen or open the phone app, dial the emergency number (911 in US/Canada, 999 in UK, 112 in EU and most other countries — 112 also works in the US and is the international emergency code).

What you should know about emergency calls from a SIM-less phone:

Location may be inaccurate. Without a carrier's subscriber records, the dispatcher may only know the cell tower you are connected to — not your precise location. If your phone has GPS and a cellular signal, Advanced Mobile Location (AML) or RapidSOS can still provide a fix in most countries; older phones may not.
You cannot be called back. If you hang up or the call drops, the dispatcher cannot easily call you back. Some jurisdictions assign a temporary callback number, but it is not reliable.
Some abuse is possible. Because there is no subscriber identity, there have been waves of pranked emergency calls from old SIM-less phones — which is why some jurisdictions have started blocking certain device IDs (IMEIs) from emergency dial. This is rare for a regular user but worth noting.

If a SIM-less phone is your only emergency backup (e.g., for a child or elderly relative), test it occasionally — call your local non-emergency line, not 911, to verify the device can connect.

2. App-to-App Calls Over WiFi (Free)

If the person you are calling has the same app, this is the simplest and cheapest option — no number, no setup beyond installing the app:

WhatsApp — voice and video, free over WiFi, requires both ends to have WhatsApp installed and verified with a phone number. The phone number for verification can be a Google Voice or virtual number; it does not need to be a real SIM.
FaceTime — Apple devices only. Free over WiFi, requires an Apple ID. Can be activated without a SIM card.
Signal — same as WhatsApp but more privacy-focused. Requires a phone number for verification (can be a virtual number).
Telegram, Messenger, Discord — voice calls work between users of the same app.
Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom — meeting-style calls work without a SIM as long as you have an account.

Limitation: the other end has to be on the same app. You cannot call a stranger's regular phone number this way.

3. Free VoIP Apps with Their Own Number

To call a regular phone number from a SIM-less device and let people call you back, use a VoIP app that assigns you a real phone number:

Google Voice — free with a Google account, US/Canada only. Gives you a free US phone number that can place and receive calls and SMS. Setup takes 5 minutes; you need one-time verification on another phone.
TextNow — free with ads, US/Canada. Same model: free number, calls/SMS to US/Canada. Ads in the app.
Hushed — paid (~$2–$5/month per number). Works internationally. Lets you choose the country code of your number.

These give you a new phone number that you make and receive calls from. The number persists, so the same person can call you back over weeks or months — useful if the SIM-less phone is becoming your daily driver.

4. Browser-Based VoIP for Outbound Calls (Kinvo)

If you only need to make outbound calls and do not need to receive them on a permanent number, a browser-based VoIP service is the simplest, cheapest option. Services like Kinvo run entirely in your browser — no app to download, no number to verify, no carrier relationship.

Step-by-step for a SIM-less device:

Connect the device to WiFi
Open a browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — any modern browser works)
Sign up for a Kinvo account using any email address (no phone verification required to start)
Verify a caller ID — this is a number you control that will be displayed to the people you call. It can be your old mobile number (from a previous carrier), a Google Voice number, a friend's number with permission, or a virtual number from another service
Add $5 in credit
Open the dialer and place the call

The whole flow takes under three minutes if you already have a verified caller ID. If you need to set up Google Voice as your caller ID first, add 5–10 minutes for that. Per-minute rates are typically $0.03–$0.20 depending on destination, credits never expire, and the recipient sees the service's assigned outbound caller ID — not nothing or "Private", but a real number that gets picked up.

5. Daily-Driver Setup: Turn a SIM-less Phone Into a Real Daily-Use Device

The four methods above each solve one piece of the problem. Combine them and you have a SIM-less phone that works for almost everything — kid's first phone, hotel-safe backup, second device, or your own daily driver after you cancel your carrier. Here is what works on a typical SIM-less smartphone connected to WiFi:

Action	Works without SIM?
Browse the web	Yes
Send and receive iMessage / WhatsApp / Signal (on installed apps)	Yes
Make WhatsApp / FaceTime / Signal calls	Yes
Receive regular SMS	No
Receive regular phone calls	No (unless using VoIP app with inbound)
Make calls to regular phone numbers	Yes, via Kinvo or VoIP app
Call 911	Yes (legally required)
Two-factor SMS codes	No (need a number that can receive SMS)

The biggest limitation is two-factor SMS — many account recovery flows need a real number that can receive a text. If you are turning a device into a SIM-less daily driver, set up a Google Voice or TextNow number first and use it everywhere you would have used your old mobile number.

FAQ

Can you make a phone call without a SIM card?

Yes. Without a SIM card you can: (1) call 911 and other emergency services on any cellular phone, (2) make app-to-app calls over WiFi via WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal, or Telegram, and (3) call any regular phone number worldwide via a browser-based VoIP service like Kinvo or a virtual-number app like Google Voice.

Can a phone make emergency calls without a SIM card?

Yes. By law in the US (FCC), Canada (CRTC), UK (Ofcom), EU, and most developed markets, every cellular phone must be able to call emergency services (911, 999, 112, etc.) even if it has no SIM card or active service. The phone connects to whatever cell tower has the strongest signal. The limitation: dispatchers may not be able to call you back, and your precise location may not be transmitted.

How can I call without a SIM card on Android?

Connect the Android device to WiFi, then either (a) use WhatsApp/Signal/Telegram for app-to-app calls, (b) install Google Voice for a free US/Canada number that can call any phone, or (c) sign up for a browser-based service like Kinvo and place outbound calls to any phone worldwide. None of these require a SIM card.

How can I call without a SIM card on iPhone?

Same approach as Android: connect to WiFi, then use FaceTime/WhatsApp/Signal for app-to-app, or use a VoIP app (Google Voice, TextNow) or a browser-based service like Kinvo for calls to regular phone numbers. iMessage and FaceTime can be activated with just an email — no SIM required.

What is the difference between WiFi calling and VoIP calling without a SIM?

"WiFi calling" usually refers to a carrier feature where your existing carrier routes your normal phone calls over WiFi instead of cellular — this requires an active SIM and plan. "VoIP calling without a SIM" means using a separate service (Kinvo, Google Voice, WhatsApp) that places calls over the internet directly, with no carrier or SIM involved. The latter is what works on a SIM-less device.

The Right Tool for the Job

For an old phone you want to keep as an emergency backup: leave it as-is. Without any setup, it will still call 911. Charge it occasionally.

For a SIM-less device you want to use daily: set up Google Voice (if you are in the US/Canada and want a free inbound number) or Kinvo (for outbound calls to any phone worldwide). The browser-based flow takes three minutes and you can call from any device with a microphone and an internet connection — no app install, no SIM, no carrier.