You can block your number on a text message, but the method depends on your phone type and carrier

Blocking your number on an individual text message is not possible on most phones — text messages either show your number or they don't. What you can do instead is hide your caller ID for calls, disable read receipts so the recipient doesn't know when you've seen their message, or use a third-party app that masks your number. If you want to send texts without revealing your identity for privacy reasons, a temporary phone number app is usually the most straightforward option.

The confusion often comes from mixing up two different things: hiding your number on a call (which most carriers support) and hiding it on a text (which is much more limited). Text messages include your phone number in the message header, and there's no standard way to remove it before sending.

Key Takeaways

  • Standard text messages always include your phone number and cannot be sent anonymously through your carrier's SMS system.
  • You can hide your caller ID for phone calls through your carrier settings or phone settings, but this does not affect text messages.
  • Third-party apps like Google Voice, Burner, or TextNow let you send texts from a different number that masks your real phone number.
  • Disabling read receipts prevents the recipient from seeing when you've read their message, but they will still see your number.

Why you cannot block your number on a standard text message

Text messages are routed through your carrier's network using your phone number as the sender identifier. Unlike caller ID on phone calls, there is no carrier-level setting to strip this information from an SMS. Your number is embedded in the message protocol itself, and removing it would break the recipient's ability to reply to you.

This is different from email, where you can use a fake name or anonymous address. Text messages are tied directly to your phone account, and carriers treat the phone number as a required field. Even if your phone's settings appear to offer an option to hide your number, it typically only applies to calls, not texts.

How to hide your caller ID for phone calls

If you want to block your number on a call (not a text), you can do this through your phone settings or by contacting your carrier. On an iPhone, open Settings, go to Phone, then Show My Caller ID, and toggle it off. On Android, open Phone, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings, then Calls, and look for Caller ID — the exact path varies by manufacturer and carrier.

You can also block your number on a per-call basis by dialing *67 before the phone number on most carriers in the United States. This tells the carrier not to transmit your caller ID for that single call. The recipient will see "Unknown" or "Blocked" instead of your number. Note that this does not work if you call a toll-free number, and some businesses may refuse to accept blocked calls.

If you want to permanently hide your caller ID, contact your carrier directly — they can enable this at the account level. Be aware that some carriers charge a small monthly fee for this service, and it may not work with all phone systems.

Using a third-party app to send masked text messages

Google Voice is the most widely available option. It gives you a separate phone number that you can use to send texts and make calls. Download the Google Voice app, sign in with your Google account, and choose a number. You can then send texts from that number instead of your real phone number. The recipient sees the Google Voice number, not your actual phone number. Google Voice is free, though you need a Google account.

Burner and TextNow are paid apps that work similarly — they assign you a temporary phone number for texting and calling. Burner lets you create and delete numbers on demand, which is useful if you want a truly temporary identity. TextNow offers a free tier with ads and a paid tier for more features. Both apps send texts through their own network, so the recipient sees the app's number, not yours.

Keep in mind that using a masked number does not make you truly anonymous — the app company has records of which real phone number created the account, and law enforcement can subpoena that information. These apps are useful for privacy from the recipient, not for hiding from authorities.

Disabling read receipts so recipients cannot see when you read their texts

Read receipts let the other person know the exact moment you've read their message. This is different from blocking your number, but it's a related privacy concern. On iPhone, open Settings, go to Messages, and toggle off Send Read Receipts. On Android, open the Messages app (the default one varies by phone), tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings, and look for Read Receipts — toggle it off.

Turning off read receipts means the sender will see "Delivered" but not "Read" when you open their message. This works on iMessage (between iPhones) and some Android messaging apps, but not all carriers' SMS systems support read receipts in the first place. If the other person is using a carrier that doesn't support them, turning them off won't change anything.

What happens if you use a messaging app instead of SMS

Apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger handle text differently than SMS. These apps can be set to hide read receipts, disable "last seen" status, and in some cases use usernames instead of phone numbers. WhatsApp and Signal both let you turn off read receipts in Settings. Telegram lets you hide your "last seen" time and restrict who can see it.

However, these apps still know your phone number on the backend — it's how they identify your account. The privacy benefit is that the other person doesn't see your number in the conversation, but the app company does have it. If privacy from the recipient is your goal, a messaging app with read receipts disabled is more private than SMS. If you want to hide your number entirely, you would still need a masked number app like Google Voice.

Legal and ethical considerations

Blocking your number or using a masked number is legal for most personal communication. However, there are exceptions: harassing someone, making threats, or impersonating someone else is illegal regardless of whether your number is hidden. If you're contacting someone for legitimate reasons — like protecting your privacy from an ex-partner or avoiding spam callbacks — blocking your number is reasonable.

Some businesses and services require you to use your real number for verification or legal reasons. If you're signing up for a service that asks for your phone number, using a masked number may violate their terms of service or prevent you from receiving important verification codes. Read the terms before you sign up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block my number on just one text message?

No, not through your carrier. Standard SMS texts always show your number. Your only option is to use a third-party app like Google Voice or Burner for that single message, which means sending it from a different number entirely.

Does *67 work for text messages?

No, *67 only blocks your caller ID on phone calls. It does not work for SMS or text messages. You would need to use a masked number app if you want to hide your number on a text.

Will the recipient know I blocked my number?

If you use *67 or hide your caller ID through settings, they will see "Unknown," "Blocked," or "Private Number" instead of your actual number — they will know something is hidden, but not who you are. If you use Google Voice or another app, they see that app's number, which looks like a normal phone number.

Can I use Google Voice to text without the recipient knowing it's me?

The recipient will see the Google Voice number, not your real phone number, so they won't know it's you unless you tell them. However, if they know your Google Voice number, they can identify you. Google Voice is useful for privacy from strangers, not for hiding from people who already know that number.

What if I want to send a text completely anonymously?

Complete anonymity is difficult. Apps like Burner and TextNow create temporary numbers, but the app company has records linking that number to your real phone. For true anonymity, you would need to use a public WiFi network, a burner phone, and a masked number app together — but even then, law enforcement can trace the connection if needed.