How to Dial an Extension on iPhone & Android

If you make a lot of calls to offices with several departments under one roof, you’re probably familiar with the time-consuming process of automated messages. Thankfully, with today’s smartphones, there’s a much simpler and quicker way to handle this.

In this article, we’ll go over how to easily dial an extension number on both iPhone and Android devices without having to manually navigate through automated main menus. We’ll show you how to do this using your phone’s built-in app.

Before we get into the steps, it’s helpful to understand why offices use extensions. In large companies with multiple departments, phone extensions help route calls within the company to specific desks or areas.

This means that when you call the main office number for help—let’s say, for setting up a product—you can quickly get through to the right department by entering the correct extension number.

On smartphones, you can enter extensions directly, saving you from having to wait for instructions from an automated service. There are two main ways to dial an extension, and each works best in specific situations. Let’s go over both methods.

1. The Pause Method

This method is helpful when you can enter the extension as soon as the call connects, without having to wait for the whole automated message. The pause method uses a comma before the extension, and each comma adds a 2-second pause before dialing the extension.

Here’s how to dial an extension using the pause method on Android:

1. Open your Phone app and tap the dotted icon to bring up the keypad.
   

   

2. Enter the main office number, but don’t call it yet.
   

   

3. Tap the three vertical dots beside your number.
   

   

4. When the menu opens, choose “Add 2-sec pause.” A comma (,) will be added after the main number.
   

   

5. Type the extension number right after the comma. For example, if the extension is 0011, you’ll enter 0011 after the comma.
   

   

6. Press the call button, and you’ll be connected straight to the department via that extension.

On some Android phones, there isn’t a three-dots menu. Instead, just press and hold the asterisk (*) key and a comma will automatically be added to the dial pad.

TIP: When calling an automated system, your call usually connects quickly. If the extension tries to dial too soon, you can add more than one comma before the extension to add extra 2-second pauses as needed.

2. The Wait Method

The Wait method is used if you need to wait through an automated message, and the extension should only be dialed after the recording finishes. This gives you control over exactly when the extension is entered.

1. Open the Phone app and go to the keypad.
2. Dial the number and tap the three vertical dots.
   

   

3. Select the “Add wait” option, which will place a semicolon (;) next to your number.
   

   

4. After the semicolon, type the extension. For example, if the main number is 22991100 and the extension is 0901, you’ll enter 22991100;0901.
   

   

5. Finally, tap the call button. The phone will wait until you choose to send the extension, making sure you get through at the right time.

You can also add a semicolon directly—without opening the three-dots menu—by pressing and holding the hashtag (#) key, and a semicolon will appear on the dial pad.

Just like on Android, you can dial extensions directly on your iPhone.

1. The Pause Method

1. Open the Phone app on your iPhone and go to the Keypad tab.
   

   

2. Type in the main office number, then press and hold the asterisk (*) key. A comma will appear after the number, marking a 2-second pause.
   

   

3. Next, type the extension just like you would on Android.
   

   

4. That’s it! Your call will now go straight to the required department through the extension number.

2. Wait Method

If you need the phone to wait before dialing the extension, simply press and hold the hashtag (#) key to add a semicolon before the extension. This “wait” allows you to listen to the automated message before you send your extension number.

Saving Contacts with Extensions on Android

To make things even easier, you can save contacts with extensions directly in your phone’s contact list. This way, every time you want to reach a particular department, you don’t have to enter the extension again—just call from your saved contact.

1. Open your Phone app, go to Contacts, and tap “Create new contact.”
   

   

2. In the Phone field, enter the main number.
   

   

3. To add the extension, tap the *# symbol.
   

   

4. Here, you can add a 2-second pause (comma) using the Pause button, or a semicolon (;) using the Wait button, right after the main number.
   

   

5. Type your complete number with the comma or semicolon and then the extension, for example: 0123366,288 or 0123366;288.
   

   

6. Once you finish, tap the Save button. The extension is now saved with your contact!
   

   

Saving Contacts with Extensions on iPhone

Just like on your Android phone, you can save contacts with extension numbers on an iPhone too.

1. Open the Phone app and tap the plus icon.
   

   

2. The New Contact page will appear.
   

   

3. Add all the details you want, then type the main phone number.
   

   

4. To add the extension, tap the +*# icon.
   

   

5. You can select to add a 2-second pause or to wait, depending on how your extension needs to be dialed.
   

   

6. Then, simply type the extension and tap Done. The number, including the extension, is now saved to your contact list.
   

   

Dialing Extension on Mobile and Landline – What’s Different?

On many traditional landlines, you can’t dial an extension right away. Usually, you’ll need to wait for the automated system to prompt you to enter the extension number—unlike on a mobile phone, where you can combine everything in one step. Besides this, there aren’t many other differences between dialing extensions on mobile phones and landlines.