Change your iPhone name through Settings in three steps

Open Settings on your iPhone, tap General, then tap About. At the top of the About screen, you will see a field labeled Name with your current device name. Tap that field, delete the existing text, type your new name, and tap Done. Your iPhone's name changes when ready.

This name is what appears when you connect to other devices via Bluetooth, AirDrop, or Wi-Fi. It is also the name that shows up in iCloud and in the Finder on a Mac when you connect your iPhone to a computer. Changing it does not affect your Apple ID, your phone number, or any of your personal data.

Key Takeaways

  • Your device name is found in Settings > General > About, in a field at the top labeled Name.
  • The name you choose appears when pairing with Bluetooth devices, sending files via AirDrop, and connecting to a Mac or computer.
  • You can use any combination of letters, numbers, and spaces — special characters like @ or # will be removed automatically.
  • Changing your device name does not reset your phone, delete data, or affect your Apple ID or cellular service.

What your device name controls

Your iPhone's device name is the identifier other devices see when you are nearby. When you turn on Bluetooth and another phone or speaker searches for devices to pair with, your iPhone appears under the name you set here. The same applies to AirDrop — if someone nearby tries to send you a file, they see your device name in their AirDrop menu.

If you own a Mac, this is also the name that appears in Finder when you plug your iPhone in with a USB cable. It is the name shown in iCloud settings on other Apple devices you own. It is not your phone number, your email address, or your Apple ID — those remain separate and unchanged.

Naming rules and what characters work

iPhone accepts letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation in a device name. However, some special characters — including @, #, %, and & — will be stripped out automatically when you save. If you type a name with these characters and tap Done, iOS removes them and saves only the allowed characters.

There is no character limit enforced by the system, but very long names (over 30 characters) may be truncated when displayed on some devices or in some menus. A name like "Sarah's iPhone" or "Kitchen iPad" works fine. A name like "Sarah's iPhone 15 Pro Max (2024)" will display fully in most places but may be cut short in Bluetooth menus on older devices.

Why you might want to change your device name

The default name iOS assigns is usually something like "John's iPhone" or "iPhone 15 Pro". If you share a home with other people or frequently use AirDrop in public spaces, a generic or unclear name can cause confusion. Changing it to something specific — like "Sarah's Work iPhone" or "Kitchen iPad" — makes it obvious which device is which when pairing or sending files.

If you use your iPhone for work and personal life, you might also change the name to reflect its primary use. Some people change the name when they sell or give away a device, though the better practice is to erase the phone entirely through Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

Changing the name on other Apple devices

The same steps work on iPad and Mac. On iPad, go to Settings > General > About and tap the Name field. On a Mac running macOS, go to System Settings > General > About and click the Edit button next to the device name at the top. The process is identical — tap or click, delete the old name, type the new one, and confirm.

If you own multiple Apple devices, you can give each one a distinct name so they are straightforward to tell apart in Bluetooth lists, AirDrop menus, and iCloud. This is especially useful if you have an iPhone, iPad, and Mac all in the same household.

What happens after you change the name

The change takes effect when ready. You do not need to restart your iPhone. Within a few seconds, the new name will appear in Bluetooth discovery menus on nearby devices, in AirDrop lists, and in iCloud settings on your other Apple devices. If a device was already paired with your iPhone under the old name, it will continue to work — the pairing itself does not break.

If you want the paired device to show the new name, you can forget the pairing and re-pair it. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth, find the device, tap the info icon, and select Forget This Device. Then pair it again — it will now appear under your new device name.

Troubleshooting: name won't save or shows special characters

If you type a name with special characters like @, #, or %, iOS silently removes them when you tap Done. This is not an error — it is by design. If you see your name saved without those characters, that is normal behavior. straightforward go back to Settings > General > About and edit it again if you want to try a different name.

If the name field is grayed out or will not let you edit it, your iPhone may be in a restricted mode or managed by a Mobile Device Management (MDM) profile — common in workplaces. Contact your IT department or device administrator to request permission to change the device name, or ask them to change it for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my device name affect my phone number or Apple ID?

No. Your device name is purely a label for identification on other devices. Your phone number, Apple ID, iCloud account, and all personal data remain exactly the same. Changing the name does not sign you out of anything or alter your service.

Will changing my device name delete any of my photos, messages, or apps?

No. The device name is stored separately from all your personal data. Changing it does not touch your photos, messages, contacts, apps, or any other content on your phone.

Can I change my device name back to the default?

Yes. Go back to Settings > General > About, tap the Name field, and type the default format — usually "FirstName's iPhone" or "FirstName's iPad". There is no restriction on changing it back and forth as many times as you want.

What if I forgot what my device name is?

Go to Settings > General > About. The name appears at the very top of the screen in the Name field. You can also see it in Settings > Bluetooth — your device name appears at the top of that screen as well.

Do I need to change my device name if I sell my iPhone?

You should erase your entire iPhone before selling it. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This removes all your data, accounts, and settings — including the device name — and returns the phone to factory condition. The new owner will set up their own name during initial setup.