#How to add favorite people to your iPhone with new software

Apple’s latest iPhone software update comes with an easily overlooked feature that makes pulling up certain contacts more seamless and allows them to bypass the phone’s “do not disturb” setting.

Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 15, released in September, lets users name certain contacts as favorites.

Adding people to the list organizes them into a more easily accessible section of the phone app than the complete contacts list.

iPhone users can access their favorites list by navigating to the phone app and tapping the star icon on the lower left side of the screen. To add people, click the plus sign on the upper left-hand side of the screen.

You’ll then be asked whether you want to set up a shortcut to text, call or FaceTime them. If you want to add all options, you’ll need to add the same person multiple times to the list.

A star will appear next to all the contacts you’ve added to your favorites list.

Beyond making it easier to quickly contact these people, adding them to the favorites list also lets them get in touch with you even when you’ve turned on the phone’s “do not disturb” mode.

Additionally, users can add favorite contacts as an emergency contact. This will make it so your emergency contact automatically receives a message with your location any time you trigger the phone’s “Emergency SOS” function, which also contacts authorities.

The emergency contact’s information will also be added to the iPhone’s special Medical ID screen, which can be accessed by emergency personnel even when your phone is locked.

To name someone as an emergency contact, go to their name in the Contacts app then select “Add to Emergency Contacts.”

Another cool feature in the latest update is one that allows select contacts to bypass your iPhone’s silent mode, calling with a ring on regardless of how you’ve set your phone.

To do this, go to a contact, tap edit and then hit Ringtone options and select “Emergency Bypass.”