The fastest way to reach someone on your iPhone

To add a contact to Favorites on iPhone, open the Phone app, tap the Contacts tab at the bottom, find the person's name, and tap the star icon next to their name. The star fills in solid, and that contact now appears in your Favorites list at the top of the Phone app.

Favorites is a shortcut system built into the Phone app. When you add someone to Favorites, you're not moving them or creating a copy — you're just marking them so they appear in a dedicated section. This saves you from scrolling through your full contact list when you want to call or text someone you reach out to regularly.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Phone app, go to Contacts, find the person, and tap the star icon to add them to Favorites.
  • Favorited contacts appear in a separate Favorites section at the top of the Phone app for quick access.
  • You can add as many contacts as you want to Favorites — there is no limit.
  • Removing someone from Favorites is the same action: tap the filled star icon next to their name and it becomes empty again.

Adding a contact from your Contacts list

The most straightforward way is through the Contacts tab in the Phone app. Tap Phone at the bottom of your screen, then tap Contacts. Scroll or search to find the person you want to add, and tap their name to open their contact card.

Once the contact card is open, look for the star icon near the top of the screen — it's usually to the right of their name or phone number. Tap the star and it fills in solid, turning gray or gold depending on your iPhone's settings. That person is now in your Favorites.

Adding a contact from a recent call or message

If you've recently called or texted someone, you can add them to Favorites without opening your full contact list. In the Phone app, tap the Recents tab at the bottom to see your call history. Find the person's name and swipe left on their entry — a star icon appears on the right side. Tap the star to add them to Favorites.

You can also add someone to Favorites from the Messages app. Open Messages, find the conversation, and swipe left on the person's name. The star icon appears; tap it to add them to your Phone app's Favorites list. This works the same way whether you're adding them from a call or a text thread.

Managing your Favorites list

Your Favorites appear in a dedicated section at the very top of the Phone app when you open it. You can have as many people in Favorites as you want — there's no maximum. The order they appear in Favorites depends on how recently you've contacted them, though you can also rearrange them manually.

To rearrange Favorites, go to the Phone app, tap Favorites at the top, then tap Edit in the upper left corner. You'll see three horizontal lines next to each contact — drag these lines up or down to reorder. Tap Done when you're finished. This is useful if you want your most-called contacts at the top regardless of when you last spoke to them.

Removing someone from Favorites

To remove a contact from Favorites, open the Phone app and go to Contacts. Find the person and tap their name to open their card. Tap the filled star icon — it becomes empty and they're removed from Favorites. They stay in your full contact list; you're just removing the shortcut.

You can also remove someone from Favorites by swiping left on their name in the Recents tab or in a Messages conversation, then tapping the star icon. Either way, the action is reversible — you can add them back to Favorites anytime by tapping the empty star again.

Why Favorites is different from contact groups

Favorites is a personal shortcut system in the Phone app. It's not the same as creating a contact group in the Contacts app, which lets you send a message or email to multiple people at once. Favorites is just for quick access to individual people you call or text often.

If you want to organize contacts into groups — like "Work," "Family," or "Close Friends" — that's a separate feature in the Contacts app. You can use both at the same time: have someone in a contact group and also in your Phone app Favorites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a contact to Favorites if I don't have their phone number?

No. Favorites in the Phone app is designed for calling and texting, so the contact needs at least a phone number. If someone is in your contacts but only has an email address, you won't see a star icon to tap. Add a phone number to their contact card first.

Do Favorites sync across my devices?

Yes, if you use iCloud to sync your contacts and iPhone settings. Your Favorites list appears on your iPad and Mac as well, though the Favorites feature works slightly differently on each device. Check Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud to make sure Contacts is toggled on.

What happens to Favorites if I delete a contact?

If you delete someone from your contacts entirely, they're automatically removed from Favorites too. The contact is gone from both places. If you only want to remove them from Favorites but keep their contact information, tap the star icon instead of deleting the contact.

Can I add a business or website to Favorites?

Favorites works only with contacts that have phone numbers. You can't add a website or business listing directly. However, if you save a business as a contact with their phone number, you can add that contact to Favorites.