T9 dialing, also known as Text on 9 keys, lets you find contacts by tapping the numbers that match the letter of the names. Standard in older keypad phones, the iPhones don’t have it. Of course, you can open Contacts app and Spotlight search works, but that involves switching between apps and interfaces. Missing the T9 dialer from older phones gravely, I wanted to recreate a similar experience on iPhone. So I tested over a dozen T9 dialer apps for iPhone and curated a list of the best ones out there.
Update: Apple added T9 dialing to its Phone app with iOS 18 update. If your iPhone runs iOS 18 or later, you can search contacts directly by typing letters in the Phone app. Older versions can still use third-party apps for this feature.
Table of Contents
Here’s How T9 Dialing Works
Before you hop onto the list, take a look at how T9 dialing works – in case you have forgotten or don’t know entirely. When you open your dialer, you’ll find nine keys (from 1 to 9). Each number key has 3-4 letters. For example, the number 2 key has the letters A, B, and C.
To enter a name, you must press the number key corresponding to the desired letter. For example, to search for MIKE, you would press 6 (for M), 4 (for I), 5 (for K), and 3 (for E). Or to search for DAD, you’d press 3 (for D), 2 (for A), and then 3 again (for the second D).
Your phone cross references the number you’re typing (the times you press a button) with the corresponding letter. It then tries to match it with a name on your contact list. If it’s a common spelling, you’ll find the contact name quickly. In some cases, your phone might show you multiple names if contacts with same or similar names exist.
Here’s why you need to use T9 dialing on your iPhone:
- It’s faster than entering phone numbers with individual digits.
- It’s more convenient than opening Contacts and searching for a contact or scrolling through a long list.
- Also, Siri and Spotlight search may not always fetch the right contact (if there are multiple contacts with the same name) and you’ll have to specify the contact’s full name.
Ready to try T9 dialing? Here are a few T9 dialer apps you can choose from for your iPhone. Dialing is a two-step process due to iOS restrictions. You’ll tap the dial button in the app, then confirm the call on the iPhone pop-up.
1. Drupe – Caller ID & Dialer
Drupe is an all-in-one dialer app available for iPhone and Android. It offers a smooth T9 dialing along with caller identification and speed dial support.
You get shortcuts to SMS, FaceTime, WhatsApp, and email – all from the contact page. You can also directly share your location, and add reminders or calendar events for a contact from within the app.
Drupe even helps you manage your contacts by merging duplicates, and lets you personalize your experience with over 20 built-in themes. Plus, it’s free to use, with no ads. The only caveat – you’ll need to sign in with Apple ID or Google account to start using the app.
Download: Drupe Dialer for iPhone
2. One Dialer
One Dialer is a straightforward T9 dialer. Open the app and the dialer is ready for search (T9 works flawlessly). There is a choice of three different dialer themes – one looks similar to iPhone’s dialer, the other one resembles Samsung, and the third one is a full-fledged qwerty keyboard dialer.
You can change the app theme to 16 different colors. It also gives you a nice subtle haptic feedback when dialing numbers. It’s free without any ads.
Download: OneDialer for iPhone
3. T9 Speed Dialer
T9 Speed Dialer is all about quickly dialing a contact. When you open the app, you’ll see your contact list on the main screen, with the dialer at the bottom. You can either scroll through the list or tap the numbers on the dialer to run a T9 search. There’s also a handy shortcut to add a new contact on this screen.
Speed Dialer can show contact avatars and you can enable/disable dialpad sounds. It’s an ad-free app and requires no subscription or premium pack. There’s a neat privacy note in settings promising the app does not share your contacts data with anyone.
Download: T9 Speed Dialer for iPhone
Dial in a Flash
The above dialer apps should make it a breeze for you to find and dial contacts quickly. Besides the ones above, I also found two other noteworthy T9 dialer apps for iPhone:
- T9 Dialer: Boasts a user-friendly interface, but the free version displays ads.
- T9 Dial: You get a one-handed dial pad and customizable swipe options, but is riddled with ads.
And for those wondering why your iPhone dialer has letters on the number keys even though you can’t search contacts using them, the reason is simple: many companies use phone numbers that spell out words or phrases. For example, a plumbing company might have the number 1-800-PLUMBER (1-800-758-6237). The letters on the dialpad make it easier for people to remember the number by associating it with the letters.
