iOS 26 Hold Assist lets your iPhone wait for you

Skip the wait with iOS 26 Hold Assist. Your iPhone waits on hold for you and alerts you when a rep joins the line.

Science/Technology Oct 13, 2025 0 8 Add to Reading List

You no longer have to sit by the phone, listening to hold music. Apple’s new Hold Assist feature in iOS 26 takes over the waiting for you. Your iPhone stays on the call and then notifies you when a live agent joins. This means you can go about your day without missing the moment someone finally picks up.

What Hold Assist does

Hold Assist saves you time. When you call a business with a long wait, your iPhone will monitor the call in the background. Instead of listening to repetitive music or endless prompts, you’ll receive an alert when a customer service representative answers. Then, you can jump back on the line instantly.

Why you should use Hold Assist

Save time: No more wasted minutes listening to looping hold music.
Stay productive: Focus on other tasks while your iPhone waits for you.
Never miss your turn: Get an instant alert when a rep answers.

This feature is especially helpful for airlines, insurance companies, or tech support lines where wait times can stretch into hours.

How to enable Hold Assist in iOS 26 on iPhone

Follow these steps to turn it on:

Open Settings on your iPhone.
Scroll down and tap Apps.
Click Phone.
Where it says, Hold Assist Detection, go ahead and toggle the switch to On.

With this setup, the next time you’re placed on hold, your iPhone can detect it and offer to activate Hold Assist so you don’t have to wait by the phone.

How to use Hold Assist during a call

Once enabled, using Hold Assist is simple:

Open the Phone app and place your call.
When you are put on hold, tap the More button (…) on the call screen.
Tap Hold Assist. Your iPhone keeps the line active in the background.
Make sure your ringer is on and Do Not Disturb is off so you will hear the alert when a person comes on the line.
When your iPhone rings to signal an agent is available, tap Pick Up to rejoin. A short transcript of what you missed appears.

Related Links:

More iOS26 tips here

Kurt’s key takeaways

Apple’s Hold Assist in iOS 26 is a small feature with a big impact. By letting your iPhone sit on hold, you gain back valuable time and avoid unnecessary frustration. If you often call businesses with long wait times, this feature is worth turning on right away.

Would you trust your iPhone to handle your hold time, or do you prefer staying on the line yourself? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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