Unknown caller and no caller id on iPhone, what the difference?
This is one of the questions asked by iPhone users trying to know the difference between “unknown caller” and “no caller ID” on an iPhone.
Look no further, as this post contains a detailed explanation of the difference between the two terms and what they mean on your iPhone.
Now going straight to the answer;
The difference between “unknown caller” and “no caller ID” is that an unknown caller is a number not saved on your iPhone, while “no caller ID” is a private call.
When someone hides their number when calling your number, it will show “No Caller ID” on your iPhone, which literally means it’s a private number.
The person doesn’t want to you to identify or see the number calling your phone.
While on the other hand unknown caller is when your carrier couldn’t recognize the caller information.
Related Posts:
- What is the difference between calling and ringing? Explained
- How to see missed calls from blocked numbers on iphone (how possible is it)
Before going further into the post let me explain what no caller id and unknown caller means on iPhone.
What is no caller id
Whenever you see “No Caller ID” on an iPhone or Android phone, it simply means the caller disabled caller ID when dialing your phone number.
If caller id is disabled on an iPhone or even on android phone, it will automatically set all outgoing calls to a no caller ID meaning that outgoing calls won’t display the phone number until you enable caller ID on your iPhone or android phone.
Below is a typical example of No Caller ID on iPhone.
Now remember that not everyone likes to answer no caller id cause it is quite weird for someone to hide phone number or caller ID for outgoing calls.
How To Turn Off No Caller ID
To turn off no caller ID on your iPhone, get started by open the settings app and scroll down to PHONE, tap to open it.
Tap on Phone, look at the options presented to you and right there you will see Show My Caller ID.
Tap on show my caller and by default you will see that the option is enabled, now you can go ahead and turn it off. Once you have done that, all your outgoing calls will not display your name and phone number.
But remember that if the recipient has turned on Silence Unknown Callers, your call won’t get through to them.
Looking at the above picture you will see where it states Silence Unknown Callers and the option is to block calls without caller or unknown callers.
So if the recipient you’re calling enabled the option on their iPhone, your call won’t get through to their phone as it will be blocked once you dial their number.
On Android Phone
To enable no caller ID on an Android phone, get started by opening the phone, tapping on the hamburger menu option, and selecting settings.
You will see Supplementary Services tap on it to open. Right there you will see Show Caller ID option as shown on the picture below.
Tap on Show Caller ID and you will be presented with three options which includes;
- Network Default
- Hide number
- Show number
Select Hide Number and you’re good to go.
What does unknown caller mean iPhone?
When a call shows unknown caller, it simply means the network carrier couldn’t identify or interpret the phone number of a caller.
Unknown caller do have a phone number or name compared to no caller id that has no name or phone number.
Mostly when you receive calls from an unknown caller on your iPhone, it is usually a spam call, a call from a marketing agency, or perhaps an international phone number.
If your network carrier cannot interpret and identify the caller’s phone number, the call will be shown as “unknown caller” on your iPhone.
What’s the difference between unknown caller and no caller?
The main difference between unknown caller and no caller id is that when it says unknown caller it simply means the network carrier couldn’t identify the caller, while no caller id means the caller’s number and ID is completely hidden from the recipient.
Most times when you receive a call from a number not linked to a particular network carrier, it will appear as “unknown caller” on your iPhone.
Sometimes, if a legitimate phone number not saved in your phone’s contact app dials your number, you may see “unknown caller,” though this is quite rare.
From my observation, when an iPhone displays “Unknown Caller,” it’s usually for spam calls, calls from marketing agencies or companies, or international numbers.
“Unknown Caller” typically shows a name or phone number, which differentiates it from “No Caller ID,” as the latter doesn’t display either.
Spam calls are typical example of an unknown caller on iPhone.
Spam calls usually have a phone number or a generic name, and calls from marketing agencies also have a number attached to them. If your network carrier can’t identify these numbers, they will show as “unknown caller” on your iPhone.
On the other hand, if your iPhone receives an incoming call that has no name and phone number, it will immediately show the caller as a no caller ID because the caller id of the caller couldn’t be seen and identified.
You can see the number of an unknown caller on your iPhone, but you won’t if it shows no caller ID.
Can you call back an unknown caller?
The simple answer is yes. You can call back an unknown caller simply because it usually has a phone number attached to the call. However, the call may not go through especially if the call is a spam call or from marketing agencies.
This is one major reason why you shouldn’t call back an unknown caller on your iPhone: it might be a spam call.
Again, if the unknown call is from marketing agencies, calling back the number will not go through as they are mostly not designed to receive calls.
Can you call back a no caller ID?
The answer is no. You cannot call back a no caller ID simply because there’s no phone number attached to a no caller ID call.
You can’t unmask a no caller ID on an iPhone or even on an Android phone.
So far there’s no possible means or method to unmask a no caller ID caller, and if such irritate you, all you have to do is to enable Silence Unknown Callers on your iPhone and it will block both unknown caller and no caller id.
Does no caller ID mean someone in your contacts?
“No caller ID” means someone has hidden their phone number when calling yours.
It can be someone you know and have it’s contact saved in your phone, or maybe someone you don’t even know or met before.
Does unknown caller mean they are in your contacts?
The answer is no. “Unknown caller” doesn’t mean they are in your contacts, but rather your carrier network couldn’t identify the number used to call your line.
It may be a spam call, a call from a marketing agency, etc. As long as you don’t have the number saved on your phone, it will definitely appear as an unknown caller on your iPhone.
Also note that unknown caller doesn’t mean blocked but rather the caller’s number couldn’t be identified.
What happens if I answer a no caller ID?
Nothing may happen even though it is quite risky especially if the caller happens to be a hacker.
Even though I don’t feel comfortable when I see a no caller ID, call but at the end I see myself answering the call. However, I’m very cautious as if I don’t recognize the person calling, I will end the call right away.
On three occasions I have received calls from a no caller ID and it happened to be someone from my family, while the other is a close friend. Because of this I choose not to enable Silence Unknown Callers on my iPhone unless I receive countless number of spam calls in a day or week I will enable the feature on my iPhone.
If you answer a a no caller ID call, nothing may happen to your phone or your information but you should be very careful especially if you don’t recognize the caller. And remember not to give out any code or information on your phone.
Are no caller ID calls dangerous?
No-caller-ID calls are not necessarily dangerous, as they may be from a family member, friend, or colleague who doesn’t want you to see their phone number.
Someone might need to call you but doesn’t want you to know their phone number, to prevent you from bothering them with excessive calls and text messages.
Once again, someone you blocked on your phone can choose to hide his number to call your phone. And remember that if you block someone on your phone and the person hides his number when calling your phone, the call will definitely go through.
