How to Make a Private Call on iPhone

To make a private call on an iPhone in the United States, dial *67 before the number for a single call, or turn off Show My Caller ID in Settings for outgoing calls. Caller-ID blocking depends on the carrier, region, and type of line, so the setting or dialing code may not be available on every iPhone.

How do you use a dialing code for one private call?

The commonly supported caller-ID blocking code in the United States is *67. This one-call method asks the carrier not to show your number to the person receiving that particular call.

1. Open the Phone app on the iPhone.
2. Select Keypad.
3. Enter *67, followed immediately by the full number you want to call.
4. Tap the call button.

If the carrier supports the request, the recipient may see a label such as Private, Blocked, Unknown, or No Caller ID. Your next call will show your caller ID normally unless you use the code again or disable caller ID in Settings.

*67 is not a universal code. Support varies by carrier, country, region, and line type. If it does not work, do not keep trying codes found online. Check the carrier’s official support information or ask the carrier whether per-call caller-ID blocking is available on your line.

How do you hide caller ID in iPhone Settings?

Show My Caller ID is the iPhone control that tells a supported carrier whether your number should appear on outgoing calls.

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Apps.
3. Select Phone.
4. Select Show My Caller ID.
5. Turn off Show My Caller ID.

On an iPhone using an older iOS layout, Phone may appear directly on the main Settings screen instead of under Apps. After the switch is turned off, supported outgoing calls should withhold your caller ID until you turn it on again.

If Show My Caller ID is missing, gray, or cannot be changed, the carrier or line administrator controls the feature. The option can also be unavailable on some regional services, managed business lines, and certain account types. Restarting the iPhone may refresh a temporary carrier-settings problem, but it cannot override a carrier restriction.

How do you call a saved contact without showing your number?

To call a saved contact privately for one call, use the contact’s number with the carrier-supported blocking code instead of tapping the contact’s normal Call button.

1. Open Contacts and view the saved person’s number.
2. Copy or note the complete number.
3. Open Phone and select Keypad.
4. Enter *67 and then paste or type the saved number immediately after it.
5. Tap the call button.

The blocking code and number must be sent as one dialing string. Adding *67 permanently to a contact, using a pause, or relying on an automated shortcut may behave differently across carriers and calling systems. The manual keypad method is the safer choice when you need to make one private call from an iPhone right now.

Why can’t your iPhone make a private call?

An iPhone may be unable to hide caller ID even when the steps are correct. Common reasons include:

• The mobile carrier does not allow caller-ID blocking on the line.
• The carrier uses a different process in the current country or region.
• A business, school, or family administrator manages the line and has locked the setting.
• Show My Caller ID is unavailable because caller ID is controlled through the carrier rather than the iPhone.
• The call is being placed through an app or another calling service instead of the carrier’s Phone service.
• The receiving number automatically rejects anonymous, blocked, or unknown callers.
• The destination does not accept caller-ID blocking for that type of call.

If a private call does not connect, try the call again with caller ID visible. If ordinary calls work but blocked calls do not, contact the carrier through its verified support channel and ask whether outgoing caller-ID blocking is enabled for the line.

How do you turn caller ID back on?

To make your number visible again after changing the iPhone setting, open Settings, select Apps, select Phone, select Show My Caller ID, and turn the switch on. On an older iOS layout, select Phone directly in Settings.

Wait briefly for the carrier setting to update. To confirm the change safely, call a person you know and ask whether your expected caller ID appears. Avoid testing with emergency services, unfamiliar people, or organizations that may treat repeated calls as suspicious.

If you used *67 for only one call, there is normally nothing to reverse. The code applies to that dialing attempt, and later calls should use the line’s regular caller-ID setting.

What are the limits and safety rules for private calling?

Hiding caller ID changes what the recipient sees; it does not make the call anonymous or untraceable. The carrier still processes the call and may retain information associated with it, and emergency services may receive identifying or location information as required by the calling system and applicable rules.

Caller-ID blocking also does not guarantee that a call will connect. Some people, businesses, and automated phone systems reject calls marked Private, Blocked, Unknown, or No Caller ID.

Use private calling for legitimate privacy needs. Do not use caller-ID blocking to harass someone, evade a request to stop calling, impersonate another person, or mislead a recipient. If someone does not answer an anonymous call, restore caller ID or use another appropriate way to identify yourself.