How to make an international call from your laptop or computer
Your laptop is a perfectly good phone. With a browser calling service you can dial a landline or mobile in another country straight from a tab, type the number on a real keyboard, and talk through the headset you already use for meetings. Nothing to install. Here is how to set it up and what to check when the audio doesn’t work.
What you need
- A current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
- A microphone. The built-in one works; a headset works better.
- A stable internet connection: home broadband, office or hotel Wi-Fi, or your phone’s hotspot.
- An email address to sign in. No phone number or SIM card is needed.
Step by step
- 1. Open Hyallo in your browser and sign in with the link we email you.
- 2. Type the number with its country code (for example +44 for the UK), or pick the country and type the local number.
- 3. Check the per-minute rate shown for that number, then press call.
- 4. The first time, your browser asks to use the microphone. Click Allow. Without it the call can’t start.
Headset or built-in speakers?
Built-in speakers and microphone work, but the person you call may hear an echo of their own voice. A wired or Bluetooth headset fixes that. On the call screen you can switch microphone and speaker at any time, even mid-call, and a headset you plug in during the call shows up in the list. Two quirks: some computers list a Bluetooth headset twice, once as "headphones" (no microphone) and once as "headset" or "hands-free", so pick the headset entry for the microphone; and Safari can’t choose the speaker from a web page, so change it in your system sound settings instead.
"They can’t hear me": the fixes, in order
First look at the level bar on the Mic button during the call. It lights up green when your voice is reaching the call. If it stays dark while you talk, work down this list:
- Wrong microphone selected: pick your headset (or the built-in mic) in the device list on the call screen.
- Muted headset: many headsets have a mute switch on the cable or the ear cup.
- Blocked for the site: click the icon next to the address bar and set Microphone to Allow, then reload the page.
- Blocked by the system: on a Mac, System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone, and turn on your browser; on Windows, Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone, and allow apps and your browser to use it.
- Another app holds the microphone: close Teams, Zoom, Discord or any recorder, then try again.
- Opened inside another app: links opened from an email or social app sometimes load in a built-in browser that can’t use the microphone. Open the page in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
If you can’t hear them, check the speaker selected on the call screen and your system volume. Before an important call, the "Test microphone & speaker" button in your dashboard checks both. And keep the laptop awake: closing the lid or letting it go to sleep ends the call.
Ready to make your first call?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install anything on my computer?
No. Calls run in the browser using WebRTC, the same technology behind browser video meetings. There is no app, plugin or extension.
Does the person I call need a computer or an app?
No. They receive an ordinary phone call on their landline or mobile.
Can I use my phone instead of the laptop?
Yes. The same site works in the browser on Android and iPhone, with the same balance.
Is a call from the browser encrypted?
The audio between your browser and Hyallo’s network is encrypted in transit. From there it continues over the regular phone network, like any other phone call.