Quick answer: To use Botim, install the official app, verify your mobile number and allow the permissions needed for calling or messaging. Find a friend who uses Botim, open their chat and choose a voice or video call. Both of you need an internet connection.
Setting up a calling app should not feel like a puzzle. Still, it is easy to miss a country code, deny microphone access or look for a friend who has not joined yet. This guide shows you how to use Botim on Android and iPhone, from registration to your first conversation.
I use Botim myself and have tried its features. The steps in this guide combine my experience with Botim’s official instructions, so you can set up the app, make calls and send messages. Menus can look a little different depending on your phone and app version.
What do you need before you start?
Have an active mobile number, access to its verification messages and a steady Wi-Fi or mobile-data connection. The friend you want to reach should also have Botim set up. Save their number with the correct country code, especially if they live abroad.
Botim’s account activation FAQ requires an active mobile number and says VoIP virtual numbers are not supported. Check that your line can receive a normal call or text before requesting a code.
How do you set up Botim on Android or iPhone?
1. Install the official Botim app
Use the official Google Play listing for Android or App Store listing for iPhone. Install the app and open it. These listings are linked from Botim’s own website, which helps you avoid confusing it with a similarly named app.
2. Register and verify your mobile number
Follow the registration prompts and check the selected country code before entering your number. If the country code is already filled in, do not enter it twice. Request the verification code and enter it in the app. This links the account to the number you control.
If the code does not arrive, check the number and cellular signal, then wait before requesting another. Botim recommends checking roaming when travelling abroad. Our verification-code troubleshooting guide covers the next checks. Never share the code with someone claiming to activate your account.
3. Review permissions for the features you want
Read each permission request rather than accepting everything without checking. Microphone access supports voice calls; camera access supports video calls. Contacts access helps you find people, while notifications help you notice incoming calls and messages.
| Permission | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Microphone | Lets the app use your voice during calls. |
| Camera | Lets the app show your video. |
| Contacts | Helps find saved contacts who use the app. |
| Notifications | Allows call and message alerts. |
To change a denied permission, on Android go to Settings → Apps → Botim → Permissions, following Google’s permission guidance. On iPhone, Apple’s guidance points to Settings → Privacy & Security, then Camera or Microphone. Phone menus may differ.
How do you make a voice or video call?
Find the person in your contacts or chat list and open the conversation. Check that it is the right contact, then choose the voice-call or video-call control. Allow the microphone or camera when prompted. The other person must answer for the conversation to start.
Start with a short voice call to check the sound. During a video call, check your camera view and use the mute control when needed. Select the end-call control when finished. For a closer walkthrough, see our Botim video-call guide.
If the picture freezes, check both connections. Botim’s call-quality advice explains that the other person’s connection can also affect the call. A strong signal on your phone alone does not confirm that both ends are stable.
How do you send messages and photos?
Open the contact’s chat, type your message and use the send control. A short message such as “Can you see this?” is enough for a first check. Ask the person to reply before assuming everything is working.
For a photo, use the attachment or photo control available in the conversation. Choose the picture, review it and send it. Your phone may ask for photo-library access. Grant the access you need, and check the image for private details before sharing it.
What if Botim setup or calling does not work?
Match the problem to the feature that is failing. A missing verification code needs a mobile-number check; a silent call needs an audio or permission check. Try the relevant check first, rather than reinstalling the app for every issue.
| Problem | First check |
|---|---|
| Verification code is missing | Check the number, country code and cellular reception. |
| A friend is missing from contacts | Confirm their registered number and review contacts access. |
| No voice or camera image | Check mute, microphone access and camera access. |
| Incoming calls do not alert you | Review notifications and Do Not Disturb or Focus settings. |
| Calls freeze or drop | Check the internet connection on both phones. |
Botim publishes separate Android notification guidance and iPhone notification guidance. If the first check does not help, our Botim not working guide covers broader calling and messaging problems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Botim free to use?
The app is free to download, with optional in-app purchases. Internet data charges are separate. In the UAE, du says its Internet Calling Pack ended after 18 August 2025 and Botim remains accessible outside that pack with an active data package. Check your own provider’s current terms.
Can I use Botim on a laptop?
Botim has a separate web option. Use our Botim Web setup guide for the computer instructions. Start with the mobile setup here, then follow that guide for linking and using the web service.
Does setting up Botim also activate Botim Money?
Calling and messaging setup is separate from opening a payment account. Botim’s App Store listing says its Money features are available only in the UAE. Follow the wallet’s own eligibility and identity-check instructions if you choose to use those services.
Start with one call and one message
Once your number is verified, message a friend and make a short call. Check that you can both hear each other and receive alerts. That simple check gives you a useful starting point before exploring more features.
