Top 4 Fixes for iPhone Showing Incorrect Caller ID

Picture this: your iPhone rings and according to the caller ID on the screen, the caller is Karen, a coworker from work. But in the strangest twist of events, the voice you hear when you answer the phone is Daniel’s – your cousin who lives in another country. You spend the next 2 minutes rolling around in complete confusion and asking questions. You recorded both contact details correctly and Daniel doesn’t have Karen’s phone (or number) either. So what exactly is going on? Well, only your iPhone is showing wrong caller ID.

If not fixed as soon as possible, this issue has the potential to wreak havoc or get you into inexplicable, embarrassing trouble. I mean, take a look at the status of the iPhone user in the screenshot below.

This contact replacement or incorrect caller ID error is largely caused by a bug (in apps) affecting iPhone running iOS 14. To resolve the glitch, refer to the solutions in the section below.

1. Restart iPhone

As reported by some affected iPhone users, a simple restart of the device can fix this error.

If you’re using an iPhone with Face ID or no home button, press and hold the side button and any of the volume buttons for about 2 seconds. Move the power off slider to the right to turn off your device. Wait a minute or so and turn your iPhone back on – press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

For iPhones with a home button, hold the side button and drag the power slider to the right. Restart your device by holding down the side button until the Apple logo appears on the screen. Have someone call your iPhone and check if the issue is resolved.

Despite the effectiveness of this method for some users, others report that it is only a temporary fix. This leads us to believe that the problem could be caused by a rogue app that is not compatible with your phone’s operating system. More precisely, iOS 14. If your iPhone still shows incorrect caller ID after restarting a device, try the next troubleshooting solution.

2. Update App

According to several users in Apple’s Support Communities, this issue with iPhone showing incorrect caller ID usually occurs after making audio or video calls on third-party messaging apps from the reports we’ve gathered. WhatsApp, Zoom, and LINE are the most commonly reported apps to inflict this issue. Now, there is a possibility that these apps are not yet fully compatible with your iPhone’s operating system and hence the possibility of mislabeling your iPhone’s contacts during calls.

To fix this, go to the Updates section of the App Store and update all the audio and video calling apps on your iPhone.

Stage 1: Launch the App Store and tap the profile icon in the upper right corner.

Step 2: Go to the Current Update section and tap the Update button next to the affected app(s).

If the app(s) does not have any update that fixes the error or if the wrong caller ID issue persists after updating the apps, then move on to the next method.

3. Reset iPhone Settings

This is another solution we found to effectively fix the errors responsible for your iPhone showing wrong caller ID. Resetting your iPhone’s settings will not delete personal data, accounts, or media files (photos and videos). Instead, network settings, keyboard preferences, privacy and location settings, etc. Basic device configurations such as Your apps are also safe; none will be removed or removed. Before continuing, you can learn more about what happens when you reset your iPhone.

Stage 1: Launch the iPhone settings menu and select General.

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Reset.

Stage 3: Next, select ‘Reset All Settings’.

Step 4: Enter your iPhone’s passcode and tap ‘Reset All Settings’ at the prompt.

If the problem persists after resetting your iPhone and trying all the other troubleshooting solutions highlighted above, we recommend that you update your iPhone.

4. Update iOS

As mentioned earlier, this issue is (currently) unique to some users running the first version of iOS 14 on their iPhone. Fortunately, an updated version of the affected operating system (iOS 14.0.1) is available to all users worldwide. To update your device’s operating system, launch the Settings menu, go to General > Software Update and tap ‘Download & Install’.

Make the Right Searches

If everything you try fails on your iPhone, you may have to wait for Apple to release another stable update that (permanently) fixes the error. And since this is a relatively new bug affecting iOS 14 devices massively, it may take some time to get a fix. On our part, we will continue to do some more research and update this article with more solutions that work for all iPhone users. Leave a comment below if you need any help or have any suggestions regarding iPhone wrong caller id error.

Next: Having issues receiving calls on iPhone? Read the post linked below to know 9 ways to fix iPhone not receiving calls issue.