I just learned a new trick for my iPhone, how to handle telephone extension numbers. Yes, I know, I’m probably late to the party on this one.

I usually update my contacts in the app on my Mac and just let it sync to my iPhone, but I realize most folks are probably doing it on their phones these days. Note that I use Dark Mode exclusively on all my devices because it’s easier on my eyes. I cannot stand bright white on any screen.

So on the phone, you’ll want to enter the number. Then press the “+*#” button in the lower left of the screen:

That will turn the “4” and the “6” into “pause” and “wait” buttons:

Pressing “pause” will add a comma and, when dialing a number, cause the iPhone to pause for two seconds before proceeding. You can add the extension immediately after that comma, OR you can add a series of commas to increase the pause time to however many multiples of two seconds you want. 

I, on the other hand, prefer the “wait” option. Press the “wait” button before adding the extension and you’ll add a semicolon. That will cause the iPhone put a little extension icon onto the screen after dialing the number, which you can then press whenever you feel like it. I think that makes more sense.

And of course, if you’re like me, and sensible, and you don’t want to be screwing around with the little iPhone screen and the bizarro “+*#” button, etc., you can just enter the contact information in the Contacts app on your Mac and use the comma and semicolon directly.

I think I’ve actually seen a semicolon in some people’s phone numbers, so perhaps adding the contact info automatically via the email link might do this without manual intervention.

BUT— 

There is one more step that you might have to take if, like me, you use the “Silence Unknown Callers” feature. For some reason, adding the extensions onto the numbers causes the iPhone to not recognize the number when it calls, so if you have the feature turned on, it will silence the call and send it to voicemail, as I learned to my dismay when I was expecting a VIC (Very Important Call).

SO— 

The easy fix for that is to enter the number twice (yes, even if you never do anything twice!), once with the extension appendage and once without: