Does Flight Mode Chat work on iPad, and does it need a SIM or data plan?

Yes, it works on iPad as well as iPhone, and it does not need a SIM card, a data plan or an internet connection. It chats with nearby people over Bluetooth Low Energy, and the other person needs the app too.

Why an iPad is a good fit

Plenty of iPads have no cellular plan at all. Messaging apps that rely on a server then leave them stuck without Wi-Fi. A chat app that uses Bluetooth between nearby devices does not care, because there is no SIM or data connection in the loop. The app uses no servers and no internet, so the setup is the same on a Wi-Fi-only iPad as on a cellular model.

I build Flight Mode Chat, so keep that in mind as you read. This is what I can state about the app: it runs on iPhone and iPad, sends text, images, voice notes, files and contacts, offers public channels and private chats, and encrypts messages end to end.

What you need

• The app, installed on each device while you still have a connection to download it.
• Bluetooth switched on. Airplane Mode turns it off, and you can switch it back on from Control Center.
• A person nearby who also has the app.

You do not need an account with a phone carrier, a data allowance or any SIM at all. The app discovers nearby users automatically, so once it is open you can see who is around.

Mixing iPhone and iPad

The same app runs on both, so a family with one iPhone and one iPad can message each other across a room, a campsite or a cabin. A child with an iPad and a parent with an iPhone is a natural pairing. Both devices still need to be close together.

What it cannot do

An iPad with no SIM and no Wi-Fi still has no route to the wider internet, and this app does not create one. It cannot send SMS or iMessage, and it cannot reach people far away. It connects only nearby devices that run the app. Walls and crowds can shorten Bluetooth reach, and I won’t quote a distance since it varies by place.

The interface is in English only, though messages can be written in any language.

A quick test at home

1. Install the app on both devices.
2. Switch on Airplane Mode, then turn Bluetooth back on.
3. Open the app on both and look for each other.
4. Send a text, then a photo.

If that works on your kitchen table, it will work in the situation where you need it.

Related guides

For the basics, read chat without internet on iPhone and the Bluetooth chat app for iPhone. For travel, see what still works in Airplane Mode.