The fastest way to add a contact on iPhone
Open the Phone app, tap the Contacts tab at the bottom, then tap the plus sign (+) in the top right corner. Type the person's name, phone number, and any other details you want to save — email address, home address, or notes. Tap Save when you're done. The contact now appears in your Contacts list and will show up by name whenever that person calls or texts you.
You can also add a contact directly from a text message or call. If someone texts you and their number isn't saved yet, tap their number at the top of the conversation, then tap Create New Contact. If someone calls you, tap Add to Contacts on the call screen before you hang up.
Key Takeaways
- The Phone app's Contacts tab is where you add, view, and manage all your saved phone numbers.
- You can add a contact from scratch using the plus button, or create one directly from an incoming call or text message.
- Save as much or as little information as you want — a name and number is enough, but you can also add email, address, and notes.
- Once saved, the contact's name appears on incoming calls and messages instead of just their number.
- You can edit any contact later by opening it and tapping Edit in the top right corner.
Adding a contact from the Contacts app step by step
Open the Phone app on your home screen. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see five tabs — Favorites, Recents, Contacts, Keypad, and Voicemail. Tap Contacts (the third tab, which looks like a person's silhouette).
In the top right corner, tap the plus sign (+). A new contact form opens with blank fields. Type the person's first name in the first field, then their last name in the second field if you want to save both. The name field is the only required field — everything else is optional.
Tap the phone number field and enter their number. If you want to add multiple numbers for the same person (like a work number and a home number), tap add phone after you enter the first one. You can also add an email address, physical address, birthday, or notes by scrolling down and tapping the relevant field.
When you're finished, tap the Save button in the top right. The contact is now saved and will appear alphabetically in your Contacts list.
Adding a contact from a phone call
When someone calls you and their number isn't in your contacts, their phone number appears on the screen instead of their name. After the call ends, open the Phone app and tap the Recents tab. Find the call from that person — it will show their number at the top of the list if it was recent.
Tap the information icon (the small "i" in a circle) next to their number. A details screen opens showing the number and call history. Tap Create New Contact. The contact form opens with their phone number already filled in. Add their name and any other information you want to save, then tap Save.
If you want to add the number to an existing contact instead of creating a new one, tap Add to Existing Contact on that same details screen. Search for the person's name, tap their contact, and their new number will be added to their existing entry.
Adding a contact from a text message
Open the Messages app and find a conversation with someone whose number you haven't saved yet. Tap their phone number or name at the very top of the conversation thread. A small popup appears with options.
Tap Create New Contact. The contact form opens with their number already filled in. Type their name and add any other details you want to keep, then tap Save. If you want to add their number to someone you already know, tap Add to Existing Contact instead, search for their name, and tap to add the number to that contact.
Editing and managing your contacts
To change any information in a contact you've already saved, open the Phone app, tap Contacts, and find the person's name. Tap their contact to open it, then tap Edit in the top right corner. You can now change their name, add or remove phone numbers, update their email address, or add notes.
To delete a contact, open it, tap Edit, scroll to the bottom, and tap Delete Contact in red. To add a photo to a contact, tap Edit, tap the photo placeholder at the top, and choose a photo from your library or take a new one. The photo will appear whenever that person calls or texts you.
You can also mark contacts as favorites by opening them and tapping the star icon. Favorite contacts appear in your Favorites tab at the top of the Phone app, making them quick to find and call.
Syncing contacts across your devices
If you use iCloud, your contacts automatically sync to all your Apple devices — iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iCloud.com. When you add a contact on your iPhone, it appears on your other devices within a few minutes. To make sure this is turned on, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, tap iCloud, and make sure the toggle next to Contacts is on (it should be green).
If you use Gmail or another email service, you can sync those contacts to your iPhone too. Go to Settings, tap Mail, then Accounts, and add your email account. Turn on the Contacts toggle for that account, and your contacts from that service will appear in your iPhone's Contacts app.
Importing contacts from another phone
If you're switching from an Android phone or another iPhone, you can bring your old contacts with you. The easiest way is to use iCloud. On your old phone, make sure all your contacts are saved to your Google account (Android) or iCloud account (iPhone). On your new iPhone, sign in with the same account in Settings, and your contacts will download automatically.
You can also transfer contacts using a SIM card if your old phone saved them there. Insert the SIM card from your old phone into your new iPhone, go to Settings, tap Contacts, and tap Import SIM Contacts. Your iPhone will copy all the contacts from the SIM card into your Contacts app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a contact without a phone number?
Yes. Open a new contact, type the person's name, and tap Save without entering a phone number. You can add their email address, physical address, or notes instead. You can edit the contact later to add a phone number whenever you have it.
What happens if I add the same number to two different contacts?
Your iPhone will let you save the same number under multiple contact names, but it's usually better to add multiple names to one contact instead. If you do save the same number twice, incoming calls will show whichever contact appears first alphabetically.
How do I merge two contacts that are duplicates?
Open one of the duplicate contacts, tap Edit, scroll down, and tap Merge Contacts. Your iPhone will show you other contacts with similar names. Tap the one you want to merge with, and the two contacts will combine into a single entry with all their information.
Can I add a contact from a website or email?
If you receive a contact card (a vCard file) in an email or message, tap it to open it, then tap Create New Contact or Add to Existing Contact. If you find a phone number on a website, tap and hold the number, then tap Create New Contact from the menu that appears.
Why isn't my new contact showing up in my Contacts list?
Make sure you tapped Save after entering the contact's information. If you're syncing with iCloud, wait a few minutes for the contact to appear on your other devices. If the contact still doesn't show up, go to Settings, tap Contacts, and check that you're viewing the correct contact groups or accounts.