The Apple iPhone 17 is a big step-up from previous generation models, with a more durable design front and back, new processor, improved battery life, brighter screen, Center Stage camera and other camera features, plus more upgrades. The line includes the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and the sleek and incredibly thin iPhone Air. There are so many features that come with an iOS 26 upgrade as well, which works with iPhones dating back to the iPhone 11 and iPhone SE (2nd-gen). There are also hidden tricks through discrete carrier codes that you might not have realized you can use; and you don’t have to be a skilled coder to do so.
These hidden codes involve using the phone dialer (yes, these phones can still make actual calls) and begin with special characters like an asterisk (*) or pound sign (#) with numbers in between. One of the most known is, of course, *67 to block caller ID. But there are others that yield useful information or perform handy actions. Note that alongside iPhone 17, many of these codes work with older model iPhones and Android devices, too.
Access utility functions with hidden codes
Want to know more about the local networks and cell towers, as well as how good your phone’s signal strength is? Punch in *3001#12345#* to get the details. You likely won’t understand the information that comes up unless you have some technical knowledge about wireless networks. You will recognize things like the bandwidth, which network you’re on, like 5G, and which radio the phone is using, like LTE.
Maybe you need to know the unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of your device. It’s useful to identify lost or stolen phones, to see if your phone is carrier-locked, or when seeking customer support. This information is easily accessed in Settings, as well as on the box of the product you’ve likely long thrown out. But an alternative is to type *#06# into the dialer instead.
If you can’t remember if you forwarded calls to a different number, or want to make sure someone hasn’t sneakily done this, enter *#67 or *#21#. This will note the number that your calls are forwarded to. If you don’t have call forwarding set, it will likely show the carrier’s voicemail number.
Get balance and payment information updates on-the-fly
Don’t have an unlimited plan and want to keep track of your call minutes? You can probably log into your carrier app to check the account status, but data isn’t always updated in real-time. Type in *646# with AT&T (*876# for Spanish), #646 with Verizon, and #646# with T-Mobile to get a text message telling you how many call minutes you have left on your plan.
For details about your billing cycle, like when it restarts and if you’ve gone over, type *3282# with AT&T, #3282 with Verizon, and #932# with T-Mobile. For your account balance, type *225# for AT&T, #225 for Verizon, #225# for T-Mobile, or *777# on a prepaid plan to get a text message with details.
There are other less technical hidden codes with iPhone via iOS 26. However, if you want to try these codes, proceed with caution: Some of the codes relate to wiping the device of its contents, which could prove catastrophic if you do so by mistake. If you’re curious and careful, you’ll have fun showing your friends the new tricks you learned. Note that carriers sometimes disable or change these codes, so they might not always work.
