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How to Automatically Dial an Extension on the iPhone

Embedded pauses help you deal with phone-tree insanity

By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 9, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email iPhone & iOS Switching from Android

What to Know

In Contacts, open contact > Edit > tap phone number > +*# > place cursor at end of number > Pause > enter extension > Done.If you need a longer pause, tap the Pause button two or three times.If you don’t know how long to pause, use the Wait symbol (semicolon ;). This article explains how to automatically dial an extension on an iPhone. Instructions apply to all currently supported versions of iOS.

How to Save Phone Extensions in Your iPhone Contacts

Here's what you need to do: Open a contact, then tap Edit. Tap the the relevant phone number type to add or modify. When you reach the point where you'd ordinarily wait for a phone-tree prompt, tap the +*# button (located in the lower-left corner of the screen). A set of new options appears on the screen. Place the cursor is at the end of the phone number (with no space after the phone number), then tap Pause. You'll see a comma. Continue the remainder of the dialing sequence. Tap Done to save your changes. Phone systems treat the comma that you added to the phone number as a pause. This means that your phone calls the main phone number, waits a short time (for the phone system to offer you options), then dials the extension automatically.

Tips for Automatically Dialing Extensions on the iPhone

If the options are spoken more slowly and you want to add extra time before your iPhone dials the extension to make sure the phone system sends you to the right place, add more than one pause to the number. Tap the Pause button two or three times. Add as many pauses as you need to match the timing of the phone system. If you don't know how long the pauses should be, or if the phone system has different wait times at different stages, add a different kind of pause by using Wait instead of Pause. When you call the phone tree system and it reaches the Wait symbol (a semicolon instead of a comma), tap the Dial button to dial the extension saved in the contact. This technique isn't quite as good as having it dialed automatically, but you don't have to remember it and won't end up in the wrong part of the phone system. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Change Phones Without Losing WhatsApp Why Does My Phone Keep Freezing? How to Set Up and Use Focus Mode on iPhone and Apple Watch How to Use Your iPad or iPad Mini as a Phone How to Automatically Dial Extensions on Android How to Block Cell Phone Numbers On Android or iPhone (iOS) How to Unblock a Number on iPhone or iPad How to Set up and Use the Google Duo Chat App How to Pair a Bluetooth Headset to an iPhone How to Edit Multiple Photos at Once on an iPhone How to Hide Your Number With *67 How to Make Phone Calls With Your HomePod How to Make Phone Calls With the Apple Watch How to Block No Caller ID Calls on iPhone How to Schedule a Text Message on an iPhone How to Send Group Emails on Your iPhone or iPad Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies