How to Use Video Relay Service (VRS) for Deaf Callers: A Step-by-Step Guide

The short answer

Video Relay Service (VRS) lets a person who communicates in sign language make and receive phone calls with people who use voice. You sign to a qualified interpreter over a video connection, and the interpreter speaks your words to the other party by phone, then signs their reply back to you. In the United States, VRS is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is offered at no charge to eligible users. To use it, you register with a VRS provider, get a ten-digit phone number, and place calls through the provider's app or videophone using a device with a working camera and internet connection.

One clarification changes the answer for some readers: VRS is built for people who use American Sign Language (ASL) or, with some providers, Spanish-language signing. If you are Deaf or hard of hearing but do not sign, other relay options, such as captioned telephone service or text-based relay, are usually the better fit.

Terms worth knowing

Term | What it means

VRS (Video Relay Service) | A phone-call relay in which a sign language interpreter connects a signing caller with a voice caller.

Video interpreter | The interpreter who handles your call; FCC rules also call this person a communications assistant.

VRS provider | A company certified to offer the service. You register with one as your default provider.

Ten-digit number | A standard phone number assigned to you so hearing callers can reach you directly.

Point-to-point call | A direct video call between two signers, with no interpreter involved.

VRI (Video Remote Interpreting) | A different, usually paid service in which a remote interpreter assists people in the same room, such as at a medical appointment. It is not VRS.

What you need before your first call

• A device with a camera and screen: a smartphone, tablet, computer with webcam, or a dedicated videophone.
• A stable internet connection. The service itself is free, but you pay for your own internet or mobile data.
• An account with a VRS provider, including the identity verification the FCC requires before full service is activated.
• Your registered address on file, which is used to route emergency calls.

The supplied information does not include specific internet speed requirements, supported device models or provider names. Check each provider's current requirements before you choose, because they differ and change over time.

Step-by-step: setting up VRS

• 1. Choose a VRS provider. Compare app availability on your devices, interpreter language options (ASL, Spanish) and features such as contact lists or video mail.
• 2. Register and verify your identity. Providers must confirm that you are eligible before activating full service.
• 3. Receive or port your ten-digit number. If you already have a VRS number with another provider, you can generally keep it when switching.
• 4. Install the provider's app or connect the videophone, then sign in.
• 5. Grant camera and microphone permissions when your phone, browser or operating system asks. The app cannot show your signing without camera access.
• 6. Enter and confirm your registered location so emergency calls can be routed correctly.

Placing and receiving calls

To call a hearing person, open the app, enter their phone number or choose a contact, and connect. An interpreter appears on screen; you sign your message, and the interpreter voices it to the other person. Their spoken reply is signed back to you. Many people briefly tell the interpreter who they are calling and why at the start, which helps the interpreter prepare.

When a hearing person dials your ten-digit number, the call is routed through an interpreter to your device automatically. The caller does not need special equipment and does not need to know which provider you use. If you call another VRS user, the system can connect you directly as a point-to-point video call without an interpreter.

Interpreters are required to keep calls confidential and to relay content faithfully, without adding, omitting or changing the meaning. If you want something interpreted a particular way, such as spelling a name, you can sign that instruction to the interpreter directly.

Emergency calls

You can dial 911 through VRS. These calls are prioritized and routed to the appropriate emergency center using your registered location, so keep that location up to date, especially if you travel or move. If your device permits it, also check whether your provider supports location updates when you are away from your registered address.

Getting a clear picture for signing

Three different checks matter here, and passing one does not guarantee the next. Camera access means the app has permission to use the camera. Video capture means an actual image of you appears in the preview. Call quality means the interpreter can read your signs smoothly during a live call, which depends on your connection as well as your camera.

• Frame yourself from roughly the top of your head to your waist, with room on both sides for your hands.
• Light your face and hands from the front. A bright window or lamp behind you darkens your hands and face.
• Use a plain physical background that contrasts with your skin and clothing. Busy patterns make handshapes harder to read.
• Wear solid colors that contrast with your skin tone.
• Keep the device steady. Prop up a phone or tablet instead of holding it.
• Avoid virtual background effects. Blur and replacement effects can clip or smear fast hand movements; a real, uncluttered background is more reliable.

If something goes wrong

Problem | What to check

App shows no video or a black preview | Confirm camera permission in your phone, browser or operating-system privacy settings; close other apps that may be using the camera; restart the app.

Preview works but the interpreter says your signs are blurry or freezing | Check your internet connection; move closer to your router or switch from mobile data to Wi-Fi; close other bandwidth-heavy apps.

Interpreter cannot see your hands clearly | Adjust framing and lighting as described above; step back from the camera.

You cannot hear audio cues (for hard-of-hearing users who use voice carry-over or residual hearing) | Confirm the microphone and speaker selected in the app match the device you are using, and check that system volume is not muted.

Account or number problems | Contact your provider's customer support, which is typically available by videophone.

Limits and gaps to keep in mind

VRS is a telephone relay, not an in-person interpreting service; for interpreting at appointments or meetings, look into VRI or on-site interpreters, which are usually arranged and paid for by the business or organization. Interpreter wait times, feature sets and supported devices vary by provider, and no measured figures were available for this guide. Eligibility rules and registration steps are set by the FCC and can change, so confirm current requirements with your chosen provider or the FCC before relying on details here.