Key Points
- Renaming your iPhone can add a personal touch, help with organization, and enhance privacy and security.
- Personalization is a key reason to rename your iPhone, allowing you to reflect your personality and make your device uniquely your own.
- Renaming your iPhone can help with organization, especially when using features like AirDrop, by making it easier to identify your device among others.
- Rename your iPhone to enhance privacy and prevent others from easily identifying your name when in close proximity to your device.
Did you know your iPhone has its own unique name? Knowing how to rename an iPhone can come in handy in more ways than one. This quick and simple process can help you add a personal touch, ease in organization, and even help keep your device private and secure. No matter your reason for wanting to rename your iPhone, we’ll walk you through the process. These five easy steps will have your phone sporting a new name in no time. Now, let’s get into it.
Why Rename Your iPhone?

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Renaming your iPhone can serve a few practical purposes. Whether you want to add a bit of personality to your device, organize your devices, or ensure your privacy and security, changing the name of your iPhone is a great solution to multiple different needs. Before explaining how it’s done, let’s elaborate on three key reasons why you might want to rename your iPhone in the first place.
Personalization
For some, their iPhone’s name is a direct reflection of who they are. These individuals refuse to leave their iPhone name as something generic or boring. It just goes to show how much personality can be added to your device with just the simple change of a name. Whether you use your first name, an inside joke, a childhood nickname, or some other personal identifier, renaming your iPhone keeps your device uniquely your own.
Organization
Another important reason to rename your iPhone? For organizational purposes. When you open up the AirDrop feature, you’ll see a list of all available devices in range of your device. If multiple people in your household or friend group simply named their smartphones “iPhone,” then you’ll have a hard time identifying the exact person you’re trying to AirDrop something to. This is a real problem when dealing with particularly sensitive files or photos. Renaming an iPhone helps you stay organized.
Privacy
Lastly, there’s your basic right to privacy. Whether you live in an apartment building, rely on public transportation, or frequently use your devices in coffee shops or libraries, you may not want those around you to know your name simply by being in the vicinity of your iPhone. Sure, you can always turn off AirDrop, but what if you forget? It’s so much easier (not to mention more private) to just rename the iPhone to something less identifiable.
How to Rename an iPhone
Now, let’s talk about how to rename your iPhone. The process is quick and easy, but it requires you to follow the steps listed below exactly as they’ve been written. Otherwise, the attempt to change the name of your device will be unsuccessful. As a bonus, these steps will also work for your iPad. Let’s dive in.
Step One: Open Settings

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First, open up the Settings app. You can find this on your home page or by swiping down on your screen and searching for the app by name.
Step Two: Tap General

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Once inside the Settings app, scroll down until you see the option that reads General. You should spot it four sections down, below the block of settings that include Notifications, Sounds & Haptics, Focus, and Screen Time. Then, tap General.
Step Three: Tap About

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Next, tap on About. This option is at the very top of the General settings page.
Step Four: Select Name

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After you tap About, you’ll be taken to a page detailing the specifics of your device. You’ll see the iOS version, the model name, model number, and serial number, among other finer details. Tap the Name tab at the top of the page.
Step Five: Rename iPhone

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At last, you’ll be given the option to change the name of your device. Type whatever name you want, then hit Done on the keyboard. This will save your progress and return you to the About page. You may now exit the app. You’re all done!
Summary Table
Step | Instructions |
---|---|
Step One | Open Settings |
Step Two | Tap General |
Step Three | Tap About |
Step Four | Select Name |
Step Five | Rename iPhone |
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Framesira/Shutterstock.com.