Can I use iPad mini as a phone

You can, however, there is no phone app for the iPad. I am assuming that you have cellular DATA service for yoru iPad Mini. If you do not then the calling portion will only work on a Wi-Fi Network. The iPad Mini will never function as an independent cellular phone like your iPhone does. It will require the Calls on other devices feature to be set to ON on your iPhone including Wi-Fi Calling to be set to ON. Both of these features must be supported by the cellular service provider to your iPhone.

The other option is to use an app that allows for phone calls over the internet (VoIP) such as Skype or Google Voice. These apps use the internet connection via a Celluar Network or a Wi-Fi Network. This is a better option if you have the Cellular Data service activated on your iPad Mini.

The text messages are going to be a challenge unless your iPad Mini is asscociated with your iPhone’s cellular account. You can use the Text Message Forwarding feature from your iPhone to your iPad Mini. If the iPad is not associated with an iPhone then once again independent apps such as Google Voice or Skype have built-in texting features.

In the end, the iPad Mini is not designed to become a functional cell phone, however, you can make it happen with a little bit of effort and planning.

Axel F.