How to make a phone call from your Android App?

Difficulty Level : Medium
Last Updated : 17 Jan, 2020

In this article, you will make a basic android application which can be used to call some number through your android application.

You can do so with the help of Intent with action as ACTION_CALL. Basically Intent is a simple message object that is used to communicate between android components such as activities, content providers, broadcast receivers and services, here use to make phone call. This application basically contain one activity with edit text to write phone number on which you want to make a call and button to call that number.

Step 1. Permission code in Android-Manifest.xml file
You need to take permission from user for phone call and for that CALL_PHONE permission is added in manifest file.Here is code of manifest file:

Android-Manifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>  
<manifest xmlns:androclass="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"  
    package="com.geeksforgeeks.phonecall"  
    android:versionCode="1"  
    android:versionName="1.0" >  
    <uses-sdk  
        android:minSdkVersion="8"  
        android:targetSdkVersion="16" />  
    <!--permission for phone call-->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CALL_PHONE" />  
    <application  
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"  
        android:label="@string/gfg"  
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme" >  
        <activity  
            android:name="com.geeksforgeeks.phonecall.MainActivity"  
            android:label="@string/gfg" >  
            <intent-filter>  
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />  
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />  
            </intent-filter>  
        </activity>  
    </application>  
</manifest>  

Step 2. activity_main.xml
activity_main.xml contains a Relative Layout which contains Edit text to write phone number on which you want to make phone call and button for starting intent or making call :

activity_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--Relative Layout-->
<RelativeLayout
    xmlns:androclass="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"  
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"  
    android:layout_width="match_parent"  
    android:layout_height="match_parent"  
    tools:context=".MainActivity">
   <!--Edit text for phone number-->
    <EditText  
        android:id="@+id/editText"  
        android:layout_marginTop="30dp" 
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"  
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"  
        android:layout_alignParentTop="true"  
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"  
        />  
   <!--Button to make call-->
    <Button  
        android:id="@+id/button"  
        android:layout_marginTop="115dp"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"  
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Make Call!!" 
        android:padding="5dp" 
        android:layout_alignParentTop="true"  
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"     
         />  
</RelativeLayout>

Step 3. MainActivity.java
In Main activity Intent object is created to redirect activity to call manager and action attribute of intent is set as ACTION_CALL.Phone number input by user is parsed through Uri and that is passed as data in Intent object which is than use to call that phone number.setOnClickListener is attached to button with intent object in it to make intent with action as ACTION_CALL to make phone call.Here is complete code:

MainActivity.java

package com.geeksforgeeks.phonecall;
  
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.widget.Button;
  
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
  
    // define objects for edit text and button
    EditText edittext;
    Button button;
  
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
    {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
  
        // Getting instance of edittext and button
        button = findViewById(R.id.button);
        edittext = findViewById(R.id.editText);
  
        // Attach set on click listener to the button
        // for initiating intent
        button.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View arg)
            {
  
                // getting phone number from edit text
                // and changing it to String
                String phone_number
                    = edittext.getText().toString();
  
                // Getting instance of Intent
                // with action as ACTION_CALL
                Intent phone_intent
                    = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_CALL);
  
                // Set data of Intent through Uri
                // by parsing phone number
                phone_intent
                    .setData(Uri.parse("tel:"
                                       + phone_number));
  
                // start Intent
                startActivity(phone_intent);
            }
        });
    }
}