Can you use your iPhone as a walkie talkie?

Yes, with an app. The iPhone doesn’t have a walkie talkie built in. Apple’s Walkie-Talkie only ever ran on Apple Watch, and watchOS 27 removed it.

What your iPhone can already do

Two things get close, and you might not need anything else.

• FaceTime audio. A live call. Good for a real conversation. More ceremony than a quick “on my way.”
• Audio messages in Messages. Record, send, done. They live in your thread with your texts, and by default they expire two minutes after they’re played.

What a walkie talkie app adds

One button between you and your people. No dialing. No typing. No thread to scroll. If that’s what you’re after, three questions sort the options.

• Live, or when they’re ready? Some apps play your voice the second you let go, like a radio. Others hold it until your friend picks up their phone. Zello is a well-known live one.
• Friends, or strangers too? Some have open channels anyone can join. Others are only for people you invite.
• Saved, or gone? Some keep a history and ask for an account. Others keep nothing.

Two iPhones, one channel

COPY is the walkie talkie we make. Your voice waits until your friend is ready. It’s only for people you invite. Nothing is saved.

1. You both get COPY from the App Store.
2. Send your friend an invite link from the app. When they open it, you share a channel.
3. Turn the dial to their channel.
4. Hold down. Talk. Let go.

One thing no app can fix

Walkie talkie apps, COPY included, need Wi-Fi or cellular data. If you’re heading somewhere with no service, a pair of real two-way radios is still the dependable choice.