To turn name and photo sharing on or off on an iPhone, open Messages, tap Edit at the top of the conversation list, tap Name & Photo, and switch Name and Photo Sharing on or off. You can also flip the same switch from your own card in the Contacts app.
These steps apply to iPhones running iOS 17 or later, including iOS 27, and they work the same way on an iPhone 11 on any of those versions. Apple describes the feature in its Set up Messages on iPhone guide and its guide to adding your contact info and photo.
What Name and Photo Sharing Does
Name and Photo Sharing lets your iPhone offer other iMessage users the name and picture you chose for yourself. Their iPhone shows a banner offering to update your contact card, which they can accept or ignore. The same switch also controls your Contact Poster, the full-screen image people see when you call. Sharing only works over iMessage, so people with Android phones never receive it, and your phone number or email address stays visible either way.
How to Turn Name and Photo Sharing On or Off in Messages
- Open the Messages app and go to the main conversation list.
- Tap Edit at the top of the list. If you are inside a conversation, tap the back arrow first.
- Tap Name & Photo. If you have never set it up, the option reads Set Up Name & Photo, and you will choose a name and picture before you see the switch.
- Scroll down and turn Name and Photo Sharing off. The switch turns gray when sharing is off and green when it is on.
- Tap Done or the check mark to save.
With the switch off, your iPhone stops offering your name and photo and stops asking about it. Your chosen name and photo stay saved, so turning the switch green again doesn’t make you start over.
If a Share Your Name & Photo banner appears at the top of the conversation list, tapping it takes you to the same setup screen. Some iOS versions also list Share Name and Photo in Settings > Apps > Messages, which opens the same screen.
How to Choose Who Gets Your Name and Photo
If you want to keep sharing but control who receives it, leave the switch on and pick a sharing mode.
- On the same Name & Photo screen, tap Share Automatically.
- Choose Contacts Only or Always Ask.
- Tap Done or the check mark to save.
Apple’s Messages documentation defines the two options this way:
| Option | What happens |
|---|---|
| Contacts Only | Your name and photo are shared automatically in conversations with people saved in your contacts. |
| Always Ask | Messages asks before each conversation whether you want to share your name and photo. |
Contacts Only suits most people, because friends and family get your photo without any prompts. Always Ask gives you the most control but means more prompts.
Turn It Off From the Contacts App
The switch is also on your own contact card, which is handy if you are already editing your Contact Poster.
If My Card shows another person’s details, it may be linked to their card, and you can unlink contacts on an iPhone before you change this setting.
- Open the Contacts app and tap My Card at the top of the list.
- Tap Contact Photo & Poster.
- Turn Name & Photo Sharing off or on. Scroll down if you don’t see it.
This is the same setting, so the change applies to Messages and calls. To change the rest of the My Card screen, such as your name and pronouns, read about editing a contact on iPhone.
The prompts depend on how sharing is set up:
- Turn sharing off to stop the prompts in Messages completely.
- Choose Contacts Only to share with saved contacts without being asked. You may still be asked about people who aren’t in your contacts.
- Keep Always Ask if you want to decide each time, and expect a prompt in each new conversation.
A similar prompt can appear in the Phone app’s call list. People on Apple’s community forums report that this line can stay visible even after they turn sharing off. Restarting the iPhone is the usual suggestion, with mixed results.
Troubleshooting
- No Edit button: go back to the main conversation list. Edit doesn’t appear inside a chat.
- No Name & Photo option: iMessage may be off. Turn on iMessage in Settings > Apps > Messages (on iOS 17, Settings > Messages) and try again.
- People still see your photo: turning sharing off stops future offers only. Anyone who already saved your photo to your contact card keeps it.
To stop seeing round pictures next to your own conversations instead, hide contact pictures next to text messages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning this off hide my phone number?
No. People still see the number or email address you message from. This setting only controls the name and photo you offer.
Can I use a different photo for Messages than for my Apple Account?
Yes. When you set up Name & Photo, you can choose a photo, Memoji or monogram and edit the name people see. It doesn’t need to match your Apple Account picture.
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 checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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