Block your number on a single call or all calls

You can hide your phone number from the person you're calling in two ways: block it for just one call, or block it for every call you make. The method depends on your phone type and your carrier's setup.

On most phones, you dial a code before the number to block your caller ID for that single call. If you want to block your number on all outgoing calls, you change a setting in your phone's call settings or contact your carrier to enable it permanently. Some carriers charge a small monthly fee for the permanent option, while the per-call method is free on most networks.

Key Takeaways

  • Dial *67 before the phone number on most US carriers to block your number for one call only.
  • On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Permissions, then Settings > Calling Accounts > Additional Settings > Caller ID to hide your number on all calls.
  • On iPhone, open Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and toggle it off to block your number on every call.
  • Some carriers charge $1 to $3 per month to hide your number on all calls, while blocking a single call is free.
  • The person you call may still see your number if they have a service that unblocks hidden caller IDs, or if you call a business with special equipment.

Block your number on a single call with *67

On most US carriers — including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and US Cellular — dial *67 immediately before the phone number you want to call. Your number will not show up on the recipient's phone or caller ID display. This works on landlines and mobile phones.

The sequence is: *67, then the area code and phone number. For example, to call 555-123-4567, you would dial *67-555-123-4567. If the call does not go through, your carrier may not support this feature, or the recipient's phone may have a service that blocks hidden numbers.

This method is free and works for a single call only. The next time you call someone, you will need to dial *67 again if you want to hide your number. If you hang up and redial the same number, you must enter *67 again.

Hide your number on all calls from an Android phone

On Android, the steps vary slightly by manufacturer and Android version, but the general path is: open Settings, find the Phone app or Calling Accounts section, look for Caller ID or Show My Caller ID, and turn it off.

On most Android phones: open Settings > Apps > Phone > Permissions, then go back and open Settings > Calling Accounts > Additional Settings > Caller ID. Toggle "Show My Caller ID" to off. On Samsung phones, the path is often Settings > Phone > Additional Settings > Caller ID. On Google Pixel phones, open the Phone app, tap the three-line menu, go to Settings > Calls > Caller ID, and toggle it off.

Once you turn off Caller ID, your number will be hidden on every call you make from that phone. To turn it back on, follow the same steps and toggle it on again. This setting does not cost extra on most carriers, but check your carrier's website to confirm.

Hide your number on all calls from an iPhone

On iPhone, open Settings, tap Phone, scroll down to Show My Caller ID, and toggle it off. Your number will now be hidden on every outgoing call.

To turn it back on, open Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and toggle it on. This setting works on all US carriers and does not cost extra on most networks. If you do not see the Show My Caller ID option, your carrier may not support this feature, or you may need to contact them to enable it.

Contact your carrier to hide your number on all calls

If you do not want to use your phone's settings, you can call your carrier directly and ask them to enable "Caller ID Blocking" or "Anonymous Call Rejection" on your account. This is a carrier-level setting that hides your number on every call you make.

Call your carrier's customer service line — the number is usually on your bill or their website. Tell them you want to block your caller ID on all outgoing calls. Some carriers charge $1 to $3 per month for this service, while others offer it free. Ask about the cost before you request it. You can turn it off at any time by calling back and asking them to disable it.

When your hidden number might still show up

Some people and businesses have services that unblock hidden caller IDs. Emergency services, banks, hospitals, and government offices often use equipment that reveals your number even if you block it. If you call 911, your location and number will always be visible to the dispatcher, regardless of whether you dialed *67 or blocked your caller ID.

Businesses with advanced phone systems — like large customer service centers or call centers — may also see your number even if you blocked it. If you call a company and they tell you they can see your number, it means their phone system has the ability to decode blocked numbers.

Some carriers also allow their customers to pay for a service that unblocks hidden numbers. If the person you call has this service, they will see your number even if you blocked it. There is no way to prevent this on the caller's end.

Why you might want to block your number

People block their numbers for many reasons: to keep their personal number private when calling a business, to avoid being added to contact lists, to prevent callbacks to their personal phone, or simply to maintain privacy. Blocking your number does not prevent the person from calling you back — they just will not see your number on their screen.

If you block your number and the person does not answer, they will see a missed call from "Unknown" or "Blocked" instead of your name or number. If they call back, the call will go to the general voicemail system or a business line, not to your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block my number if I have a prepaid phone?

Yes, *67 works on prepaid phones from most carriers. If you want to block your number on all calls, check your phone's settings using the Android or iPhone steps above, or contact your prepaid carrier's customer service to ask if they support caller ID blocking.

What if *67 does not work?

Your carrier may not support this feature, or the recipient's phone may have a service that unblocks hidden numbers. Try calling a different number to test whether *67 works on your account. If it does not work on any call, contact your carrier to confirm the feature is active on your plan.

Will the person know I blocked my number?

They will see "Unknown," "Blocked," "Private," or "No Caller ID" on their phone instead of your name or number. They will know someone called them, but they will not know it was you unless you tell them or they recognize your voice.

Can I block my number when texting?

No, text messages always show your phone number or contact name to the recipient. There is no built-in way to hide your number when sending a text. If you need to text anonymously, you would need to use a third-party app or service, but those are outside the scope of carrier-level blocking.

Does blocking my number affect voicemail?

If the person does not answer and your call goes to voicemail, they will hear your voice but may not see your number in the voicemail notification. Some voicemail systems still record the blocked number in their system, so the recipient may be able to see it if they check their voicemail settings or call their carrier.