How to change and hide caller ID on an iPhone

Rolling into 2024, we tend to take caller ID for granted, and as a rule it’s best to leave its related iPhone settings unchanged. The feature guarantees that friends, family, and others will know who’s calling, even when you’re not in their contacts app. Some people want to maximize their privacy, however, or have legitimately changed their identities. Here’s what to do about changing or hiding your caller ID on an iPhone.

How to hide your caller ID on an iPhone

If you’re only looking to hide your caller ID, that’s relatively simple. Just follow the instructions below.

1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and select Phone.
3. Tap Show My Caller ID.
4. Flip the toggle off to disable your ID.

Bear in mind that people will still get a glimpse at your phone number when you call  — but in place of your name, they’ll see a message like “Unknown” or “No Caller ID.” Some people filter out unknown callers, so there’s a chance your call won’t get through at all. This also doesn’t stop people from blocking your number on an iPhone, or on any other smartphone for that matter.

How to change your caller ID on an iPhone

You can’t change your caller ID through iOS’s built-in controls. Instead you’ll have to change it through your carrier’s app or website, since the data is associated with that side of the equation. That means there’s no one way to handle the task, and some carriers make the process easier than others.

Usually, caller ID settings are associated with a user profile. In T-Mobile’s app, for instance, you can go to More > Profile settings > Caller ID, pick a line, then enter new first and/or last names.

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