Solving the problem: who is calling on Android 11

Modern smartphones are becoming smarter, but at the same time their configuration is becoming more complicated. Users often encounter a situation where the screen displays “Unknown number” or “Private number” even if the contact is saved in the phone book. This problem becomes especially acute after updating to Android 11, which brought significant changes to the architecture of telephony and application access rights.

The reason lies in Google's new privacy policy. The system now more strictly controls application access to the contact list and call log. If the Phone app or any third-party resolver has lost permission to read contacts, it simply won't be able to match the incoming number to an entry in your database. This is not a bug, but a security feature that needs to be configured correctly.

We will look in detail at how to return the correct display of caller names, configure the encoding for Cyrillic names and protect yourself from spam using built-in features and proven third-party solutions.

Why contact names disappear after an update

Many users notice that after switching to Android 11 or purchasing a new smartphone, the names of operators or contact names are replaced with numbers. This occurs due to permissions being reset when updating the firmware. The system may by default revoke standard dialer's access to contact storage.

To fix this, you need to manually check your permissions settings. Go to the section Settings → Applications → All applications. Find the application Phone in the list (it may be called Dialer or Phone). Inside the application menu, go to the “Permissions” item.

Make sure the switch next to the "Contacts" item is active. If it is turned off, the system physically cannot read the subscriber's name when there is an incoming call. It is also worth checking the Contacts application - it should have rights to change and read the phone book.

⚠️ Attention: If you use third-party launchers or alternative dialers, rights should be given to the application that processes the incoming call, and not to the one through which you are simply viewing a list of numbers.

Setting up caller ID and protection from spam

In Android 11 a powerful protection mechanism against unwanted calls is built in, based on the Google database. However, its operation depends on the region and account settings. To activate automatic spam detection, open the Phone app, tap on the three dots in the corner and select Settings → Caller ID and spam.

Activate the "Show caller ID and spam" option. This will allow the system to check incoming numbers against a global database of scammers and advertising agencies. If a number is marked as spam, the phone will either warn you or automatically drop the call, depending on the filtering settings.

For more precise settings, you can use white and black lists. In the same settings menu, find the “Blocked numbers” item. Here you can manually add unwanted contacts or import lists from third-party applications.

• 📱 Turn on the “Filter spam calls” feature to hide notifications from annoying robocalls.
• 🔒 Set up blocking hidden numbers if you never get calls from people hiding their ID.
• 🌐 Check if your Google account is synchronized, as the database of spam numbers is updated via the cloud.

It is worth noting that third-party identifiers such as NumBuster or Truecaller, often work more efficiently than those built in the CIS regions, since their databases are formed by the users themselves. However, installing such applications requires giving them full access to your calls and contacts, which is a compromise in matters of privacy.

Problem with encoding: instead of names there are gibberish

One of the most common complaints from owners of smartphones based on Android 11 is the display of contact names in the form of incomprehensible symbols or hieroglyphs when incoming call. This is a classic problem of SIM card and phone encoding mismatch. SIM cards often use outdated GSM encoding, while the smartphone expects UTF-8.

The solution lies in converting the records. You need to export all the contacts from your SIM card to your phone's internal storage or Google account and then clear your SIM card. When saving to the smartphone's memory, modern encoding is used, which correctly displays the Cyrillic alphabet on any device.

Contacts → Settings → Import/Export → Import from SIM card

After import, delete all entries directly from the SIM card through the same menu (“Delete from SIM card”). Now, when there is an incoming call, the phone will take the name from the internal database, where the encoding is guaranteed to be correct.

Working with private and unknown numbers

Sometimes the subscriber deliberately hides his number using the AntiAON service from the telecom operator. In this case, on your screen Android 11 Private number or No data will be displayed. It is impossible to bypass this protection programmatically at the level of a regular application due to communication protocol limitations.

However, if the number is defined as “Unknown”, but you know that it should be displayed (for example, they are calling from a bank or delivery service), the problem may be in the format of the number entry in the phone book. Try saving the number in international format by adding the country code (+7 for Russia, +380 for Ukraine, etc.) instead of eight.

Display type	Probable cause	Solution method
Numbers only	No access to contacts	Give permission to the "Phone" application
Krakozyabry	Encoding conflict	Transfer contacts from SIM to phone memory
Private number	The subscriber has hidden the number	It is impossible to reveal (except for special services)
Spam	Google/Yandex database	Enable spam filter in settings

It is important to distinguish between the concepts of “Unknown number” (there is a number, but it is not in your book) and “Hidden number” (the number is not transmitted by the network). In the first case, installing an identifier will help, in the second, only asking the caller to disable the hiding service.

Use of third-party identifier applications

If the built-in tools are not enough, the market offers many solutions. The leaders in the segment are applications from large ecosystems, such as Yandex or Kaspersky. They are integrated into the call system and replace the standard incoming call interface with their own.

When installing such an application in Android 11 it is critical to set up the integration correctly. The system will ask which app should be used as default for calls. Select the installed determinant. Without this step, the application will only work as a directory, but will not be able to intercept incoming calls to display the name.

⚠️ Attention: Remember that by installing caller ID, you often agree to transfer your telephone directory to the developer’s servers. Please read the user agreement carefully before installation.

Some applications require a paid subscription to function fully, for example, to determine the names of subscribers who do not use this service. Free versions are usually limited only to the spam database.

Diagnostics and resetting call settings

If none of the above methods helped, there may be a failure in the phone's system services cache. In Android 11 you can clear your Phone app data without losing your call history (although a backup would be a good idea).

Go to Settings → Applications → Phone → Storage and click “Clear Cache.” If that doesn't help, you can try Clear Data, but this will reset your dialing and speed dialing settings. After that, reboot the device.

Secret code to check the forwarding status

Dial the code *#61# in dialing mode to find out where the call is forwarded if you do not pick up the phone. Sometimes the detection problem is due to incorrect settings for forwarding to voicemail.

In extreme cases, when the problem is systemic in nature after an unsuccessful update, you may need to reset your network settings. This will not delete your photos or applications, but will return Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile communication settings to factory settings.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why is the name not visible on Android 11, although the contact is saved?

Most likely, the Phone application does not have permission to access contacts. Check your settings: Settings → Applications → Phone → Permissions → Contacts. Also check if the number is saved in a format different from the one in which it is recorded in the book (for example, with and without a country code).

How to identify a number if a “Private number” is calling?

Technically, it is impossible to determine a hidden number through a regular application on a smartphone. The subscriber used the operator's number hiding service. You can find out only through a request to the telecom operator in case of threats or fraud, or by asking the caller to call back without hiding.

Is it safe to install applications like GetContact?

Using such applications carries a risk of privacy leakage. To operate, they require access to your entire phone book and often upload it to their servers. Use them with caution and do not save sensitive numbers (banks, personal work lines) in contacts if you do not want them to end up in the general database.

What to do if hieroglyphs are displayed instead of the name?

This is a SIM card encoding problem. You need to export all the contacts from the SIM card to the phone's internal memory or Google account, and then delete them from the SIM card itself. The smartphone will read names from the internal memory, which uses the correct UTF-8 encoding.

Can a virus hide the names of callers?

Theoretically, malware can intercept calls, but on Android 11, with its strict permissions system, this is difficult to do without the user's explicit consent. Most often, the reason is more banal: broken settings, lack of access rights or full phone memory.