How to Add a Contact on Your Phone

Adding contacts to your phone means you do not have to remember phone numbers — you can call or text people by name. It also means when they call you, their name shows up on your screen instead of an unknown number.

On iPhone: Open the Phone app and tap the "Contacts" tab at the bottom. Tap the plus sign (+) in the top-right corner. Enter the person's first name, last name, and phone number. You can also add their email address, home address, birthday, and a note. Tap "Done" in the top-right corner to save.

You can also save a number from a recent call or text. If someone called or texted you and their number is not in your contacts: open the Phone app, go to the Recents tab, tap the (i) icon next to the number, then choose "Create New Contact" or "Add to Existing Contact."

On Android: Open the Phone app or the Contacts app (they work together). Tap the plus sign (+) or "Create contact" button. Enter the person's name and phone number. Add optional details like email, address, and notes. Tap "Save."

On Android, you can also save a contact from a recent call: open the Phone app, go to the Recents tab, tap the phone number, then choose "Add to contacts" or "Create new contact."

When entering a phone number, include the area code (all 10 digits). For international numbers, include the country code with a plus sign (like +44 for the UK or +1 for the US).

Contacts sync with your account (iCloud on iPhone, Google account on Android), so if you get a new phone and sign in with the same account, all your contacts transfer automatically. This also means your contacts are backed up — if your phone is lost or broken, your contacts are safe.

To edit a contact later: find them in your Contacts, tap their name, then tap "Edit." Change any information and tap "Done" or "Save."