How to Make Your Phone Number Private

There could be many reasons why you would want to hide your phone number when making a call. You might be playing a prank on your friends, making a surprise call to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, or simply don’t want the person you are calling to know your number.

If you don’t already know, you can easily make your phone number private on both Android and Apple devices. This article will show you multiple ways to make your phone number private with detailed steps. Without further ado, here are the instructions.

Option 1: Make Your Phone Number Private on Any Phone

The first method you will see here works on any type of phone, including Android, iOS/iPhone, and even on landlines in the United States. To make your phone number private and invisible on the receiver’s display, you need to use a code.

Here are the steps you need to make your number private by using a code:

1. Dial *67 followed by the destination phone number. It is a good idea to test this with a friend. If their number is (202) 333-4444, you need to dial *67-222-333-4444.
2. Look at their device’s screen and see if your caller ID number shows up. It should display as “Unknown,” “N/A,” or “Private” on their screen.
3. For long-distance calls, you must add a “1” and the appropriate area code after “67.” For example, if their number is (222) 333-4444, you should dial *67-1-222-333-4444.
   

Option 2: Make Your Phone Number Private using Your Phone

Most smartphones have a process to make your phone number private, which varies based on the model or OS version.

Make Phone Number Private on iPhone

The iPhone has a built-in option for hiding your phone number. Entering a code every time can be bothersome, so why not enable it permanently? Here is what you need to do:

1. Go to “Settings” on your iPhone. Scroll down and choose “Phone.”
   
2. Select “Show My Caller ID.”
   
3. Move the slider to the left to hide your Caller ID.
   

After completing the above steps, your phone number will be private by default. However, Verizon users don’t have this option, so keep that in mind. If you’re a Verizon user scroll down to Option 3 for detailed steps to make your phone number private.

Make Your Phone Number Private on Android

Android devices also provide the option to keep your phone number private, at least the recent models of most brands. Samsung phones (based on model) have different menu options than standard Android phones, excluding them from this process. Follow these steps to make your number private on Android:

1. Go to “Settings” on your Android phone.
2. Choose “More Settings” or “Additional Settings,” depending on your phone model.
3. Select “Caller ID.”
4. Turn “Hide Number” on by using the slider.

In case you want to make your phone number public again, follow the same steps listed, then disable the “Hide Number” option. You can also enter the “*82” code to quickly show your caller ID if the person you are calling is not picking up.

How to Make Your Phone Number Private on Samsung

The instructions for making your phone number private vary depending on the manufacturer. We’ve included the steps for Samsung users in this section.

1. Open the Dialer app on your phone and tap on the three dots in the upper right corner.
   
2. Tap on Settings.
   
3. Tap on Supplementary Services.
   
4. Tap on Show your caller ID. Then, tap Never in the dropdown menu.
   

Now, when you make phone calls, your phone number will not appear.

Option 3: Ask Your Cell Phone Carrier to Make Your Number Private

You can ask your phone service provider to make your number private. All of the major service providers offer this option, including Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T. You can either call them and ask them to help you out or check their official websites for information.

Usually, service providers will not charge you for making your number private. You can even have this feature enabled permanently.

After you have managed to enable the feature, you can switch it off briefly, for example, when calling your family. Simply enter “*82” before the number you are calling to have your number displayed.

How to Make Your Phone Number Private on Verizon

Verizon users may notice that the device-specific methods above do not work for them. Unfortunately, Verizon disabled the option to make your number private from your phone’s Settings. But, it is still possible.

If you only want to make your number private for one call, use the *82 key code before dialing the phone number. This is the fastest and simplest method to make your number private. But, you can also make all calls private by going into your Verizon online account.

Here’s how:

1. Go to the this page on your Verizon account. Make sure you’re logged into your Verizon account. Click on the line you’d like to make private.
   
2. Click on Block Services.
   
3. Click on Additional Services.
   
4. Toggle the switch to the right of Caller ID Blocking.
   

When you’re ready to enable the Caller ID, just repeat these steps and toggle the switch again. Of course, you will need to toggle the switch for each line on your account that you’d like to make private.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve included this section to answer more questions about making your phone number private.

If my number is saved as a contact, will *67 still mask my phone number?

Yes. Based on our tests in June of 2022, *67 will work to mask your phone number even if it’s stored in the recipient’s contacts. This works because your phone number is hidden before the other phone rings. Therefore, the recipient’s phone doesn’t know who’s actually calling, contacts or not.

Can I temporarily unblock my phone number?

Absolutely! If you want to unhide your number for one phone call you can enter the *82 code to show your caller ID temporarily. Also, you can follow the same steps to reenable the “Show My Caller ID” feature and unhide your number.

Some providers make you wait for a quick dial tone after you enter *82 before you proceed to enter the area code (if necessary) and the phone number you want to call. Note that this might get tiring after a while because you need to keep entering *82 before every single call to keep it private. As such, you might want to leave your caller ID visible if most of your conversations are with friends and family and enter the *67 code when you need it hidden.

How do I hide my landline number?

You can easily hide your landline number when you make a phone call by using the *67 code as explained above. You can also call your phone provider and request your number remain private when you call others.

If you want your phone number unlisted, meaning it won’t appear in the phone book, you’ll need to contact your phone provider and request an unlisted number.

Remaining Anonymous

It is worth mentioning that you can’t keep your caller ID private for 900 numbers, 911, and toll-free phone numbers. Some apps can expose your caller ID if the call’s recipient has them installed on their phone.

Have you had success keeping your phone number private? Let us know in the comments below!