Sometimes you lot don't want to risk letting your phone number fall into the wrong hands. You could be making work-related calls, reaching out to someone on Craigslist, or calling a company you lot aren't sure whether to trust or not. In these situations, y'all should block your phone number to hide your caller ID and protect your privacy.

Nosotros'll show you all the ways to block your number on an iPhone or Android device below. Just recollect that a lot of people automatically decline calls from private numbers, so they might not answer the phone if they don't know it's you lot calling.

1. Punch *67 Before the Number You Desire to Phone call

The simplest way to block your number is to dial *67 at the beginning of the phone number you lot desire to telephone call. If you lot employ this method to hide your caller ID from someone saved in your contacts, you'll need to make a note of their number (or re-create it to the clipboard) beginning. And then type (or paste) it into the phone app manually, with *67 at the beginning of it.

As an example, if you wanted to block your phone number when calling 555-555-5555, you lot'd need to dial *67-555-555-5555.

When you use *67 to telephone call someone, y'all volition show up as No Caller ID, Private, Blocked, or something similar on their device. It's completely free to use *67, and y'all tin use information technology as often as yous similar.

Of course, y'all need to punch *67 before any blocked phone call you desire to make. So if you lot want to block your number for every unmarried call, you might exist better off using one of the following options instead.

2. Modify the Caller ID Settings on Your Telephone

You lot can cake your telephone number and hide your caller ID for every call you lot make by changing the settings on your device. Both Android and iOS devices let y'all hide your caller ID, making y'all show up as No Caller ID, Private, or Blocked to everyone y'all telephone call.

If you want to temporarily unblock your number after changing these settings, dial *82 earlier the number yous want to call. This overrides your settings and shows your caller ID again.

Unfortunately, some cell carriers don't permit yous to block your caller ID from your device. If y'all can't observe the settings beneath, movement onto the next footstep to find out how to block your number directly with your carrier.

How to Block Your Caller ID on an iPhone

Follow these steps to block your caller ID on an iPhone:

  1. Open the Settings app and coil downwardly to tap on the Phone option.
  2. Tap Testify My Caller ID, then turn the toggle off to hide your number.

How to Block Your Caller ID on an Android Device

Depending on your Android phone and dialer app, this process could differ. Below are two common places for the option to cake your caller ID:

  1. Launch the Phone app and open the three-dot menu (...) in the top-right corner.
  2. Go into Settings, so roll downwards to Supplementary Services. Depending on your item device, you may demand to become to Call > Additional.
  3. Tap Prove my caller ID and choose to Hibernate number from the popup carte.

If this doesn't work, attempt a different location:

  1. Open the Phone app again and tap Menu > Settings.
  2. Select Calling accounts, so tap your carrier name nether Settings.
  3. Choose Additional settings.
  4. Tap Caller ID and choose to Hide number to block it every time.

3. Block Your Caller ID Directly With Your Prison cell Carrier

If you can't find an pick to block your number or hide your caller ID in your phone's settings, you demand to block information technology directly with your cell carrier instead.

Most carriers who don't let you block your number in the device settings allow you do so using their own app instead. If that isn't the instance, you'll need to phone call your carrier to enquire them to block your number.

Much like the previous method, blocking your number this style hides your caller ID for every call you brand. If yous want to override this and show your phone number for a particular call, you demand to add together *82 to the beginning of the number.

How to Block Your Caller ID With AT&T or T-Mobile

AT&T and T-Mobile usually let you block your caller ID using the settings on your device. Return to the section above to observe out where this option is on your particular phone.

If yous can't block your number from the device settings, you need to call the customer back up line for AT&T or T-Mobile instead. Dial 611 from your smartphone to do so.

Explicate to the client service operator that you desire to hide your caller ID. They should be able to make the necessary changes to your account.

How to Block Your Caller ID With Verizon

Although Verizon doesn't allow you block your caller ID from your iPhone or Android settings, yous can do so using the Verizon website or the My Verizon app instead.

To employ the Verizon website, get to the Blocks page and sign in to your account, and then select Block Services. If you're on a smartphone, tap the Add button. Notice Caller ID under the Additional Services section and plough it On to block your number.

To utilize the My Verizon app, download it for free from the App Store or Google Play Shop using the links below, then sign in to your Verizon business relationship. Tap Devices and select your smartphone, then go to Manage > Controls > Conform Block Services. Plough on the option for Caller ID Blocking.

Download: My Verizon for Android | iOS (Costless)

How to Cake Your Caller ID With Sprint

Sprint lets you lot hide your caller ID through your My Sprint account. To do so, sign in to the My Sprint website and select your smartphone from the list of devices. Cull to Change my service, and then detect the Setup your phone section and select the Cake Caller ID selection.

If that doesn't work, punch *2 from your Sprint smartphone to speak to Dart's customer service team. They should be able to hide your caller ID for you if yous couldn't do it through the website.

Yous Can't Block Your Number for Everyone

Unfortunately, even if you lot follow the steps above to hide your caller ID, you can't cake your phone number from everyone. Certain people can always see who'due south calling, including 911 and toll-free numbers.

There are likewise 3rd-political party apps available that permit you find out who's backside a blocked number. If someone you lot call uses one of these apps, they might know information technology's you lot calling, even if yous hide your caller ID starting time.

And so be wary of who yous commencement making prank phone calls to!

Blocking your number and hiding your caller ID isn't the simply way to maintain privacy when making telephone calls. You lot tin can also use a burner number instead. Traditionally, this is a split phone or SIM card that y'all only use for certain calls. But these days yous can use a burner number app to get a 2nd number on the same phone instead.

The 5 Best Apps for a Temporary Burner Phone Number

Need to stay hidden? These false number apps let you generate a burner number so you keep your real phone number private.

Read Next

Almost The Author

Dan Helyer (183 Manufactures Published)

Dan edits iPhone, iPad, and Mac content for MakeUseOf, making employ of his past experience working in an Apple Store to do so.

More than From Dan Helyer