Monday, December 2, 2024
Archived Post

How to stamp out butt dialing

Has this ever happened to you: Your iPhone SPONTANEOUSLY MADE A PHONE CALL FOR NO APPARENT REASON? Friends say, “I’m returning your call,” EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW YOU DIDN’T CALL THEM? You see phone numbers in your Recent Calls list BUT YOU KNOW YOU DIDN’T DIAL THEM?  

If any of these things has happened to you, I’m pretty sure I know why. And, I’m also pretty sure I know a habit that will eliminate spontaneous iPhone dialing (aka butt-dialing) forever.  

The reason it happens, you see, is that you almost certainly didn’t lock your phone before you stuck it into your pocket, purse, pack, cup holder, or whatever. With an unlocked phone it’s far too easy to accidentally dial or redial a phone number without knowing. 

The reason I’m relatively certain that’s why your iPhone is making those calls is that I forced myself to adopt a new habit of pressing my iPhone’s Lock button religiously before stashing it in my pocket (or anywhere else). I rarely forget to lock it anymore and I haven’t butt-dialed anyone in months.

Give it a shot. Make a commitment to remember not to stash your phone without locking it first. In a few weeks, you won’t even think about it—it’ll become a habit and you’ll do it automatically.      

Just remember to click it (the Lock button) before you stick it (your iPhone) in your pocket/purse/pack/etc. and you’ll never suffer an embarrassing butt-dialing incident again.

This nugget of info is from my “Working Smarter for Mac Users” newsletter.  You can sign up for free and get free timesaving tips, and more, every week.


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Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.