What You Can Actually Change About Your Caller ID

You cannot change what number appears when you call someone — that is controlled by your carrier and your phone plan, not by your iPhone settings. What you can change is the name that displays next to your own number in other people's phones, and you can hide your number from appearing at all on outgoing calls. You can also change how your own caller ID appears to you on incoming calls by editing contact names and photos.

The confusion happens because "caller ID" means different things depending on whose phone you are looking at. On your iPhone, caller ID is the information you see when someone calls you. On someone else's phone, your caller ID is the number and name they see when you call them. The settings below cover both directions.

Key Takeaways

  • You cannot change the phone number that appears when you call someone; your carrier controls that based on your account.
  • You can hide your number from all outgoing calls by turning on "Show My Caller ID" and toggling it off, or by dialing *67 before each call.
  • You can change how incoming calls appear on your iPhone by editing the contact name and photo for that person in your Contacts app.
  • Some carriers offer a paid service to display a business name instead of your personal number, but this requires contacting your carrier directly.
  • If you use Wi-Fi calling, your carrier's caller ID settings explore to those calls as well.

Hide Your Number on Outgoing Calls

The simplest way to block your caller ID on a single call is to dial *67 before the phone number, then press call. Your number will show as "Unknown" or "Private" on the recipient's phone. This works on most carriers in the United States, though some carriers may charge per use or not support it at all.

To hide your number on all outgoing calls, go to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and toggle it off. This setting applies to regular calls and FaceTime calls. If you turn this off, every call you make will display as "Unknown" or "Private" to the person receiving it. You can turn it back on the same way whenever you want to show your number again.

If you use Wi-Fi calling, the same settings explore — your caller ID will be hidden on Wi-Fi calls if you have toggled off "Show My Caller ID" in the Phone settings.

Change How Incoming Calls Appear on Your iPhone

When someone calls you, what appears on your screen depends on whether that person is in your Contacts. If they are, you see their contact name and photo. If they are not, you see their phone number. To change how a caller appears, open the Contacts app and find that person's entry.

Tap Edit in the top right corner. Change the name to whatever you want to see on your screen when they call — you could use a nickname, a business name, or any label that helps you identify them. You can also add or change their photo by tapping the photo circle at the top. When you save these changes, that name and photo will appear every time they call you.

This does not change what your number looks like to them — it only changes what you see on your own phone.

Display a Business Name Instead of Your Personal Number

If you want callers to see a business name instead of your personal phone number, you will need to contact your carrier. Some carriers offer a service called Caller Name Display or Caller ID Name (often abbreviated as CNAM) that lets you register a business name to display with your number. This is not an iPhone setting — it is a carrier service that costs money and takes time to set up.

Call your carrier's customer service number and ask whether they offer caller ID name service and what the cost is. You will need to provide the business name you want to display and may need to provide documentation that you own or operate that business. The name will then appear on outgoing calls to most people, though some older phones or systems may still show only your number.

Use Different Caller ID for Business and Personal Calls

If you have two phone numbers on your iPhone (through a dual SIM setup or an eSIM), you can use one number for personal calls and another for business calls. Each number has its own caller ID settings. Go to Settings > Phone and look for options related to your SIM cards or phone numbers — you may see a section for "Primary" and "Secondary" numbers, or you may see separate settings for each line.

You can turn "Show My Caller ID" on or off for each number independently. When you make a call, your iPhone will use whichever number is set as your default, unless you manually select a different number before dialing. This is useful if you want your business number to display your business name (through your carrier's CNAM service) while keeping your personal number private.

What Happens When You Block Your Caller ID

When you hide your caller ID, the person you call will see "Unknown," "Private," "Blocked," or "No Caller ID" on their phone instead of your number. Some phones may not ring at all for blocked calls if the owner has set their phone to reject unknown numbers. Many people do not answer calls from unknown numbers, so hiding your caller ID may reduce the chance that your call gets answered.

Hiding your caller ID does not hide your number from law enforcement, emergency services, or your carrier. If you call 911, your location and number are sent to emergency dispatch regardless of your caller ID settings. Your carrier always knows which number made which call for billing purposes.

Troubleshooting Caller ID Problems

If your caller ID is not showing up correctly, first check that "Show My Caller ID" is toggled on in Settings > Phone. If it is on and your number still is not appearing, restart your iPhone by powering it off and back on. If the problem continues, contact your carrier — there may be an issue with your account or your SIM card.

If you are seeing the wrong name or number for an incoming caller, check your Contacts app. Delete the contact and re-add it, or edit the existing contact to make sure the phone number is correct. If the caller is not in your contacts, you will see only their phone number, and you can add them to your contacts to give them a custom name.

If you dialed *67 and your number still appeared, your carrier may not support this feature, or there may be a restriction on your account. Contact your carrier to ask whether they support per-call caller ID blocking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my phone number on my iPhone?

No. Your phone number is assigned by your carrier and is tied to your SIM card or eSIM. You cannot change it through iPhone settings. To get a different number, you must contact your carrier and request a number change, which may take a few days and may or may not be free depending on your plan.

Will *67 work on FaceTime calls?

No. The *67 code works only on regular phone calls. For FaceTime, use the "Show My Caller ID" toggle in Settings > Phone to hide your caller ID on all FaceTime calls, or turn it off before making a FaceTime call and turn it back on afterward.

Can I change my caller ID name without contacting my carrier?

Not for outgoing calls. Your carrier controls what name displays when you call someone. You can only change how incoming calls appear on your own iPhone by editing contact names. If you want a business name to display on your outgoing calls, you must set up CNAM service through your carrier.

What if someone is calling me and I do not recognize the number?

Do not answer if you are not sure who it is. Let it go to voicemail. If they leave a message, you can listen and decide whether to call back. You can also search the number online to see if it is associated with a business or known scam. Add it to your contacts with a label like "Unknown" or "Do Not Answer" so you recognize it if they call again.

Does hiding my caller ID work on international calls?

It depends on the country you are calling. Some countries do not support caller ID blocking, and your number may appear anyway. *67 is primarily a United States feature. If you are calling internationally, contact your carrier to ask whether they support caller ID blocking in the country you are calling.