How to Change Your Phone Number Display on Samsung
How to Change Your Phone Number Display on Samsung
Last updated: April 2026
If your Samsung phone shows the wrong number in settings, displays no number at all, or you want to change what number appears when you make calls, this guide covers all the options available to you.
It is important to understand that there are two different things people mean by "changing your phone number display" — and they work very differently.
1. Changing the Number Shown in Your Phone's Settings (My Phone Number)
Your Samsung phone stores a "My Phone Number" entry that appears in your device settings and sometimes in the Phone app. This is a local label — it does not affect what number the person you are calling sees, and it does not change your actual phone number.
How to View or Edit My Phone Number
Step 1: Open the Settings app.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap About phone.
Step 3: Tap Status information (or just Status on some models).
Step 4: Look for My phone number. Your number should be displayed here.
If the number shown is wrong or blank, this is because the number is read from your SIM card. Most modern SIMs store the phone number, but some do not — and if you have recently changed numbers or swapped SIMs, the stored number may be outdated.
Why the Number Might Be Wrong or Missing
The "My phone number" field is read from the SIM card's own memory. Your network operator writes this number to the SIM when it is activated. If the SIM was not properly provisioned, or if you ported your number from another provider, the SIM may still show the old number or show nothing at all.
You cannot manually edit this field on most Samsung phones — it is read-only because it comes from the SIM. To fix an incorrect number display:
- Contact your network provider and ask them to update the phone number stored on your SIM. Some providers can do this over the air (OTA), while others may need to issue a replacement SIM.
- Restart your phone after a SIM swap or number port. The correct number sometimes takes a restart to appear.
- Wait 24-48 hours after porting a number. The SIM number field may update automatically once the port completes fully.
2. Changing Your Caller ID (What Others See When You Call)
When you make a call, the number that appears on the recipient's phone is your Caller ID (also called CLI — Calling Line Identification). This is controlled by your network, not by your phone's settings.
How to Show or Hide Your Caller ID
You can choose whether your number is displayed to people you call:
Step 1: Open the Phone app.
Step 2: Tap the three-dot menu (top right) and select Settings.
Step 3: Tap Supplementary services (on some Samsung models, this may be under More settings or Call settings).
Step 4: Tap Show my caller ID (or Caller ID).
Step 5: Choose from:
- Network default — Uses your network's default setting (usually shows your number)
- Show number — Always displays your number to the person you call
- Hide number — Withholds your number so it appears as "Private" or "Unknown" to the recipient
Important Notes About Caller ID
Your actual phone number does not change. Caller ID settings only control whether your number is visible to the people you call. Your number remains the same regardless of this setting.
Some networks override this setting. Business mobile contracts may have caller ID policies set at the account level by your provider. If changing the setting on your phone does not work, contact your provider — they may need to enable or disable caller ID withholding on their end.
Emergency services always see your number. Regardless of your caller ID setting, emergency services (999/112) will always receive your phone number and approximate location.
Per-call withholding. If you want to hide your number for a single call without changing your default setting, dial 141 before the number. For example: 141 07700 900000. This withholds your number for that call only.
3. Actually Changing Your Phone Number
If you want a completely different phone number — not just changing the display — you have two options:
Get a New Number from Your Provider
Contact your network provider and request a new number. Most providers can issue a new number while keeping your existing contract and plan. There is usually no charge for this on business accounts, though some providers charge a small admin fee on consumer plans.
Port Your Number from Another Provider
If you are switching mobile provider and want to keep your existing number, you need to request a PAC code (Porting Authorisation Code) from your current provider. Give this code to your new provider, and they will transfer your number across — usually within one working day.
You can request a PAC code by texting PAC to 65075 from the phone with the number you want to keep. Your provider must respond within one minute with your PAC code, which is valid for 30 days.
Summary
| What You Want to Do | How to Do It |
|---|---|
| See your number in phone settings | Settings > About phone > Status information |
| Fix wrong number in settings | Contact your network provider |
| Show/hide your number when calling | Phone app > Settings > Supplementary services > Caller ID |
| Hide number for one call | Dial 141 before the number |
| Get a new phone number | Contact your network provider |
| Keep your number when switching provider | Text PAC to 65075 |
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