Calls & messages
📞 Make a phone call
Dial a number or call someone you have saved in your contacts.
Which device are you using?
Pick one and the steps below will use the right words for you.
📱 A quick heads-up
This guide is written for phone. Choose that device above to follow along — or look at the related guides below for your device.
Your smartphone still makes ordinary phone calls, just as phones always have. You can dial a number yourself or tap the name of someone you have saved.
🧭 New to this? Start here first
These short guides cover what you need before this one — no rush.
✅ What you need
- A phone with cellular service (a SIM card)
- The phone number, or the person saved in your contacts
Step by step
- Find and tap the Phone app. It looks like a white or green telephone handset. Find and tap the Phone app. It looks like a white or green telephone handset.
- To dial a number, tap Keypad, then tap the digits one at a time. To dial a number, tap Keypad, then tap the digits one at a time.💡 To call someone you have saved, tap Contacts and tap their name instead.
- Check the number on the screen, then tap the green call button to begin the call. Check the number on the screen, then tap the green call button to begin the call.
- Hold the phone to your ear, or turn on the speaker, and talk just as you always have.
- When you are finished, tap the red button to hang up. When you are finished, tap the red button to hang up.
💡 Helpful tips
- If you have trouble hearing, tap Speaker during the call to make it louder and hands-free.
- To save someone you just spoke with, open Recents in the Phone app and choose Add to Contacts.
Making a call works the same on every phone, so this is a wonderful place to begin. Once it feels comfortable, texting and video calls are only a step away.