Cannot access contacts in Phone app on iPhone 11

Jada905 wrote:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/a2b000bb-0d4d-457f-acbf-6c1f8aeab3d3

This is the screen I see when I open the phone app. How do I access my contacts? Apple Watch 12, iPhone 11 with iOS 27.1

On my Apple Watch Series 11, I simply open the Contacts app that is right there on the Watch.

Thanks, I didn't realize there was a separate app for contacts. What is the purpose of listing the phone calls on the opening screen of the phone app? Why doesn't it just show the touch pad so I can make a call directly?

Jada905 wrote:

Thanks, I didn't realize there was a separate app for contacts. What is the purpose of listing the phone calls on the opening screen of the phone app? Why doesn't it just show the touch pad so I can make a call directly?

I am not part of Apple Engineering (participants in these forums are simply Apple device users like you) but I surmise that since with watches people like set ups that minimize pushing small watch buttons with their fingers, previous calls made comes up first since often people plan to call a previously dialed number (or a number a call was recently received from) and that can be quickly and easily selected. If you want the keypad, just touch the little icon with nine dots in the upper right of the picture you posted and then you get the keypad.

Many people never use the keypad on a watch. I never have. They either dial numbers from the Recents that comes up as you have noted, or they use the Contacts app to dial from for a contact, or they simply use a voice activated command that is touch free -- "Siri, call 999-999-9999" or "Siri, call Joe Smith." I am guessing that dialing phone calls from the keypad is the least common way to place a call from a watch, hence the order that Apple set up.

Same for texting. Most people (including me) never type texts on their watches. We simply say, "Siri, text Joe Smith" and then dictate the message. It's totally hands free and can be done while doing other things, including driving, hands free.

Thanks for taking the time to explain this, Steve. It's very helpful.