How To Make Calls Faster Using This iOS 18 Feature On Your iPhone

Apple Inc. has finally brought T9 dialing to the iPhone with its latest iOS 18 update. This feature, which Android users have enjoyed for years, promises to change the way iPhone owners interact with their device’s Phone app.

So, What Is T9 Dialing?

T9, short for “Text on 9 keys,” is a predictive text technology that originated in the late 1990s. It was designed to simplify texting on phones with numeric keypads by mapping letters to numbers.

Now, this same technology is being used to streamline the process of finding and calling contacts on the iPhone.

How It Works On iOS 18

Using T9 dialing on your updated iPhone is straightforward:

Step I: Open the Phone app and navigate to the “Keypad” tab.

Step II: Type the name of your contact using the number keys. For instance, to call “Mom,” you’d press 6-6-6.

Step III: The best match will appear above the keypad. Simply tap the contact’s name to initiate the call.

Step IV: If there are multiple matches, you can tap “X more…” to view additional contacts.

See Also: How To Switch From Google Photos To Apple’s iCloud

This feature is particularly useful for one-handed operation or for users who prefer the tactile feel of a number pad.

Additional Phone App Improvements

iOS 18 doesn’t stop at T9 dialing. The update also introduces several other enhancements to the Phone app:

Quick Contact Creation: After entering a new number, users can now save it by tapping a new button in the top-left corner of the screen. This allows for the rapid creation of new contacts or additions to existing ones.

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Recent Calls Search: A new search function in the recent calls list allows users to quickly find past calls by entering a name or number, eliminating the need for endless scrolling.

Read Next:

• iOS 18 Includes Apple's New Passwords App with End-to-End Encryption: Here's How You Use It

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Image via William Hook/ Unsplash