To remove a contact from Favorites on an iPhone running iOS 17, open Phone > Favorites, swipe left on the entry, and tap Delete. This removes the quick-access entry, while the person remains in Contacts.
If your Phone app shows Calls instead of a separate Favorites tab, use the Unified-layout steps below. This guide covers the older Favorites screen and the Unified and Classic layouts documented by Apple for iOS 26 and its current guide.
You need access to the unlocked iPhone and an existing favorite. Check the entry before removing it, especially when a person has several numbers. This procedure is for the Phone app, rather than Favorites in Photos, Safari, or another app.
Remove a Favorite in iOS 17
- Open the Phone app.
- Tap the Favorites star at the bottom.
- Find the entry you want to remove. Check its name and call or communication label.
- Swipe left across that row to reveal Delete.
- Tap Delete.
The row should disappear from Favorites. To confirm that the person’s details remain, open Contacts and find their card. Removing the favorite does not require editing or deleting that card.
Apple’s iOS 17 Phone guide also describes the Edit control for deleting or rearranging favorites. If swiping is awkward, tap Edit in Favorites, use the minus control beside the row, confirm Delete, and tap Done when finished.
You can still watch our original iOS 17 video on removing a contact from Favorites. Its older Favorites screen differs from the newer Unified layout.
Remove a Favorite in the Unified Phone Layout
In the Unified layout, favorites appear within Calls. Apple documents this route in its current instructions for adding and removing favorites:
- Open Phone and tap Calls.
- Tap Edit, then Edit Favorites.
- Tap the Remove button at the upper-left corner of the favorite you want to remove.
- Tap Done, shown as a checkmark, to finish.
Check that the intended favorite is gone. Tapping the person’s name outside the editing controls can start the favorite’s communication action, so enter Edit Favorites before choosing Remove.
If You Cannot Find the Favorites Tab
On iOS 26, the Unified layout combines favorites, recent calls, and voicemail in Calls. The Classic layout gives Favorites its own tab. Follow the matching instructions instead of looking for a tab that your layout does not use.
To switch layouts, open Phone > Calls in Unified, or Phone > Recents in Classic. Tap the Filter button, then select Classic or Unified. Apple shows this control in its Phone layout instructions for iOS 26.
In the newer Classic layout, open Favorites and swipe the person’s name all the way left to remove that entry. Switching layouts is optional; the Unified route removes a favorite directly.
Add a Favorite Back or Choose a Different Number
In iOS 17, open the person’s contact card, scroll down, and tap Add to Favorites, as described in Apple’s iOS 17 Contacts instructions. You can also start with the plus button in Phone’s Favorites tab.
In the newer Classic layout, use the plus button in Favorites. In Unified, use Calls > Edit > Edit Favorites and the plus button; when there are no favorites yet, choose Add Favorite instead. Select the person, communication method, and preferred number, then finish with Done.
For example, if a favorite calls a person’s work number and you want their mobile number instead, remove that favorite and add the desired number. The two phone numbers can remain on the contact card. For changes to the card itself, see how to edit a contact on iPhone.
Why the Same Name May Still Appear
Removing one favorite removes that entry. Another favorite for the same person can remain, such as a different number or communication method. Review each remaining row rather than deleting the contact card to clear the list.
A name appearing in Contacts or recent calls does not mean the removal failed; those are different lists. This change also does not block the person. They can still contact you, and you can still open their contact card when needed.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.