Accidentally calling someone is more common these days with mobile devices, but you don’t have to be upset about it. There are many things you can say to clear it up and move on.
Since just about everyone has done this at some point, people tend not to make it a big deal. How you handle it often depends on who you accidentally called and your relationship with them.
It’s best, to be honest about an unplanned call in both private and business settings. Make a brief apology followed by some kind words, e.g.: “I am so sorry; I didn’t mean to call you. I hope you are doing well and we need to catch up soon!”
Accidental calls can happen when you put your phone in a pocket or a purse. Sometimes they are the result of sitting on a device or it gets pinned in the cushions of a couch. Other times, it falls off a table.
A child can get a phone and push buttons, or even a pet! The list of scenarios is endless, but there are plenty of ways to handle it.
Enjoy the Call!
Why let them know you accidentally called them? Once the call is going through, enjoy the call with them!
Have a great conversation, visit for a bit, and tell them you were thinking about them and glad you had time to talk.
It doesn’t have to be a lengthy call. You can also ask them a question or invite them to an upcoming event. They will never know you didn’t intend to call them.
Don’t let calling someone slip through the cracks. We are all busy, and texting is very common. Yet nothing to beat the sound of a person’s voice or laugh on the other end of the line. You will be surprised how often someone tells you they are glad you called.
In fact, this accidental call may be what it takes to get you into the habit of calling that person regularly.
A detailed guide with numerous examples of how to politely start the phone call can be found here – and the equivalent for ending the call here.
What to Say:
“I was thinking about you today and thought I would give you a quick call and say hi.”
“Are you free on Friday? I would love for you to come over and eat dinner with us. Maybe we can watch a movie after?“
“What have you been up to? We haven’t chatted for a bit so I decided to call rather than text!”
“Did you hear about the new movie coming out next week? I would love to make plans with you to go see it!”
“I wanted to hear your voice, so I called to do so! How have you been?”
Apologize
If you didn’t mean to call them and don’t want to talk, just apologize for the mishap and hang up.
You may want to talk to them but right then isn’t the time. Let them know that!
A simple apology is all it takes to clear the air after accidentally calling someone.
What to Say:
“I apologize for calling you; I didn’t intend to. I hope you’re doing well, and we’ll have to get together soon to catch up!”
“I called you by accident, but I really do want to talk when we both have time. I can’t right now but will call to visit soon!”
“Thanks for answering my call, it was made by accident.”
“Please forgive me for calling you; it dialed you when I put my phone in my purse.”
“I dropped my phone and the result was it dialed your number, I am sorry for that.”
Business Associate
Even though your business associates have accidentally called someone before too, don’t be as lax when you talk to them about the situation. Don’t be stressed out about it, because it truly isn’t a big deal.
However, you want to keep the professional relationship in place. In the end, they are human too, and they realize such mistakes can happen.
What to Say:
“Sorry boss, I called you unintentionally. Everything is good and I will see you at the office on Monday.”
“Hi, I am sorry I called you, it was an accident. I hope you are doing great and business is thriving!”
“So sorry I called, I know you are busy. It wasn’t on purpose, and I hope you have a wonderful day!”
“Funny my phone dialed you when I dropped it! Maybe that is a sign we need to schedule a meeting and talk about new ideas!”
“It wasn’t my intention to call you, but it did make me think of a few concepts we should discuss when we both have free time.”
Laugh about It
If you can’t laugh at yourself, life is going to be tough at times! Humor can help to lighten the issue and make it smooth over.
If someone gets mad that you accidentally call them though, it may be time to delete their contact information from your phone!
If you may need to call them in the future, jot down their number so you still have it. There just won’t be the risk of calling them on accident again.
What to Say:
“I would lose my head if it weren’t attached!”
“Randomly calling people is my specialty!”
“I called you on accident, dropped my phone. Can I be any more of a klutz?”
“My phone has a mind of its own! It randomly called you!”
“Aren’t you lucky? Out of all my contacts, YOU are the one I accidentally called!”
Child or Pet Dialed
If your phone is out in the open, your child or pet may accidentally call someone. You may be just as confused as the person on the other end of the line when it happens.
Assure them nothing is wrong so they don’t think it is a possible emergency.
What to Say:
“My kid must think they are ready for a mobile phone already; they got their hands on mine!”
“Can you believe my cat dialed you? I am surprised since she is so anti-social.”
“Wow, it is just crazy kids can figure out technology at such an early age. I have a toy phone back then that seemed impossible to master!”
“My dog can do lots of tricks, and today calling you on my phone is a new one I added to that list!”
“So glad my dog dialed you on the phone rather than chewing on it!”
Hang up and Text Them
If no one answers when you accidentally call them, hang up right away.
You can text them and share what happened.
Otherwise, there is a good chance they will see a missed call from you can call you back when they have a chance.
You don’t want them to worry they had a missed call from you and no message either.
What to Say:
“Ignore the missed call from me, it was accidental.”
“Didn’t mean to call you, all is good here.”
“Tag your it! Your turn to call me when you have time to visit.”
“Randomly called you when my phone fell! Glad it still works!”
“No need to call me back, called you on accident.”
Early Morning or Middle of the Night
Any time the phone rings early in the morning or late at night, the other person will try to answer it. They may assume something awful has happened, as no one typically calls or messages them during those hours.
If you accidentally call someone during those times, a sincere apology is necessary.
Not only did you call them, but you may have interrupted their sleep. Instead of a text message on their phone, you can also use a Messenger app, which will hopefully reach the other person without a ringtone.
What to Say:
“I am so sorry I accidentally called you and I realize it was very late. Please forgive me.”
“I accidentally knocked my phone off the nightstand and it called you! So sorry it was early morning and I didn’t realize it happened until later. I hope I didn’t wake you up.”
“I feel terrible that I called you unintentionally at such an early/late hour. I hope I didn’t scare you. Everything is fine here.”
“It is bad enough to call someone on accident, but even worse when it is so early/so late. I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
“I didn’t mean to call you, I apologize, it just happened when I put my phone in my pocket. I would never call you that early/late on purpose.”
Don’t be Embarrassed
You don’t need to feel embarrassed if you accidentally call someone. Just about everybody has been in that boat. You may feel guilty because you haven’t called that person in some time.
You may feel uneasy because it was a business associate and you want them to have a professional impression of you.
Don’t avoid the situation though because that makes it look worse than it really is.
When you address the situation and take responsibility for it, there is no reason to give it a second thought.
The other party likely won’t either, they will go back to their day and not think twice about it. If the issue happens frequently, consider some safeguards such as locking your device to prevent the risk of calling people by accident.
What to Say:
“I didn’t need to get in touch with you, sorry for any inconvenience.”
“The call was accidental, hope you are doing well.”
“Oops, didn’t mean to complete a call.”
“Technology is wonderful, until it dials for you, lol.”
“Sorry for interrupting, I called in error.”
Sophie Hammond is a journalist, psychologist, and freelance speechwriter for people in politics and business. She lives on the edge of the Rocky Mountains with her dog and a lifetime supply of books. When she’s not writing, she can be found wandering through nature or journaling at a coffee shop.