iPhone: The Missing Manual, 7th Edition

Chapter 3. Phone Calls & FaceTime

Despite its name, the original models of the iPhone were good at just about everything except making phone calls.

But with each successive model, Apple has improved the antennas, the circuitry, the speakers, the microphone, and the software. And new features like Siri, auto-reply, and Do Not Disturb have turned Apple’s cell phone from an also-ran into one of the most useful gadgets ever to come with a two-year contract.

Dialing from the Phone App

Suppose you’re in luck. Suppose the dots in the upper-left corner of the iPhone’s screen tell you that you’ve got cellular reception. You’re ready to start a conversation. To make a phone call, open the Phone app like this:

1. Go Home, if you’re not already there. Press the Home button.

2. Tap the Phone icon. It’s usually at the bottom of the Home screen. (The tiny circled number in the corner of the Phone icon tells you how many missed calls and voicemail messages you have.)

Tip

Using Siri voice recognition is often faster. You should have good results saying things like, “Call Casey Robin’s cell” or “Dial 866-2331.”

Now you’ve arrived in the Phone program. A new row of icons appears at the bottom, representing the four ways of dialing from here:

• Favorites list. Here’s the iPhone’s version of speed-dial keys: It lists the 50 people you think you call most frequently. Tap a name to make the call. (Details on building and editing this list begin below.)

• Recents list. Every call you’ve recently made, answered, missed, or ...