Most smartphone users use the dialer to make calls. Whether you’re an Android or iOS user, you can use the dialer to input USSD codes to get information about your phone and enable or disable certain features. Since very few people know about Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes, we call them secret codes. If you are an iPhone user, our list of secret dialer codes will help you explore the hidden features of your device.
USSD codes are numeric characters paired with special characters like asterisk () and hash (#). With these secret codes, you can troubleshoot issues, access service menus, and take advantage of hidden settings and features.
MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier) and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) are unique numbers assigned to all network-operated devices with a WWAN module installed. You may need the IMEI number in service centers to claim the manufacturer’s warranty and find a lost or stolen device. Besides, the IMEI number can help you check your iPhone’s warranty status and authenticity.
#06# is an open secret code that displays the IMEI, MEID, and serial numbers on all smartphones and tablets regardless of OS.
Like all smartphones, iPhones must comply with the laws and regulations of the countries where they are sold. These include the SAR or RF Exposure level, legal terms, warranty documentation, and geo-based certification for different countries.
SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) or Radio Frequency exposure level, for instance, indicates how much radio frequency energy the body absorbs when using your phone. If you want such technical information about your iPhone, dial #07# or navigate to Settings > General > Legal & Regulatory.
Dialing this secret code on your iPhone will toggle the EFR (Enhanced Full Rate) voice codec. Enabling the feature significantly improves call quality on GSM networks. However, the feature may negatively impact battery life. If already enabled, dialing #3370# will disable EFR on your iPhone.
If you notice a faster battery drain after turning on Enhanced Full Rate, you can try Half Rate mode which reduces the voice call quality and battery power consumption. Dial 4720# to enable and #4720# to disable the Half Rate mode on your iPhone.
Field Test Mode provides detailed information about mobile networks on iPhones. The information includes RAT (Radio Access Technology) Cell, frequency bands, signal quality and strength, and other network-related metrics. To check the strength of the cellular signal on your iPhone, enter 3001#12345# in the dialer.
By dialing 67 before a phone number, you can mask your caller ID and keep your identity under wraps.
This secret code can be helpful if you wish to remain anonymous during a business call or want to surprise an old acquaintance after years of silence without revealing your number. While this feature offers anonymity, it might not work with all calls. For instance, emergency services will still see your number regardless.
Similarly, adding 82 before a phone number will display your name and number on the receiver’s screen.
Call waiting is one of the most important features that ensures you never miss an important call again. It notifies you of incoming calls while you’re talking to someone else. The phone number and name of the caller will flash on the screen and you’ll hear a beep sound. You can enable or disable call waiting from phone settings or by dialing 43# (enable) or #43# (disable).
Call forwarding is a feature that diverts incoming calls from your mobile device to another phone number of your choice. The feature transfers voice calls, data calls, fax calls, and SMS.
Call Barring is a feature that lets you control incoming and outgoing calls. By enabling call barring, you can restrict all or specific incoming and outgoing calls. This can also help you get rid of promotional and spam calls from banks and telemarketing companies.
Some networks send messages to notify missed calls when your phone is out of network or it was switched off. If your carrier doesn’t provide this service, there is a secret code you can use to check missed calls on your iPhone. Open your phone’s dialer and dial #61# to get a list of calls you couldn’t take.
Whether you have a prepaid or postpaid plan on your iPhone, you can use the above USSD codes to check your cellular balance.
With this USSD code, you can check the billing cycle information such as the next bill cycle, total plan usage, usage by line, data overage (if any), etc. Depending on your network operator, dial one of the following codes.
The government and emergency services worldwide send public safety alerts to their citizens to warn or notify them in the event of an emergency. It’s a quick way to alert people in real-time. If you wish to enable Test Emergency Alerts on your iPhone, navigate to Settings > Notifications > Government Alerts > Emergency Alerts, and turn on Local Awareness. The service includes alerts from the government about imminent threats to safety, extreme weather conditions, AMBER (in the US), etc.
If you’re unsure whether emergency alerts are enabled on your phone, you can quickly check its status by dialing 500525371#. To turn off such alerts, dial 500525370#.
CLIP, or Calling Line Identification Presentation service, enables users to see the calling person’s phone number and the date and time of the call on the screen. If your callers can’t see your phone number on their screen, it might be because the CLIP service is disabled on your iPhone.
You can check the status of the Calling Line Identification Presentation service on your phone by dialing #30#.
This USSD code may not be handy for you as an iPhone user but you can still use it to check the service center address of the message center. Dial #50057672# and press the call button to see your Service Center Address.
iPhone users in the US can take advantage of several other dialer codes related to spam blocking, data plan and usage info, and different calling features. They are called self-service short codes. Below is a list of secret codes for carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
It’s time to wrap up our list of USSD and secret dialer codes that work on iPhones.
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