How to Save International Phone Numbers on iPhone and Android

A friend in London texts you her number exactly as it's printed on her business card, the way Brits write it at home. You save it as is, and the call won't go through. The fix is quick once you know the pattern.

The short answer: + country code + number

Every overseas contact should start with a plus sign, followed by the country code and then the rest of the number. The ITU's numbering standard puts the + symbol right before the country code.

So a British contact starts with +44, a Portuguese one with +351, and a US or other North American one with +1. Country code 1 is shared by every country in World Numbering Zone 1, which is North America.

Leave 011 out of your address book. It's the international prefix for calls placed from the United States, but other countries use their own prefixes. The + is there to stand for whichever prefix applies where you happen to be.

Not sure of a country code? Our international calling guide explains how codes are organized and walks through the full dialing sequence.

How to type + on an iPhone or Android phone

iPhone: in the Phone app's keypad, touch and hold 0 until + appears.

Android: Google's instructions, from its Google Fi help pages, are almost word for word the same. Touch and hold 0 until + shows up on the display.

A quick tap gives you a plain 0. Hold it a beat longer.

Why + beats 011 in a saved contact

Picture yourself in Lisbon calling that London number from your contacts. A US exit code baked into the entry is useless there. The UK, for comparison, uses 00 as its international prefix. A saved +44 number is built for this situation, because the plus sign stands for a prefix that differs from country to country.

iPhone owners also have Dial Assist, which works out the correct international or local prefix at the moment you dial. It's a switch in the Phone settings; scroll down and turn it on.

Google's calling help writes numbers the same way. Its example for calling back to the US from another country is + 1 404 9789316. If that format ever refuses to connect while you're traveling, Google suggests trying the exit code of the country you're visiting instead. Treat that as a one-off fallback at the keypad. Your contact entries can stay as they are.

Saving the number on iPhone

1. Open Contacts and tap to add a new contact, then fill in details such as the name and phone number.

2. In the phone field, touch and hold 0 to get +.

3. Type the country code right after the plus sign.

4. Type the rest of the number, minus the destination's trunk prefix. On international calls, that prefix must not be dialed.

5. Save the contact, then try a test call or message.

Saving the number on Android

1. Open the Contacts app and add a contact.

2. In the phone field, touch and hold 0 until + appears.

3. Enter the country code, then the number with the trunk prefix removed.

4. If the app asks where to save the contact, pick your Google Account.

5. Save, then check the entry once more before you need it.

That save location matters more than it looks. Contacts saved to your Google Account sync with Google Contacts and all your Android devices. Some apps instead keep contacts in device storage, where they can only be managed on that one phone and may be lost with it.

Google Voice users see the same pattern in Google's help: country code first, as in +55 for Brazil.

Worked examples

United Kingdom

The UK's country code is 44 and its national trunk prefix is 0. The leading zero on your friend's business card is that trunk prefix, so it goes. A number written at home as 0XXXX XXXXXX is saved as +44 XXXX XXXXXX, never +44 0XXXX.

Our UK phone number format page shows how British numbers are grouped, and how to call the UK covers dialing from the US.

Portugal

WhatsApp's help page uses Portugal as an example: a contact with area code 21 is entered as +351 21 XXX XXXX. Swap the Xs for the real digits and you're done. The Portugal phone number format page has the details.

Argentina

Argentina has its own rule. According to WhatsApp, numbers there need a 9 between country code 54 and the area code, and the 15 prefix has to be removed. The finished number has 13 digits: +54 9 XXX XXX XXXX. If a contact in Buenos Aires gave you their number in local form, compare it against our Argentina phone number format page before you save it.

US numbers and the rest of +1

Nothing stops you from saving American contacts with +1 as well, which keeps your whole address book in one format. A US national number is 10 digits. WhatsApp's own US example is +1 408 XXX XXXX.

One caution: a +1 contact isn't automatically in the US, since country code 1 covers all of the North American Numbering Plan. Our page on country code 1 lists which countries share it.

Mistakes that stop a saved number from working

• An exit code in the contact. The US exit code is 011. Carry that contact to the UK and the local prefix is 00.

• The trunk 0 left in. The destination's trunk prefix must not be dialed internationally.

• Parentheses. The ITU standard says they don't belong in an international number, so +44 (0)XX is wrong.

• Special calling codes. WhatsApp tells users to strip leading 0s and special calling codes, which can cause errors.

• An Argentine number in local form. Missing the 9, or keeping the 15.

• Contacts stuck on one phone. Device-only storage doesn't sync.

Getting contacts to show up in WhatsApp

WhatsApp spells out the format it expects: a plus sign, then country code, city code and local number. When someone you saved doesn't appear, open their contact card and look at the start of the number. If it begins with a zero or a US exit code instead of +, fix it: WhatsApp says to remove leading zeros and any special calling codes.

FAQ

How do I type a plus sign on my phone keypad?

Touch and hold the 0 key until + appears. Apple and Google give the same instruction.

Should I save international contacts with + or 011?

Use +. The ITU's reasoning is that the international prefix differs from country to country, and + stands in for it.

Do I keep the leading 0 when saving a foreign number?

Usually not, since the destination's trunk prefix isn't dialed on international calls. Check the country's format page if you're unsure, because Argentina shows that some countries add their own twists.

Why doesn't a saved international contact show up in WhatsApp?

Most often the number isn't in full international format. It should begin with +, then country code, city code and local number.

Should I save US numbers with +1 too?

You can, and it keeps things consistent. Google's own example writes a US number as + 1 404 9789316.

Sources

1. International Telecommunication Union: Recommendation ITU-T E.123 (02/2001): Notation for national and international telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and Web addresses (accessed 2026-09-24)
2. International Telecommunication Union: Dialling procedures (international prefix, national (trunk) prefix and national (significant) number), annex to ITU Operational Bulletin No. 994 (position on 15 December 2011) (accessed 2026-09-24)
3. Apple Support: Make a call on iPhone (accessed 2026-09-24)
4. Google Fi Wireless Help: Use Google Fi to call & text internationally (accessed 2026-09-24)
5. Apple Support: Change your Phone settings on iPhone (accessed 2026-09-24)
6. Apple Support: Add and use contact information on iPhone (accessed 2026-09-24)
7. Google Contacts Help: Add or move contacts (Android) (accessed 2026-09-24)
8. Google Contacts Help: Back up & sync device & SIM contacts (accessed 2026-09-24)
9. Google Voice Help: Make a call with Google Voice (Android) (accessed 2026-09-24)
10. WhatsApp Help Center: About international phone number format (accessed 2026-09-24)