What you can and cannot change about your caller ID

Your caller ID on iPhone is tied to your phone number and carrier account, so you cannot straightforward change it to any number you want. What you can do depends on whether you want to hide your number, change how your name appears, or switch to a different phone number entirely.

If you want to block your number from showing up when you call, that takes one setting. If you want to change the name that appears next to your number (like from "John Smith" to "J. Smith"), that happens through your carrier or Apple's settings. If you want a completely different phone number to show as your caller ID, that requires either porting your number to a new carrier or using a third-party calling app — and some of those options have limits or costs.

The simplest changes take seconds. The bigger changes take a phone call to your carrier or a few minutes of setup in your phone's settings.

Key Takeaways

  • To hide your number from appearing on outgoing calls, go to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and turn it off.
  • To change the name that displays with your number, contact your carrier directly — Apple cannot change this for you.
  • To use a different phone number as your caller ID, you can port your number to a new carrier, use a VoIP service like Google Voice, or install a third-party calling app.
  • Hiding your caller ID works on a call-by-call basis, but some businesses and government agencies will not accept calls from blocked numbers.

Hide your number on every call

Open Settings on your iPhone, then tap Phone. Scroll down and look for Show My Caller ID. Toggle it off. From that point forward, your number will not display when you make calls.

This setting applies to all outgoing calls unless you turn it back on. Be aware that some services — banks, government offices, hospitals — may refuse calls from blocked numbers or ask you to unblock before they can help you. If you need to show your number for a specific call, you can turn the setting back on, make the call, and turn it off again.

Change the name that appears with your number

When someone calls you, they see your phone number and sometimes a name. That name comes from your carrier's records, not from your iPhone settings. To change it, you need to contact your carrier directly.

Call your carrier's customer service number (it is on your bill or their website) and ask to update the name associated with your phone number. Have your account number and a form of ID ready. The carrier will verify your identity, then update the name in their system. This change can take a few hours to a few days to show up on other people's phones.

If you use an iPhone and want to change how your own name appears in your contacts, that is different — you edit your own contact card in the Contacts app. But that does not change what other people see when you call them.

Use a different phone number with Google Voice

Google Voice is a free service that gives you a separate phone number you can use to make calls and send texts through your iPhone. When you call someone using Google Voice, your Google Voice number appears as the caller ID, not your actual phone number.

To set it up, read the Google Voice app from the App Store, sign in with a Google account, and follow the prompts to claim a new number or link an existing one. Once it is set up, you can make calls through the Google Voice app and your caller ID will show the Google Voice number instead of your real number.

The limitation is that you have to use the Google Voice app to make the call — you cannot route calls through your regular Phone app. Also, Google Voice works best for calls within the United States; international calling has different rules and may cost money.

Port your number to a different carrier

If you want to switch to a completely different phone number but keep your current carrier, or if you want to move your existing number to a new carrier, you can port your number. Porting means transferring your phone number from one carrier to another.

To port your number, contact the new carrier you want to switch to and ask about their porting process. You will need your account number and PIN from your current carrier. The new carrier handles most of the work — they contact your old carrier, verify the number is yours, and transfer it over. This usually takes a few days. Once the transfer is complete, your new carrier will assign you a new phone number if you want one, or you can keep your old number.

Porting is free, though your old carrier may charge an early termination fee if you are still under contract. Check your current plan before you start the process.

Use a third-party calling app

Apps like Skype, WhatsApp, Viber, and Telegram let you make calls using a number assigned by the app instead of your real phone number. When someone receives a call from you through one of these apps, they see the app's number as your caller ID.

read the app from the App Store, create an account, and follow the setup steps. Most of these apps are free for calls to other users of the same app, but calling regular phone numbers may cost money or require a paid plan. Check the app's pricing before you rely on it for regular calling.

The trade-off is the same as with Google Voice: you have to use the app to make calls, and the person receiving the call needs to know to look for you through that app rather than your regular phone number.

When you cannot change your caller ID

Some situations do not allow you to change your caller ID, no matter what you do. If your iPhone is on a work phone plan managed by your employer, your company's IT department controls your caller ID settings and you cannot change them yourself. If you are on a prepaid plan with certain carriers, caller ID options may be limited or unavailable.

If you are trying to change your caller ID to impersonate someone else or to hide your identity for fraudulent purposes, that is illegal. Caller ID spoofing — making it appear that you are calling from a number that is not yours — is a federal crime under the Truth in Caller ID Act. The only legal reasons to hide or change your caller ID are to protect your privacy or to use a legitimate service like Google Voice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my caller ID for just one call instead of all calls?

Yes. Dial *67 before the phone number you are calling. Your number will be blocked for that call only. After you hang up, your caller ID will show normally on your next call. This works on most carriers, though some may not support it.

If I hide my caller ID, can people still see my number?

Not through normal means. However, some services like 911, banks, and law enforcement can still see your number even if you have blocked it. Also, if someone has your number saved in their contacts, they may still recognize the call is from you based on context.

Does changing my caller ID name affect my contacts or iCloud?

No. Changing the name your carrier displays has nothing to do with your iPhone contacts. Your contacts list is separate. If you want to change how your own name appears to you in your phone, edit your contact card in the Contacts app — but that does not change what other people see when you call them.

Will Google Voice work if I do not have a US address?

Google Voice requires a US phone number and a US address to set up. If you are outside the US, you cannot claim a Google Voice number. You can still receive calls and texts on an existing Google Voice number if you set it up before moving, but you cannot create a new one.

What happens to my caller ID if I switch iPhones?

Your caller ID is tied to your phone number and carrier account, not to the phone itself. When you set up a new iPhone with the same phone number and carrier account, your caller ID settings transfer over automatically through iCloud or your carrier's system.