7 new iPhone dialer features that appeared in iOS 26

Surprisingly, the application Telephone This is one of the most advanced changes in iOS 26. After the liquid glass design, of course. The Cupertino team did not update the program for a very long time, and when everyone switched to instant messengers long ago, they not only redesigned the application, but also added official useful innovations.

Many of them work for users in Russia, and some are available in other regions.

1. Switching between old and new developments

It is clear that this option will only be available in test versions of iOS 26 and will be removed with the release. Developers in the regions have the opportunity to switch to standard dialers. It’s strange that the same switch is not made for the application PhotoI would go back to the gallery to look like it was in iOS 17.

How it works: transport section Challenges and click the button in the upper right corner of the screen. In the menu that opens, select the mode Classicalto return the usual dialer, where favorites and history are separated.

2. Quickly dial characters on buttons

This feature was available on many feature phones many years ago, and on the first iPhone models it could be installed using a jailbreak tweak. In iOS 26, the developers remembered this useful feature and added it to the Only system.

For those who don’t understand what I’m talking about, I’ll explain. If you open the keyboard to select a number and enter a few letters of the subscriber’s name or number, the system will immediately find his number. Yes, now you can enable search in the contact list, but there is a keyboard using keys that are inconvenient to enter by moving, and here there are 10 main buttons that are impossible to miss.

Sometimes push-button dialers remember subscribers using such connections for quick search, for example Andrey – 2 5 3, Dima – 3 4 5 and others.

How it works: You don’t need to turn on or configure anything, just open the section with numbers for dialing numbers and enter the characters from the name or name of the subscriber.

3. Call history with one contact

In call history, it is now possible to view data about calls from one subscriber. The statistics are not updated after several weeks or months, but are visible for the entire time of calls on a given device (even before installing iOS 26).

How it works: find the desired contact in the call history and click on it, in the window that opens select the item Call history.

4. Unknown calls in a separate section.

If you use call filtering and disable receiving calls from unknown numbers, in iOS 26 you can additionally remove such calls in a separate section. They will not be in the overall story and will not attract attention. This is convenient, for example, for children and older users.

How it works: participation in Settings – Applications – Phone and activate the toggle switch Unknown callers. After this, calls from unknown callers will be in a separate section. You can open it through the button at the bottom at the top.

5. Reminder to call someone back

In the dialer, you can quickly add a reminder to call someone back. To do this, you do not need to delete the standard application. memoriesand if necessary, swipe to open the button to add an inclusion.

In the menu you can choose to repeat the call, after an hour, in the evening, the next day or at a set time.

How it works: switch to the new dialer interface and swipe left on any call in the history, add reminders and they will be pinned at the very beginning of the call log.

6. Call from call history by tap

By default, in iOS 26, tap on the missed call line to open the call card; to call back, you need to aim at the miniature icon. This is a particular discomfort on mini iPhone models.

Fortunately, the action conditions can be reversed.

How it works: entry Settings – Applications – Phone and toggle switch Click Recents to make a call. After that, to make a call, just click on the line in the history, and to open the call card, click on the small icon. forward.

7. Call from nearby iPads and Macs

There’s a new Phone app on iPad with iPadOS 26 and Mac with macOS 26. All data on it is synchronized with the iPhone on one Apple account, there are favorites, contacts and call history.

More opportunities for other regions

Above we described only chips that work in Russia and in English. In addition to them, the iOS 26 dialer also contains the following news:

• Notification about the end of the call hold – if you have raised the question about the hold, you don’t have to hold the iPhone to your ear and do other things. When the other party hears a delayed call, the iPhone will report this signal.
• Subtitles and translation in the blink of an eye – the smartphone transcribes the interlocutor’s speech in another language in the text and displays it on the screen.
• Answering machine – iPhone can answer calls from unknown numbers and ask what the caller wanted. The user will see the call transcript on the screen first and can pick up the phone at any time to continue the conversation.
• Apple Intelligence During a Call – Apple’s AI-powered Siri can be activated during a phone call.
• Transfer eSIM to and from Android.
• Switching from a phone call to FaceTime.
• Text transcript of voicemail messages in call history.