iOS 17 Phone and FaceTime Features
Apple introduced several exciting communication upgrades in iOS 17, enhancing both the Phone and FaceTime apps. The update adds personalized calling experiences, smarter voicemail features, improved FaceTime interactions, and support for FaceTime on Apple TV.
Phone App Features
Contact Posters
iOS 17 introduces Contact Posters, allowing users to customize how they appear during phone calls.
Users can create personalized caller screens with:
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Photos
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Memoji
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Initials
These posters are created in the Contacts app under Contact Photo & Poster settings. In addition to choosing an image, users can customize:
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Font size
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Font style
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Font color
Apple also includes image effects such as:
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Black and white
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Duotone
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Color wash filters
Contact Posters can be shared automatically with saved contacts or manually approved before sharing with others.
Redesigned Contacts App
The Contacts app now places greater emphasis on profile images and posters. Contact photos, Memoji, or initials appear much larger on the screen for a more visually engaging experience.
Users can also choose whether contact updates, such as profile photo changes, are updated automatically or require manual approval.
Live Voicemail
Apple introduced Live Voicemail, a feature that transcribes voicemail messages in real time as callers leave them.
The transcription appears directly on the Lock Screen, allowing users to decide whether to answer the call while the voicemail is being recorded.
This feature is especially useful for identifying important calls from unknown numbers, such as doctors or delivery services.
Users can:
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Customize voicemail greetings
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Disable Live Voicemail through:
Settings → Phone → Live Voicemail
Updated Call Log
The Recents tab now clearly indicates when a missed call includes a voicemail message, making it easier to access important recordings directly from the call history.
Dual-SIM Improvements
For Dual-SIM users, iOS 17 adds:
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Separate ringtones for each SIM
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SIM selection when returning unknown calls
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Message sorting based on SIM card
FaceTime Features
Audio and Video Messages
If someone misses a FaceTime call, users can now leave:
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A video message for FaceTime video calls
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An audio message for FaceTime audio calls
After a missed call, a Record Video option appears, allowing users to record and preview messages before sending them.
Recipients can watch saved video messages directly from the FaceTime missed-call history.
FaceTime Reactions
iOS 17 adds gesture-based reactions to FaceTime calls. Specific hand gestures trigger animated effects on screen, including:
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Heart gesture — Heart animation -
Thumbs up — Thumbs up reaction -
Thumbs down — Thumbs down reaction -
One peace sign — Balloons -
Two peace signs — Confetti
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Rock sign — Laser effects -
Two thumbs up — Fireworks
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Two thumbs down — Storm cloud effect
These reactions can also be activated manually through the FaceTime interface.
Apple also allows third-party apps to support these visual effects.
FaceTime on Apple TV
With iOS 17 and tvOS 17, users can now use FaceTime directly on Apple TV.
Since Apple TV does not include a built-in camera, an iPhone or iPad running iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 acts as the camera and microphone.
Features include:
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Starting calls directly on Apple TV
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Handoff support between iPhone and Apple TV
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Large-screen video calls
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Center Stage support to keep users centered while moving
This setup creates a more immersive video calling experience for families and group conversations.
Learn More
Additional information about all iOS 17 features is available through Apple’s official iOS 17 overview and documentation.