iPhone Basics

Using the Phone app

You'll use the Phone app to make and receive phone calls on your iPhone. The Phone app has many features to help you manage incoming and outgoing phone calls, as well as voicemail.

Getting to know the Phone app

Click the buttons in the interactive below to become more familiar with the Phone app interface.

Backspace

If you accidentally enter a wrong number, tap Backspace to erase the number one digit at a time.

Add to Contacts

Enter a phone number and tap Add to Contacts to add the phone number to an exisiting contact's information or to create a new contact.

Number Pad

Tap the numbers on the number pad to enter a phone number manually.

The phone number will appear above as you type.

Call Button

Once you've entered a phone number, tap the Call button to place the call.

Favorites

Tap Favorites to view contacts saved as Favorites. Tap the + button to add a contact to your Favorites list.

Recents

Tap Recents to view recent received and sent calls. You can tap all to view all calls or missed to see only missed called.

Contacts

Tap Contacts to view your contacts list. Tap the + button to add a new contact. You can also add a contact from the Recent calls list or when entering a phone number.

Keypad

Tap Keypad to display the number pad.

Voicemail

Tap Voicemail to access your voicemail. When selected for the first time, it will prompt you to set up your voicemail account.

Making calls

There are several ways to make a phone call from the Phone app: You can enter a phone number manually or call someone from your Contacts or Favorites list.

To dial a number:

1. Tap the Phone icon.
2. Tap Keypad at the bottom of the screen and then enter the phone number you wish to call.
3. Tap Call to place the call.
   Dialing a phone number
4. When the call is finished, tap End to hang up.
   Placing a phone call

To call a contact:

Rather than dialing numbers manually, you can save phone numbers to your phone as a contact. We'll talk more about contacts in our lesson on Adding and Managing Contacts.

1. Tap the Phone icon on the Home screen.
2. Tap Contacts at the bottom of the screen, then tap the name of the contact you wish to call.
   Selecting a contact to call
3. Tap the contact's phone number to place the call.
   Tapping a contact's phone number
4. When the call is finished, tap End to hang up.

Favorites

If you frequently call the same contacts, you can add them to your Favorites list. You may find this more convenient than selecting the contact from the Contacts list. To add an existing contact as a favorite, open the Phone app, select Favorites, then tap the + button. To call a favorite, simply tap the desired contact.

Calling a favorite

Active call options

There are several different actions you can take during a phone call. For example, you can choose to add another person to the conversation or switch your voice call to a video call. Review the different active call options below:

• Mute: Temporarily turn off your microphone.
• Keypad: Access the number pad, which is helpful if you need to input numbers during a call, such as a pin code.
• Speaker: Turn speaker phone on and off.
• Add call: Add another caller to the current call.
• FaceTime: Switch from a voice call to a FaceTime video call (this option will only be available when calling another iPhone user).
• Contacts: Open your Contacts list.
  
  Active call options

Answering and declining calls

When you receive a phone call, you can choose to answer or decline it. To answer an incoming call, slide the green bar. If you want to silence the ringer, press the Sleep/wake button. To decline the call and send it directly to voicemail, press the Sleep/wake button two times.

Answering a phone call

If you're already using your iPhone, you'll tap Answer to answer the call or Decline to decline it.

Answering a call when the iPhone is in use

With more recent versions of the iPhone (the iPhone 5 or newer), you can also tap Message to reply with a text message or Remind Me to set a reminder to call back later.

Using apps during calls

Many apps can be used during an active call by pressing the Home button and selecting the desired app. When you're ready to go back to the Phone app, tap the green bar at the top of the screen. Note that some wireless providers only allow you to use this feature when your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi, not 3G/4G.

Using an app during a call

Voicemail

Almost all cellular service plans include basic voicemail, which allows callers to leave you a voice message. Most iPhones also include Visual Voicemail, a feature that allows you to view and manage your voicemail messages in a simple list. The Phone app makes it easy to create an outgoing greeting and manage your messages.

To set up visual voicemail:

1. If your voicemail is not already set up, tap the Phone icon on the Home screen, tap Voicemail, then select Set Up Now.
   
   Setting up Visual Voicemail
2. Use the keypad to enter a four-digit voicemail password. (You'll need to enter it twice to confirm.)
   
   Setting a voicemail password
3. Next, you'll need to choose an outgoing greeting. By default, the Default greeting is selected. To personalize your greeting, tap Custom.
   Tapping Custom
4. Tap Record to begin recording your greeting. When you're done, press Stop, then tap Play to preview your message. You can press Record again to record a new greeting.
5. When you're satisfied with the greeting message, tap Save.
   Recording a custom greeting

 To listen to a voicemail:

1. Tap the Phone icon on the Home screen, then tap Voicemail.
2. Tap a message to listen to it.
3. Tap the Play button to listen to the selected message again. You can also tap Call Back or Delete.
   Playing a visual voicemail message