How To Change Your Caller ID on iPhone and Android: Step-by-Step

We’ve come a long way from landlines — literally and metaphorically. Our phones go everywhere with us now. Because of this, our phones aren’t just a necessary part of daily life or a way to communicate. They’re part of our identities now.

Caller ID is just one way your phone communications impact how you’re perceived. With spam calls hitting highs of over one billion spam calls per month, the wrong caller ID is the difference between making a connection and getting sent straight to voicemail. 

With so many people automatically clicking “block” on any perceived spam call, making a bad first impression can be impossible to come back from. If you think your caller ID is keeping people from picking up, keep reading. We’re here to help you fix it.

How Does Caller ID Work?

Caller ID is a feature built into just about every modern phone. It shows the name of the business or person when you get incoming calls so you know who’s reaching out before you even answer.

When you make a call, your phone connects to your service provider’s network. If you have your Caller ID set, T-mobile, AT&T, Verizon, or whomever else shares this information with the recipient’s phone.

Why Change Your Caller ID?

As we’ve already touched on, caller ID is your first impression. Scroll through your most recent incoming calls. There are probably incoming caller names you recognize. You most likely answered those calls, followed up via text, or intend to reach out to them in the future.

Then, there are the callers that you’ll never call back. We’re talking about those listed as “Unknown Caller” or “Scam Likely” or “Telemarketer.” These IDs usually show up when caller ID spoofing is detected by your provider. Your phone's individual ID settings can impact which calls get filed this way, too.

The caller ID name, then, has a huge impact on how you interact with these callers. It’s the difference between answering and ignoring, calling someone back or blocking their number. Because of this, if you haven’t allowed your provider to share name information, you might be turning off contacts without realizing it.

Changing your Caller ID can also be helpful if you’re running a small business or have separate mobile phones for work and personal use. You’ll want to be sure your professional line shows up with your business name. This protects your privacy if you’re dealing with clients directly and prevents confusion and miscommunications around your contact information.

Can You Hide Your Caller ID Information?

There are many situations in which you might want to hide your phone number from someone you’re calling. Maybe you have an urgent, after-hours call to make for work and don’t want a needy client to have your cell phone number. 

Or maybe you received a text message that looks spammy but might be legitimate. If you call to check on the details, you’ll want to be sure that the phone call can’t come back to bite you if it is part of a scam. Side note — if you’re getting a lot of these calls, don’t forget to sign up for the National Do Not Call Register.

Regardless of the reason, there’s an easy option that doesn’t require you to remove your caller ID info altogether. You may have heard your grandparents talk about it before or seen it depicted in ancient cave paintings.

We’re talking about star 67. When you dial *67 ahead of your phone number, it sends a signal to your phone provider that you want your caller ID blocked. 

Changing Your Caller ID on iPhone

When it comes to Apple phones, you have two options for affecting how your phone caller ID shows up. The first is within your Apple iPhone settings. 

1. Turn Off Caller ID in Settings

Go to your iPhone’s settings on the home screen and select “phone.” Then, go to “show my caller ID.” This will show you a button that you can toggle on and off whenever you’d like. When this setting is off, anyone you call won’t see your number or name. Their notifications will show you as “unknown” or “private.” 

2. Change Your Caller ID Name

Changing your iPhone caller ID entirely is a little more complicated. This is because you can’t do it directly through your Mac device. You have to go through your cell carrier. Your ID information comes from the information you provided to your service provider. 

Some service providers will allow you to change this through their mobile app. Others might require that you call them directly. Either way, while it is an extra step, it should be a simple process. Just think carefully about what identifiers you choose and the impact that caller ID might have on recipients.

Changing Caller ID on Android

Changing caller ID on an Android phone — whether it’s a Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel — follows a similar process to iPhones. To fully change your caller ID, you’ll need to contact your carrier. But if your carrier allows you to change your caller ID, you should be able to edit it from your Google Account.

1. Go to the Google App on your phone, or download it from the app store if you don’t yet have it.
   
   
2. Navigate to the hamburger menu in the bottom-right corner.
   
   
3. Select settings.
   
   
4. Click on “Google account” and then on “Personal Info.”
   
   
5. Choose the “name” option.

At this point, you should be able to edit your name. Fill in this with whatever you’d like to show as your Caller ID. Make sure to save your changes. You may need to restart your phone before these changes take effect.

Are There Better Options?

Changing your caller ID is relatively simple, though it’s worth noting that these tutorials may change from time to time as your phone’s OS updates. When in doubt, check out the FAQs for your cell phone carrier or phone maker.

That said, it’s not always the best solution. If you use your phone for multiple purposes, for instance, changing your caller ID can present a problem. And, while you can hide your caller ID at will with iPhones, most people tend to ignore calls from unknown or private numbers.

Rather than fussing with all of these steps, try Burner. With one simple app, you can create up to three additional phone numbers. Each number can have its own caller ID, which means you can be certain you’re making the right first impression every single time.

(B)Ring It On

Controlling your caller ID is more than just a feature. It’s a way to manage your privacy, protect your identity, and control how you present yourself to the world. While you can fiddle with these settings through your phone carrier and have some limited control through your phone’s settings, there are better ways to achieve your goals.

With Burner, you can decide how and when people see and contact you. When it comes to first impressions, confidence is key. Try Burner today to ensure you’re making every call with total confidence.

Sources:

Scam Robocalls: Telecom Providers Proft | National Consumer Law Center

National Do Not Call Registry | Federal Trade Commission

Caller ID Spoofing | Federal Communications Commission

How Does Caller ID Work? | How Stuff Works