iOS 26: iPhone Waits On Hold for You

10/07/2025 Mobile

iOS 26 to Wait on Hold for You

I've always hated being on hold. You're stuck listening to that dreadful music, unable to do anything else. But, with iOS 26, Apple seems to be introducing a feature called Hold Assist that might just make that annoyance a thing of the past. Imagine being able to get on with your day while your iPhone patiently waits for a human to pick up the line – sounds amazing, right?

Here's the deal: when you call someone and end up on hold, Hold Assist will automatically kick in after a few seconds. A notification pops up, asking if you want the phone to wait for you. Tap "Hold," and you're free to go back to whatever you were doing. It's like having a virtual assistant dedicated to enduring hold music. And the best part? There aren't any settings to mess with; it just works.

Once activated, you can minimize the Phone app and go back to your home screen. If you've got an iPhone with the Dynamic Island, you'll see a Live Activity indicating that the call is still ongoing. Otherwise, the time in the top-left corner turns green, just like it does when you leave the Phone app during any regular call. When a real person finally answers, you'll get a notification, and you can jump right back into the conversation.

However, what happens if you initially dismiss the Hold Assist notification but then change your mind? No problem. There's a "More" button (the one with three dots) that lets you manually activate Hold Assist at any point during the call. It's a thoughtful touch that gives you control over the experience.

The coolest thing for me is that this isn't one of those fancy "Apple Intelligence" features that only works on the newest devices. It's supposed to be available on any iPhone that supports iOS 26. So, more people can enjoy it, which is something I appreciate.