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# Phone

The **Phone Field** lets you collect phone numbers from respondents in a structured and user-friendly way. With built-in validation and smart options, you can make it easy for users to enter accurate numbers while keeping your data clean.

### Adding the Phone Field
* Open your form in the editor from your Formester dashboard.
* Click **Add Elements**.
* Under **Contact Fields**, choose **Phone**.
* The phone number field will appear on your form with a default input box.

### Settings
* **Label**: Update the label to something clear like “Phone Number” or “Contact Number.”
* **Required Toggle**: Mark the field as mandatory if every respondent must provide a phone number.
* **Placeholder**: Add simple guidance like “Enter your mobile number.”

### Show Country Selector
* Toggle on the **Country Selector** to allow respondents to pick their country code.
* A dropdown flag selector will appear, ensuring international users can enter numbers correctly.
* Great for global surveys, event registrations, or customer onboarding forms.

### Default Country
* Choose a **Default Country** so the field automatically sets the dialing code for most of your audience.
* Example: If your users are mostly in the United States, set the default to **+1**.
* This saves time for respondents and reduces errors.

### Smart Placeholder
* Enable **Smart Placeholder** to show a sample phone number format based on the chosen country.
* Example: Selecting India will display a placeholder like `+91 98765 43210`.
* This guides users to enter valid numbers that match local formats.

### Validation Options
* Automatically checks if the number matches valid patterns.
* Provides error messages for invalid entries.
* Helps prevent fake or incomplete phone numbers.

### When to Use the Phone Field
* Event registrations that require direct contact.
* Customer support forms to collect callback numbers.
* Order forms for delivery confirmations.
* Surveys that need respondent identity verification.

### Publishing Your Form
* Once your phone field is customized with the right options, click **Publish**.
* Preview the form to confirm that the country selector, default country, and smart placeholder work as expected.