How to Call Someone and Block Your Number

To hide your number for one call in the United States, dial *67 before the recipient’s full phone number, then place the call. The recipient will usually see “Private,” “Blocked,” or “No Caller ID,” but the result depends on your carrier and calling setup.

Block Your Number for One Call

Caller ID blocking prevents your number from appearing on the recipient’s caller ID display for a particular call. If you are wondering how to call someone and block your number without changing a permanent setting, try the one-call prefix first.

1. Open the regular Phone app and display the keypad.
2. Enter *67.
3. Immediately enter the complete US phone number you want to call.
4. Tap the call button.

Do not place the call after entering only the prefix. The prefix and the destination number must be part of the same dialing sequence.

This is the common answer to how to call someone with your number blocked on many US mobile and landline services. However, caller ID controls depend on the carrier, line type, and calling method. If *67 does not work, check your carrier’s caller ID instructions instead of trying other unverified codes.

Hide Your Number on iPhone

An iPhone may provide a persistent setting for people who regularly need to hide their number when calling someone. The setting affects outgoing calls made through the normal cellular Phone app.

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Apps, then Phone. On some iOS versions, Phone appears directly in Settings.
3. Select Show My Caller ID.
4. Turn off Show My Caller ID.

When this switch is off, eligible outgoing calls should display a private or blocked caller ID rather than your number. Test the setting with someone who has agreed to receive the call before relying on it.

If Show My Caller ID is missing, unavailable, or cannot be changed, the carrier may control the feature. A managed device or particular calling setup may also restrict the setting. Contact the carrier and ask whether outgoing caller ID blocking is available on the line.

Hide Your Number on Android

Android menu names vary by phone maker, software version, and carrier. The caller ID option is usually inside the standard Phone app rather than the main Android privacy settings.

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Open its menu, usually shown as three dots or a settings symbol.
3. Select Settings or Call settings.
4. Look for Calling accounts, Supplementary services, Additional settings, or a similar label.
5. Select Caller ID, then choose Hide number.

If the phone has more than one SIM or mobile line, select the line you intend to use before changing caller ID. The setting may apply to only that line.

If no caller ID menu appears, the carrier or device software may not allow the change from the phone. Use the carrier’s documented instructions or ask its support team whether the line supports persistent caller ID blocking.

Turn Caller ID Back On

To show your number again after changing a persistent setting, return to the same caller ID menu. On iPhone, turn on Show My Caller ID. On Android, choose Show number or Network default, depending on the options displayed.

A one-call prefix does not normally create a persistent setting. After a call placed with *67, open the keypad and dial the next person’s number normally, without the prefix. That next call should use the line’s usual caller ID setting.

If your number remains hidden unexpectedly, restart the Phone app and check the caller ID setting again. If the displayed setting is correct but calls still appear private, ask the carrier to verify the outgoing caller ID status for the line.

Why a Blocked Call May Not Work

Calling with no caller ID is not guaranteed to connect or conceal the number in every situation. Common limits include:

• The carrier may restrict caller ID blocking or require the feature to be managed at the account level.
• The recipient may use anonymous-call rejection, spam filtering, or a device setting that automatically silences blocked callers.
• An internet calling or messaging app may ignore the phone’s cellular caller ID setting and use its own account identity.
• A business, office, or managed line may have caller ID rules set by an administrator or phone system.
• Emergency services may still receive identifying information even when caller ID is blocked.
• Toll-free services may receive caller information through systems that are not controlled by ordinary caller ID blocking.

If a blocked call is rejected, leave caller ID visible when appropriate or use another contact method the recipient has agreed to receive. Repeatedly trying to bypass someone’s anonymous-call rejection is not an appropriate use of caller ID blocking.

Privacy and Calling Limits

Caller ID blocking changes what the recipient sees; it does not make a call anonymous to the carrier. Carriers keep technical records needed to route and manage calls, and identifying information may be available to emergency services or lawful authorities.

Use a private caller ID for legitimate privacy needs, such as making a personal call from a line you do not want displayed. Do not use caller ID blocking to harass someone, impersonate another person, avoid consent, defeat a recipient’s safety choices, or evade law enforcement.

Before making a sensitive call, remember that the recipient may decline calls labeled Private, Blocked, or No Caller ID. Hiding your number controls the caller ID display only; it does not guarantee that the call will connect or that your identity cannot be determined by other means.