How to Call China From the US
To call China from the United States, dial 011 + 86 + area code + local number from a US landline, or +86 + area code + local number from a mobile phone. Drop the leading 0 from the local number. Kinvo connects any China number from your browser at $1.84/min — no app, no subscription. For the dialing code itself and number-format reference, see the China country code page.
Chinese mobile numbers are always 11 digits starting with 1 — specifically 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19 — and are not geographic. Landline area codes are 2 digits for the four largest cities (Beijing 010, Shanghai 021, Guangzhou 020, Tianjin 022) and 3 digits elsewhere. Drop the leading 0 when calling from abroad; mobile numbers are dialed as +86 followed by all 11 digits.
Dial China from the US
011 is the US international exit code. 86 is China's country code. On a mobile phone, replace 011 with + (hold the 0 key).
Dialing Quick Reference
How to Dial China From the US — Step by Step
Dial 011 + 86 + area code + local number
From a US landline or carrier cell phone, dial 011 86 + local number. On a mobile phone you can replace 011 with +, giving +86 + local number. If the local China number starts with a leading 0, drop that 0 when dialing internationally.
Sign up for Kinvo
Create an account at kinvophone.com. Setup takes under a minute — no install required.
Add credits (from $5)
With $5 in credits, you can talk for approximately 2 minutes to China. Credits never expire.
Dial and call
Open the Kinvo dialer, type +86 followed by the local number, and click Call. Allow microphone access when prompted. Your call connects in under 3 seconds with HD audio quality.
What it costs
Calls to China with Kinvo start at $1.84/min plus a one-time $0.05 connection fee per answered call. No subscription, no minimums.
See the full rate breakdown for ChinaChina Area Codes — Worked Examples
Here is how to convert a domestic China number into the international format Kinvo accepts:
| City | Domestic | Dial from abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 010 XXX XXXX | +86 10 XXX XXXX |
| Shanghai | 021 XXX XXXX | +86 21 XXX XXXX |
| Guangzhou | 020 XXX XXXX | +86 20 XXX XXXX |
| Shenzhen | 0755 XXX XXXX | +86 755 XXX XXXX |
| Chengdu | 028 XXX XXXX | +86 28 XXX XXXX |
| Chongqing | 023 XXX XXXX | +86 23 XXX XXXX |
Why Americans Call China
There are about 5.2 million Chinese Americans, including 2.4 million China-born residents — most concentrated in California, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington.
Family & diaspora
First-generation immigrants, international students, and professionals on H-1B visas call parents and grandparents in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu. Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and Mid-Autumn Festival are the peak calling days of the year — WeChat covers most day-to-day contact, but Kinvo is the reliable option when relatives only have a regular phone or when WeChat connectivity fails.
Business
Despite shifting trade dynamics, US companies still dial Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Shanghai for manufacturing, electronics sourcing, and joint-venture coordination. Landlines are more common than mobile for supplier offices and factories.
Travel
US travelers to Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, or Hong Kong SAR often need to call hotels or tour operators before departure — China requires visas for most US passport holders, and confirmation calls are a common pre-trip step.
Good to know: China uses a single national time zone (UTC+8), giving a flat 12–13 hour offset from the US. Elderly relatives usually prefer calls during the early morning (7–9 AM Beijing) or post-dinner (8–9 PM Beijing).
Best time to call: 7 PM–9 PM US Eastern = 7 AM–9 AM Beijing (morning) or 6 AM–8 AM US ET = 6 PM–8 PM Beijing (evening family time).
How to Call China From iPhone, Android, or a Landline
From an iPhone
Open the Phone app, press and hold 0 until a + appears, then type 86 followed by the local China number. Or use Kinvo in Safari — no dialer permissions needed.
From Android
Open your Phone app, long-press 0 to get +, then dial +86 + the number. In Chrome, open kinvophone.com and call directly without touching your carrier plan.
From a US Landline
Landlines don't have a + key, so use the full exit code: 011 86 then the local number. Check with your phone provider that international calling is enabled to avoid blocked calls.
How to Call China For Free
If the person you're calling in China has a smartphone with internet access, the cheapest way to call them is free: use WhatsApp, FaceTime, Telegram, Signal, or Google Meet. Both sides need the same app, and calls travel over the internet rather than the phone network — no per-minute fees, no country code needed.
For calling any regular China landline or mobile number — the kind that requires dialing +86 — there is no truly free option, because someone has to pay the termination fee to connect the call. Kinvo is the lowest-cost option for dialing China phone numbers, starting at $1.84/min with no subscription, compared to $1–$3/min at most US carrier rates.
China Calling Tips
China uses a single time zone (UTC+8) despite its large geographic area. Mobile numbers are 11 digits starting with 1. Landline numbers include a 2-3 digit area code (010 for Beijing, 021 for Shanghai). Drop the leading 0 when dialing internationally. Business hours are 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM CST.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I dial China from the US?
From a US mobile phone, dial +86 followed by the local China number (long-press the 0 key to get the + sign). From a US landline, dial 011 86 and then the number. Drop any leading 0 from the local number.
Is +1 the same as 011?
No. +1 is the country code for the United States and Canada. 011 is the US international exit code used before dialing any foreign country code. To call China from the US, you use 011 + 86, not +1.
How do I call China from an iPhone?
Open the Phone app, press and hold the 0 key until a + appears, then dial +86 followed by the local China number. Or open kinvophone.com in Safari and call directly from the browser at $1.84/min.
Do I need to drop the leading 0 when dialing China?
Yes — when calling from outside China, drop any leading 0 from the local number after entering the country code. The leading 0 is the domestic trunk prefix and is only used for in-country calls.
How can I call China for free?
If the recipient has a smartphone with internet, use WhatsApp, FaceTime, Telegram, or Signal — free over data. For calling any regular China phone number, Kinvo is the cheapest option from $1.84/min.
Can I dial China from my browser without an app?
Yes. Kinvo works entirely in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge using WebRTC. No download, no SIM swap, no carrier add-on needed — just sign up and dial +86 + the local number.
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