How to Dial an Extension on iPhone: Pause, Wait, or Save It

To dial an extension on iPhone, enter the main phone number, add a pause or wait, and then enter the extension. Hold the * key to add a comma for a two-second pause, or hold # to add a semicolon that stops dialing until you tap Dial. If a phone tree needs you to listen for a prompt first, call the main number and enter the extension on the in-call keypad when asked.

For a number you call regularly, save the pause and extension in the contact. Apple documents both the keypad shortcuts and the Pause and Wait options in its iPhone calling guide and guide to automating extensions in Contacts. Menu names can vary slightly by iOS version.

Choose a pause, wait, or in-call keypad

The comma and semicolon are controls in the saved dialing sequence. They do not change the extension itself. The examples below use a fictional sample number and extension; replace them with the full number and extension supplied by the person or organization you are calling.

Dial an extension from the Phone keypad

1. Enter the main number. Open Phone, tap Keypad, and type the business or contact’s main number. Include the country calling code if your call requires one.

   

2. Add a pause or wait. For an automatic two-second delay, touch and hold * until a comma appears. To pause until you decide to send the next digits, touch and hold # until a semicolon appears. Choose one based on the phone system’s timing.

   

3. Type the extension after the symbol. For example, an extension of 204 becomes main-number,204 for Pause or main-number;204 for Wait. Keep the extension digits together after the comma or semicolon.

   

   

4. Start the call. Tap the green Call button. With a comma, iPhone sends the extension after the two-second pause. With a semicolon, it calls the main number and waits; tap Dial when the phone system is ready for the extension. If a recording asks you to choose a department first, use the in-call keypad for that menu choice, then enter the extension when prompted.

Save an extension in an iPhone contact

Use this method for a number you expect to call again. It keeps the sequence with the contact, so you do not have to re-enter it on the keypad each time.

1. Open the contact. In Contacts, select the person or organization, then tap Edit. You can also open Contacts from the Phone app. Check that you selected the right contact before changing its number.

   

2. Select the phone number field. Tap the existing number you want to pair with the extension. If you need to keep the main number unchanged, add a separate phone number field and edit that one instead. Use a label such as Work or Office when it helps distinguish numbers.

   

3. Insert Pause or Wait, then the extension. Put the cursor at the end of the main number. Tap the Symbols button (it may appear as +*#), choose Pause for a two-second comma or Wait for a semicolon, then type the extension. If the menu timing is unpredictable, choose Wait so you can send the extension at the right moment.

   

4. Save and verify. Tap Done in the upper-right corner. Open the contact again and confirm the main number, pause or wait symbol, and extension appear in the correct order. Call the contact once to make sure the organization’s phone menu accepts the timing you chose.

   

If the extension does not connect

• The extension goes in too early: replace the comma with Wait, or dial the main number and enter the extension on the in-call keypad after the recording asks for it.
• The phone system is not ready after two seconds: Pause is a fixed two-second delay. Use Wait when you need to control the timing yourself.
• The call reaches the wrong place: check that you used the correct main number and extension, and that you edited the intended Work, Office, or other number field in Contacts.
• You cannot find the right control: while editing the number, look for Symbols or +*#. Apple’s current instructions place Pause and Wait in that number-editing control.

For a short, predictable delay, the comma is the quickest option. For a phone tree that makes you listen or choose a menu first, the semicolon or in-call keypad gives you control over when the extension is sent.