Have you noticed a text notification saying "dial assist" when making a call on your iPhone? You may wonder what this means and why you are seeing it. This article answers those questions. Dial Assist is a feature of iOS that is used for outgoing calls. A similar feature also exists in Android phones called Assisted Dialing.
Dial Assist is enabled on iPhone by default. This feature corrects any phone number dialed by adding the specific country code. It was developed for those travelling internationally and is of course very useful if you are spending a lot of time abroad.
What Is “Dial Assist” on iPhone?
Dial assist is an iPhone feature that automatically determines the correct international or local prefix when dialing. With dial assist on you can make phone calls to people in your contacts list and you won’t need to add the prefix for your country code.
For example, a user can dial 012 345 6789 instead of nn 012 345 6789 where ‘nn’ is the international dialing code.
Dial Assist is certainly a really useful feature for international travelers since you won’t have to manually add country codes to all of your contacts back at home when you’re traveling abroad for a period of time. However, Dial Assist can also create problems. For example, if you saved your international contacts with the prefixes, Dial Assist can cause the call to fail. There can also be additional charges if you are using calling cards to make calls. When the calls are supposed to be free using your calling card, you could be charged because the calling card may not be recognized, and you may be using your regular cellular account.
Not all carriers enable Dial Assist, but most major ones do, including Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T.
How to turn on Dial Assist on iPhone
To turn on Dial Assist on your iPhone, follow the steps below:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap Phone.
- Scroll down and turn on Dial Assist.
International calling can be complicated, and even though an iPhone tries to help, the automated system doesn’t always get it right. An incorrect call that doesn’t go through can be annoying, but it’s even worse if it does connect. Moreover, it could be an expensive mistake since international calling is still not as affordable as it should be. The quick fix is to disable this feature on the iPhone and manually dial the correct phone number.
How to Turn Off Dial Assist on iPhone
To disable Dial Assist on your iPhone, follow the steps below:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Phone.
- Scroll down and turn off Dial Assist.
If you disable Dial Assist, then you may need to enter the full phone number to make calls like nn 012 345 6789 where nn is the international prefix.
You should also know that this feature only works for saved contacts and favorites. If you enter the phone number manually, you will need to enter the full number, including the ( ) sign and the country code, before being able to make a call, even if Dial Assist is turned on.
FIQs
Should dial assist be on or off on iPhone?
Dial Assist allows your iPhone to automatically assign the correct international or local prefixes to phone numbers when you make a call. This feature is most helpful for outgoing international calls. If you disable this feature, then you may need to enter the full phone number to make international calls.
Why can’t I find dial assist on my iPhone?
If DialAssist is missing on your iPhone settings, it means your carrier has not provisioned international calling on your account, so it might be necessary to contact the carrier to clear up any issues with your account or SIM card. Another possibility, if the phone is a company phone or one that has a company (or school) email account on it the company may by default block international calling. If that’s a possibility contact the IT department.