Fix iOS 26 default calling app keeps switching to FaceTime

Learn what to do if your iPhone refuses to use the Phone app (Cellular or Mobile Service) as the default calling medium and keeps switching to FaceTime Audio.

First, a bit about choosing the default calling app on iPhone

iOS 26 lets you change the default calling app by going to Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Calling. The options here are Cellular/Mobile Service (i.e., the Phone app), FaceTime Audio, and any supported third-party calling app you may have installed, like WhatsApp.

Choosing a different calling app as the default makes it convenient if you always place calls using that service. For instance, if you don’t get a strong cellular signal in your home and haven’t enabled Wi-Fi Calling, you can set FaceTime Audio or WhatsApp as the default calling app, which will work well over your home Wi-Fi network.

Similarly, if it’s a work iPhone and you always call people over WhatsApp Business, you can set it as the default calling app.

When is the default calling app used on iPhone

Now, you may wonder when your iPhone uses the default calling app to communicate? The answer is pretty simple: anytime you don’t specify which calling app to use, your iPhone will likely use the default calling app.

As an example, imagine you have set WhatsApp as the default calling app on your iPhone. Now, when you tap a phone number on a webpage, in an email, or in a message, or ask Siri to call someone, it will preferably use WhatsApp instead of cellular calls via the Phone app. Similarly, when you tap the phone icon for a contact in the Contacts app, it will likely use the default calling app instead of something else.

But note that if you have set FaceTime Audio or WhatsApp as the default calling app and then tap a phone number on a website that isn’t registered with these services, your iPhone will, in most cases, place a regular carrier-based call.

Now that you know how the default calling app works on an iPhone, let’s get to the problem and solve it.

The iOS 26 problem with default calling apps

Some users have reported that once they switched to FaceTime Audio as their default calling app on iOS 26, reverting to the usual Phone app as the default kept failing. Here are six tips to fix this. We’ll start with the obvious solutions.

Change the default calling app in two places in iOS 26 Settings

1. Open iPhone Settings and tap Apps at the bottom.
2. Tap Default Apps.
3. Tap Calling.
4. Select Cellular or Mobile Service.

Ideally, the above steps should be enough. But if FaceTime Audio remains the default calling app, follow these steps as well.

1. Return to iOS 26 Settings > Apps.
2. Select FaceTime and make sure Cellular or Mobile Service is the Default Calling App.
3. Repeat step 2 for the Phone, WhatsApp, and other calling apps.

Change default calling app for specific contacts

When you have multiple calling options, your iPhone will remember the one you used to contact a specific person.

For instance, if I always call my wife over FaceTime Audio, tapping the phone call button on my wife’s contact page will automatically place a FaceTime call.

Even after changing the default app, if calls to some people in your contacts go via a different app, here are the quick steps to fix that.

1. Open the Phone or Contacts app and select a contact.
2. Touch and hold the phone icon.
3. The default calling service for this contact will be at the top. To select something else, like Phone, WhatsApp, or FaceTime, tap that option, followed by the number or email. It will place a call that you can disconnect quickly. But moving forward, your iPhone should remember this as your preference and make it the default calling service for this particular contact when you tap the phone icon. Touch and hold the phone icon again to confirm.

Update to the latest version of iOS 26

If your iPhone is running an early version of iOS 26 beta or non-beta, update it to the latest build. This should automatically take care of the unchangeable default calling app issue.

Restart your iPhone

Turn off your iPhone, wait for a minute, and then turn it back on. Now, try changing the default calling app, and it should stay that way, without reverting automatically to FaceTime Audio.

Reset all settings

In case the above steps don’t seem to have fixed the issue, reset all settings by going to the Settings app > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. This won’t delete personal apps, photos, music, or app data, but it will revert all device settings to the default.

Erase and set up your iPhone again

Lastly, if nothing works in your case, wait for a future iOS 26 update to address this bug. Or, you can erase your iPhone and set it up again. Just note that the latter can be a time-consuming process, and not every user will be willing to do it.

Also, check out: 15 new features added to the iPhone Phone app in iOS 26

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2026/02/06/fix-default-calling-app-issue-iphone/