Ever since I’ve been using an iPhone to make calls, I’ve been accidentally calling people. Sometimes my fingers just fumble on the call list, sometimes I’m trying to view someone’s contact card and miss, other times it’s because I tap to hang up a split second after the other person has already ended the call, and I call someone at the bottom of my Recents tab.
Whatever the reason, I need to either quickly hang up or sheepishly explain to the person on the other end that I didn’t mean to call them. Not anymore. In iOS 26, there’s a new toggle that eliminates the possibility of ever tapping a recent call to dial someone by mistake.
As spotted by Aaronp613 on X, the new Phone app in iOS 26 comes with a new setting to “Tap Recents to Call” when using the updated interface. As it sounds, flipping the toggle on will keep the same behavior as before and “start the call as soon as you tap a name or number in the Recents list.” So, you’ll want to keep the feature off if you don’t want to call someone accidentally. Now, instead of automatically calling someone, tapping a name on the Recents list will go straight to their contact card, where you can actually call them if you want.
The setting is off by default when switching to the new interface but is not available when using the classic UI.
Granted, it’s costing you an extra tap, so if you like things the old way, you can always keep the toggle flipped on. But it’s still quicker than explaining to someone why you accidentally called them.
Update June 16: Added clarification that the setting is only available when using the app’s new interface.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.