iMessage/SMS message caller i.d. coming up as email address

[ClaireB]

I have recently updated my 4S with 8.1.2, and the previous update only just before that. Since these 2 updates, when I send either an iMessage or a text message to other phones, my 'caller ID' comes up on their phones as my icloud email address and not my phone number (or my name if I'm in their contacts list). I don't want any sort of personal email address to appear in my messages as I have a business that sometimes requires me to send messages to my customers - I just want my phone number to appear (or obviously that would be my name if they put me in their own contacts list). Before the recent updates I didn't have a problem with this. In Settings/Messages/Send and Receive I've checked my phone number under 'Start New Conversations from...', but that doesn't seem to have made any difference. What can I do? Please, I'm not at all technically minded, I'll need a reply in very simple language!! Thanks

 

[xrayeyes]

Settings>Messages>Send and Receive>phone number checked (uncheck email addy)

 

[ClaireB]

Thanks xrayeyes, I've done that, but it hasn't made any difference (I tested it by sending a message to my partner's iphone). To clarify my earlier message, it may just be iMessages this is happening with, not other sms messages, as the people who have told me about it all have iPhones. But I'm not certain. Having made the setting change, should I do something like power off and back on again?

 

[xrayeyes]

Did you also uncheck your email addy from "you can be reached by iMessage at"?

 

[ClaireB]

When I did that it wouldn't send iMessages at all, only standard sms messages. That doesn't seem right! As I said, before the latest update this had never happened before. I've just bought my partner a 4S for Christmas to upgrade his ancient 3, and now am feeling like taking it back if this is going to happen to him too... or can I backdate the iOS version to go back to one that actually worked?

 

[J. A.]

It's not possible to revert to a previous software version.

I'm not sure if this has been asked before, so I'll add it:
In Settings - Messages - Send & Receive - Start New Conversation From: is the telephone number check marked, and nothing else?

 

[ClaireB]

Yes, that's the first thing I did as it seemed the most logical. I then sent a test message to my partner and a friend (both of whom have an iPhone 3). They both received it under my icloud email address so it hasn't worked.... :-( Somebody else has told me that it's something to do with the way my phone has synced with itunes at the time of the update, but I'm afraid that means nothing to me, as I say I'm not at all technical.....

 

[J. A.]

Disable iMessage in Settings - Messages and enable it again.

 

[J. A.]

Here's something else you could try:
In Settings - Messages - Send & Receive, sign out of your Apple ID, disable iMessages. Wait for a few minutes, then sign in again and enable iMessages.

 

[ClaireB]

Thanks J.A., am trying it.... unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere and struggling with phone signal this evening (broadband gone down twice too so struggling with wifi too, whole lot not good....) so not been able to send any test messages yet, will update when I know something but just wanted to acknowledge your suggestions!

 

[J. A.]

Thanks J.A., am trying it.... unfortunately I live in the middle of nowhere and struggling with phone signal this evening (broadband gone down twice too so struggling with wifi too, whole lot not good....) so not been able to send any test messages yet, will update when I know something but just wanted to acknowledge your suggestions!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[ClaireB]

Thank you very much to xrayeyes and to J.A. for your help and suggestions - problem now seems to be resolved, fingers crossed. (The usual technical fix of 'switch everything off and back on again......'. )

 

[J. A.]

That's good news.