You can hide your number on most phones using *67 before dialing, or through your phone's settings

The fastest way to block your number on a single call is to dial *67 before the phone number you're calling. This works on most landlines and mobile phones in the United States and Canada. When you use *67, the person receiving the call sees "Private," "Blocked," or "Unknown" instead of your number.

If you want to hide your number on every call you make, you can change the setting in your phone's system menu instead of using *67 each time. The steps differ depending on whether you have an iPhone, Android phone, or a landline, and the option may not work with all carriers or phone plans.

Some situations block this feature entirely — calling 911, toll-free numbers, or businesses you've called before may still show your number even if you use *67. Caller ID blocking also doesn't work if the person you're calling has requested that their carrier block all private calls.

Key Takeaways

  • Dialing *67 before any phone number hides your caller ID on that single call in the United States and Canada.
  • You can set your phone to block your number on all outgoing calls through your phone's settings menu, though the exact steps depend on your phone type and carrier.
  • Emergency calls to 911 and calls to toll-free numbers will show your real number even if you use *67 or have blocking turned on.
  • Some people and businesses have settings that reject or flag private calls, so your call may not go through or may be treated as spam.

Using *67 for a single call

To block your number on one call, pick up your phone and dial *67, then immediately dial the phone number as you normally would. For example, if you're calling 555-123-4567, you would dial *67-555-123-4567 or *67 555-123-4567 depending on your phone. Press call or send as you would for any other number.

The person answering will see "Private," "Blocked," "Unknown," or "No Caller ID" on their phone screen instead of your name or number. If they answer, they won't know who called unless you tell them. If they don't answer, the call won't appear in their recent calls list with your information attached.

This method works once per call — you have to dial *67 every time you want to hide your number. If you forget to dial it, your real number will show. The feature works on iPhones, Android phones, and most landlines, though some carriers charge a small fee or require you to have a specific plan.

Blocking your number on all calls through phone settings

If you want to hide your number on every call without typing *67 each time, you can turn on caller ID blocking in your phone's settings. On an iPhone, go to Settings, tap Phone, select Show My Caller ID, and toggle it off. On an Android phone, open Settings, go to Call Settings or Similar, find Caller ID or Show My Number, and turn it off.

For a landline, call your phone company's customer service number (usually on your bill) and ask them to enable caller ID blocking on your account. Some carriers call this "Anonymous Call Rejection" or "Per-Line Blocking." They may charge a monthly fee, usually between $3 and $5, or offer it free depending on your plan.

Once you turn on this setting, your number will be blocked on all outgoing calls until you turn it back off. You won't need to dial *67 anymore. However, some people and businesses have settings that automatically reject private calls, so your call may not ring through at all.

When caller ID blocking doesn't work

Emergency calls to 911 always show your real number and location, even if you have caller ID blocking turned on or use *67. This is a legal requirement so emergency responders can find you if the call disconnects. There is no way to block your number when calling 911.

Calls to toll-free numbers (those starting with 800, 888, 877, or 866) will also show your real number in most cases, because the business receiving the call pays for the connection and needs caller information. Banks, government offices, and customer service lines often fall into this category.

If you've called someone before and they've saved your number in their phone, they may still see your name or number even if you use *67, because their phone recognizes the number from their contacts. Additionally, if the person you're calling has enabled "Block Private Calls" or "Reject Anonymous Calls" on their phone, your call may not go through at all, or it may go to voicemail without ringing.

Differences between carriers and phone types

Not all carriers support caller ID blocking the same way. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and US Cellular all support *67, but some charge a monthly fee for the feature or require it as part of a specific plan. Regional carriers and prepaid services may have different rules or may not support it at all.

iPhones and Android phones handle the setting differently. On iPhone, the toggle is in one place and applies to all calls. On Android, the option may be labeled differently depending on the phone manufacturer (Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus) and may be in Call Settings, Phone Settings, or Supplementary Services. If you can't find it, your carrier's website or customer service can walk you through the steps for your specific phone.

VoIP services like Google Voice, Skype, and WhatsApp have their own caller ID settings separate from your phone's system settings. Check the app's settings menu for a "Caller ID" or "Show My Number" option. Some VoIP services may not support blocking at all.

What happens when you block your number

When you use *67 or turn on caller ID blocking, the recipient's phone displays a generic message instead of your information. The exact wording depends on their phone and carrier — it might say "Private," "Blocked," "Unknown," "Restricted," or "No Caller ID." Some phones show a number like "000-000-0000" or a placeholder.

The call itself works normally — the person can answer, hear you, and talk to you as usual. They just won't see who's calling. If they don't answer, the call goes to voicemail, but your number won't appear in their missed calls list with your name or number attached. However, if they have call recording or a service that logs all incoming calls, that service may still capture your real number in the background.

Blocking your number does not prevent the person from calling you back or contacting you through other means. If you leave a voicemail, they can still reach you if you've given them another way to contact you or if they recognize your voice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will *67 work if I'm calling from my work phone?

It depends on your company's phone system. Some business phone systems override *67 and always show the company's main number. Others allow *67 to work. Check with your IT department or phone system administrator to learn about *67 is blocked on your work line.

Can someone trace my number if I use *67?

Law enforcement and emergency services can trace *67 calls if needed for legal reasons. Regular people cannot. However, if you leave a voicemail or the person has caller ID logging software, they may be able to see your number through other means. *67 hides your number from the person receiving the call, not from phone companies or authorities.

What if the person I'm calling has "Block Private Calls" turned on?

If they've enabled this setting, your call will either not ring through at all or will go straight to their voicemail. You won't know which happened from your end — the call will just seem like they didn't answer. Try calling without blocking your number, or send them a message asking them to turn off the setting if you need to reach them.

Does blocking my number work on text messages?

No. *67 and caller ID blocking only work for voice calls. Text messages always show your phone number to the recipient, and there is no standard way to hide it. Some messaging apps like Signal or WhatsApp can hide your number if the recipient doesn't have it saved, but the app itself will still know who you are.

Will my carrier charge me to use *67?

Most carriers do not charge per use for *67. However, some carriers charge a monthly fee (usually $3 to $5) if you want to enable caller ID blocking on all your calls. Check your carrier's website or call customer service to learn about there's a fee for your specific plan.