15 new features added to the iPhone Phone app in iOS 26
The stock iPhone Phone app has received a design overhaul and fifteen new features with the latest iOS 26 update. Here are all these notable changes you must know about to make full use of the Phone app and communicate effectively with family, friends, and colleagues.
New design
iOS 26 introduces a new Unified design for the stock Phone app that shows your favorite contacts at the top of the Calls tab as big cards, followed by the recent calls, missed calls, and voicemails. Unlike the old design, there are no separate tabs for missed calls and voicemail.
But since the Phone app is an essential tool and not everyone appreciates this change, Apple still provides the option to switch back to the old Classic design by tapping the three lines icon in the upper right corner of the Calls tab.
More call history
iOS 26 lets you see more call history for a person, going back several months or a few years.
- Open the Phone app and go to the Calls or Recents tab.
- Tap the caller’s name, mobile number, or email address in the Calls tab or the info icon ⓘ next to these in the Recents tab.
- Tap Call History and scroll down to see an expanded call log you have had with this person.
Note: In my tests with multiple contacts, I found that the full, old call history isn’t shown for all persons.
Start screen sharing when on a phone call
Before iOS 26, you had to make a FaceTime call to share your iPhone screen with other Apple users. But with the latest iOS update, you can start sharing your phone screen or ask the other person to share theirs by tapping the three dots More icon on the call screen and selecting Screen Sharing. Remember that this only works when you’re calling a person with an iPhone.
Note: If you don’t see the Screen Sharing and SharePlay options after tapping More, ask the person on the other side of the call to unlock their iPhone.
You no longer need to start a FaceTime call to use SharePlay. iOS 26 lets you watch YouTube videos, listen to Apple Music, and use other SharePlay-supported apps right from the phone call screen, provided you’re calling another iPhone user.
Just tap the More button, select SharePlay, pick a supported app, and follow the usual steps to jam together with your distant friend or family member over a call.
Use Hold Assist to eliminate waiting on long calls
No one likes waiting on hold on a customer care call, listening to the boring wait music. iOS 26 solves this by making your iPhone wait for you on hold, and when a live agent joins the call, you’ll be alerted to pick up the call.
While your iPhone is waiting on the call, you can set your phone aside or use it to watch videos, listen to songs, and do other things that you usually do.
Use real-time Live Translation
iOS 26 makes it easier to text and talk with your overseas colleagues, friends, and family members who speak a different language.
When you’re on a phone call, tap the More button and select Live Translation. Then, set the source language, download the language file (which can take a while since it’s around 1 GB), and tap Start Translation.
Your iPhone will automatically translate the caller’s words and speak them in your language in almost real-time. Additionally, the call transcription is shown on the screen so you can read what’s being said.
Tip: Go to Settings > Apps > Translate > Languages, and download the relevant languages before hopping on a call.
Better unknown call screening
Previous versions of iOS already had the option to silence calls from unknown people and send them to voicemail (if available).
iOS 26 takes this further, and now your iPhone can ask the unknown caller their name and reason for calling before alerting you to their call. What the unknown caller replies will be transcribed on your iPhone screen so you can read it. After that, you can pick up the call, decline it, or ask for more information.
Go to iOS 26 Settings > Apps > Phone and select Ask Reason for Calling under the Screen Unknown Callers heading to make use of this new feature.
Unknown call filtering
If you don’t want missed calls and voicemails from unknown numbers or spam calls (including spam calls identified by your carriers) to show in your main call list, go to iOS 26 Settings > Apps > Phone and turn on Unknown Callers under the Call Filtering heading.
This will put all such calls in a separate Unknown Callers section of the Phone app, which you can access by tapping the three lines icon in the top right of the Calls or Recents tab.
Type to Siri during phone calls
With iOS 26, you can use Siri while on a phone call. Just go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Talk & Type to Siri and turn on Type to Siri. Going forward, double-tap the bottom edge of the iPhone to type to Siri, including when you’re on a cellular phone call.
Better eSIM transfer to and from Android
iOS 26 has streamlined the eSIM transfer process between an iPhone and an Android phone, making it easier to switch between devices.
- Move eSIM from Android to iPhone: Go to iOS Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Transfer From Android.
- Move eSIM from iPhone to Android: Go to iOS Settings > Cellular and tap Transfer Phone Number or Transfer eSIM under the Transfer to Android heading.
Note: Not all Android phones and carriers support this.
High-quality cellular calling
iOS 26 offers high-quality voice calling on the narrowband spectrum, provided you’re on an iPhone 16e or a newer model.
Voicemail summaries
Apple Intelligence summarizes voicemails, and they appear inline with your calls, letting you see what the person said without playing the voicemail.
Report voicemail as spam
When you tap a voicemail from an unknown caller, you now have an option to report it as spam to Apple. This is similar to reporting spam SMS in the Messages app. Just note that reporting as spam doesn’t block the caller; you’ll have to do that separately.
New Monogram styles for contact poster
You have new Monogram styles to personalize your Contact Poster and Avatar.
Bonus tip: A new Phone app for iPad and Mac
The Phone app is now also available on iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, allowing you to better manage your iPhone calls from the big iPad or Mac screen. You can learn all about it in our dedicated guide.
Which is your favorite new Phone app feature in iOS 26?
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/10/24/new-features-phone-app-iphone/
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