How to invoke phone dialer in browser? or is it impossible?

Question

I build a website for phones like android and iphone,when users are visiting my site,is it possible for me to invoke some system build in activities like Dialer or SMS)?

I want to implement this cause I hope when user click the link with phone number,I can start to call directly.

************Edit*******************

I think it is possible cause in android when I click a url like this:

<html>
<body>
<a href="market://search?q=pname:com.joelapenna.foursquared">asdfasdfsdf</a>
</body>
</html>

it will open the market app and lead me to the app I search.

so I think if we format the url in some way ,maybe it can also open the Dialer app in Android.

ps.I know it must be another case when it comes to Iphone,but currently,it is fine enough it works with Android,any one ,any idea ?

Thanks ^_^.

score 50 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 07 '21 at 05:46

50

You need the tel protocol. This will launch the native phone dialer. Use it as

<a href="tel:555-123-4567">

More on Wikipedia and the RFCs: 2806 and 3966

edited Oct 07 '21 at 05:46

Community

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answered Sep 07 '10 at 13:33

Matt Lacey

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Thanks for your reply,it is exactly what I want. and just for curiousity,how do you know this? I have googled for a long time,but found nothing. – DiveInto Sep 08 '10 at 03:59
1

@DiveInto I've been doing mobile web stuff for a long time. That's how I know. – Matt Lacey Sep 08 '10 at 08:13
a new problem,in android I used webview to load my website ,and in this webview when I click the tel link:,it doesn't operate as the default browser,instead it simply shows 'no page can be found', you know how to set the webview to make it work as the default browser does ? (hope you develop on android ^_^) – DiveInto Oct 14 '10 at 07:40
@DiveInto I don't develop for Android but it looks like you need to override `shouldOverrideUrlLoading()` http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/ddc289d7701f944e – Matt Lacey Oct 14 '10 at 08:07
seem to work well, but it gives undefined error, in numbers like . Any idea about this? @DiveInto – Kailas Sep 01 '14 at 06:37
it happens rarely, but can't find it's cause. – Kailas Sep 01 '14 at 07:00

score -1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 07 '10 at 13:41

-1

Wouldnt this represent a MAJOR security hole?

i.e. craft a URL that forces the phone to dial a premium rate number that I own....

answered Sep 07 '10 at 13:41

pauljwilliams

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I also doubt about that,but in this case,it will just open the telephone app and won't make the call until the user decide to,so I think it is OK. – DiveInto Sep 08 '10 at 04:02
Yes, @DiveInto is correct. I am not aware of any platform which actually starts the call this way. Rather it opens the app with the numer prepopulated so it's a single click to start the call. Most browsers will also prevent urls to protocols such as this from being launched programatically. – Matt Lacey Sep 08 '10 at 08:12
it only opens a dialer with number, you have to press the call button for the dialer to dial, hence its not a threat. – Clain Dsilva Feb 19 '19 at 09:19

How to invoke phone dialer in browser? or is it impossible?

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