To change your iPhone’s name, open Settings, tap General, tap About, then tap Name. Clear the old name and type a new one. That same name is your iPhone’s Bluetooth name, so there is nothing else to change for Bluetooth. Apple says the name is also used by iCloud, AirDrop, your Personal Hotspot, and your computer.
For file sharing, a recipient may see a contact label instead of this device name. See AirDrop naming and receiving permissions to check that distinction and choose who may send to you.
What you need before you start
You only need the iPhone itself, unlocked, and the Settings app. If you can’t find the gray gear icon, see how to find the Settings app on your phone.
The path in this guide matches Apple’s iPhone User Guide for iOS 27, and Apple lists the same topic for older versions back to iOS 13. So the steps apply whether your phone runs iOS 17, iOS 18, iOS 26, or iOS 27. Menus can look a little different between versions, but General, About, and Name are the labels to look for. The same About page lists your model number, which people often mistake for a clue to where an iPhone was assembled.
How to change your iPhone name
These steps come from Apple’s Change the name of your iPhone guide.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Tap About. It opens a page of details about your phone, with Name in the list.
- Tap Name. The current name appears in a text field.
- Tap the small x (the Clear Text button) at the end of the field to remove the old name, then type the new one.
- Tap Done on the keyboard if you see it, or go back to the About screen.
There is no separate save button and no confirmation message. Apple’s guide ends at typing the new name, so check the result yourself with the steps in the next section.
How to confirm the new name, or change it back
Go back to Settings > General > About. The Name row should show the text you typed. If it still shows the old name, open Name again and retype it.
You can also check your Apple Account device list. Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then scroll down to the list of devices. Apple describes this list in Review devices signed in to your Apple Account.
To undo the change, repeat the same steps and type the previous name. Apple’s guide does not describe a reset option for the name, so write down the old one first if you might want it back.
How to change your iPhone’s Bluetooth name
There’s no separate Bluetooth name setting on an iPhone. Apple says the device name is the name used for Bluetooth, so changing it with the steps above also changes what your car, speaker, or computer sees when it looks for your phone.
This is useful when more than one phone connects to the same car. Apple’s guide to connecting an iPhone to your car suggests renaming your device if you’ve connected multiple phones to your car stereo, then trying to connect again.
Some car systems and speakers may keep showing the old name in their own list of paired phones. That list is stored on the car or speaker, not on your iPhone. If the old name bothers you or the connection fails, remove the iPhone in the car’s or speaker’s Bluetooth menu and pair it again. Your car’s manual has the exact steps.
How to rename a Bluetooth accessory instead
If you want to rename your headphones, speaker, keyboard, or another accessory as it appears on your iPhone, that is a different setting. Apple covers it in Change the name of a Bluetooth accessory.
- Open Settings, then tap Bluetooth.
- Under My Devices, make sure the accessory shows as connected. You can’t rename it while it is disconnected.
- Tap the More Info button (the small circled i) next to the accessory’s name.
- Tap Name, then enter a new name.
Not every accessory can be renamed. Apple says that if you can’t rename an accessory, or the new name doesn’t stick, the accessory might not support custom names on your Apple device. Apple also suggests checking the manufacturer’s companion app, if there is one, for a rename option.
If you want an accessory gone from the list rather than renamed, see how to forget a Bluetooth device on iPhone.
Where else the new name appears
| Place | What the name does there |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth | What other devices see when they look for or pair with your iPhone. |
| Personal Hotspot | The Wi-Fi network name other devices join. Apple says the hotspot name is the same as the device name. |
| AirDrop | Identifies your iPhone for nearby sharing. |
| iCloud and your Apple Account | The label for this iPhone in your device list. |
| Your computer | The name shown when the iPhone is connected to a Mac or PC. |
The hotspot password is a separate setting. Apple’s Personal Hotspot guide says you change it in Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot. Our guide to changing the Personal Hotspot password walks through it.
A clear name, like “Matt’s iPhone 17,” makes it easy to pick the right phone out of a list. Avoid putting your full name, phone number, or address in it, since people nearby can see it when your hotspot is on or when they scan for Bluetooth devices.
The name does not control who can send you files. For that, open Control Center, touch and hold the top-left group of controls, tap the AirDrop button, and choose Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes, as described in Apple’s AirDrop guide. On an iPad, see how to turn off AirDrop receiving on iPad.
Troubleshooting
The old name still shows on another device
Other devices can hold on to the name they saw when you first paired. Work through these in order, checking after each one:
- Confirm the new name in Settings > General > About on the iPhone.
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth, turn Bluetooth off, wait about 5 seconds, then turn it back on.
- Restart the iPhone and the other device.
- Remove the iPhone from the other device’s Bluetooth list and pair again.
Turning Bluetooth off and on and restarting are part of Apple’s general Bluetooth advice for cars. Apple does not say how long another device takes to show a new name, so results can vary by car or speaker.
The hotspot still shows the old name
On the device that is joining, turn Wi-Fi off and back on so the list of networks refreshes. Then look for the new name. If it still shows the old one, turn Personal Hotspot off and on in Settings > Personal Hotspot on the iPhone. Apple does not document this refresh step, so treat it as something to try.
You can’t find Name, or you can’t edit it
Make sure you are in Settings > General > About and not in Settings > Bluetooth. The Bluetooth screen has no field for the iPhone’s own name. If the Name row is there but won’t open, the phone may be managed by a school or employer. Apple’s rename guide does not cover managed devices, so ask the administrator who set it up.
An accessory has no Name option
Check that the accessory shows as connected under My Devices, and that it is connected only over Bluetooth, not by a USB cable or wireless dongle. If Name still doesn’t appear, Apple says the accessory might not support custom names.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give my iPhone a different Bluetooth name than its device name?
No. An iPhone has one name, set in Settings > General > About > Name, and Apple says Bluetooth uses it. You can’t set one name for Bluetooth and another for the hotspot or AirDrop.
Does changing the iPhone name change my hotspot password?
No. Apple treats them as separate settings. The name comes from Settings > General > About > Name. The password is under Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot.
Will renaming my iPhone delete anything or sign me out?
Apple describes the name only as the label that iCloud, AirDrop, Bluetooth, Personal Hotspot, and your computer use for the phone. Nothing in Apple’s guide says a rename removes data, changes your Apple Account, or changes your phone number.
Can I rename my iPhone from a computer?
Apple’s current guide lists only the Settings route on the iPhone itself. Some older instructions mention renaming a phone from iTunes or Finder, but we could not confirm that in Apple’s current documentation, so use Settings.
Do I have to pair my Bluetooth devices again after renaming?
Apple does not say that you do. A rename changes a label, not the pairing. Pair again only if a device won’t connect or keeps showing the old name and that bothers you.
How do I rename a Mac instead?
A Mac has its own name setting. See how to change your computer’s name on a MacBook Air.
Next step
Once the name is set, check it in Settings > General > About, then reconnect to your car or turn on your hotspot to see it in use. If you are setting up a new phone, see how to set up a new iPhone. You can also rename a Firestick from your iPhone.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
Read more about Matthew and how Solve Your Tech writes and updates its guides, or report a correction.