How to Call Private: Easy Steps for Android, iPhone, & Landline

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The best ways to call someone without showing your phone number
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Do you want to make a phone call but keep your own phone number private? If you're using an iPhone or Android, you can make a quick settings change to keep your phone number hidden. And if you have a landline, you'll just need a blocking code—we'll even help you find yours! This wikiHow article will guide you through making private phone calls from your mobile phone or landline.

Calling Private Made Simple

To place a call without showing your phone number or caller ID, dial *67 (North America) or #31# (most other regions), followed by the phone number you want to call. If you want all your outgoing calls to be private, turn off caller ID in your Android or iPhone's settings.

Section 1 of 5:

Using a Blocking Code Before Dialing

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  1. If you wish to hide your phone number from one person while calling them, you can enter a couple of numbers before the rest of the phone number to mask your caller ID .
    • If you're using a landline, simply pick the phone up and prepare to dial.
  2. This code will work with virtually any North American provider. [1] Some common blocking codes include the following:
    • *67 - United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand (Vodafone)
    • #31# - Australia (mobile), Albania (mobile), Argentina (mobile), Brazil (mobile), Bulgaria (mobile), Canada (mobile), Denmark, France (mobile), Germany (some mobile providers), Greece (mobile), India, Israel (mobile), Italy (mobile), Netherlands (KPN phones), New Zealand (2degrees mobile), Palestine (mobile), South Africa (mobile), Spain (mobile), Sweden, Switzerland (mobile)
    • *31# - Argentina (landline), Germany, Switzerland (landline)
    • 141 - United Kingdom, Ireland
    • 1831 - Australia (landline)
    • 3651 - France (landline)
    • *31* - Greece (landline), Iceland, Netherlands (most carriers), Romania, Serbia, South Africa (Telkom)
    • 133 - Hong Kong
    • *43 - Israel (landline)
    • *67# - Italy (landline)
    • 184 - Japan
    • 0197 - New Zealand (Telecom or Spark phones)
    • 1167 - Rotary phones in North America
    • *9# - Nepal (NTC prepaid/postpaid phones only)
    • *32# - Pakistan (PTCL phones)
    • *23 or *23# - South Korea
    • 067 - Spain (landline)
    • If your phone is on a GSM network (e.g., most Androids), you can always dial #31# to block your caller ID.
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  3. Typically, this will be 10 digits.
    • To make sure the blocking code works on your phone, call someone you trust to test it out.
    • If the blocking code didn't work, jump down to learn more ways to figure out your blocking code , or learn how to make calls private in your iPhone or Android settings .
  4. Unless you're calling 911 or an 800 number, your call recipient will not be able to see your phone number .
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Section 2 of 5:

Figuring Out Your Blocking Code

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  1. If you can't get one of the standard blocking codes (e.g., #31#) to work, your country and carrier may have a specific code that isn't universally used. Try searching for your country, phone model, and carrier name. For example, to find out the block code used on a Verizon iPhone in the United States, you'd type "united states verizon wireless iphone caller id block code" into a search engine. [2]
    • If you're using a landline, type "landline" instead of "iPhone" (or similar).
    • If you don't see any relevant results, vary your language by typing "block caller ID" instead of "caller ID block code" or something similar.
    • You can also find out which caller ID blocking code works for your model on your carrier's website. Some common carriers:
    • Call your carrier if needed.
Section 3 of 5:

Using Your Android Phone's Settings

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  1. If you want all the calls you make from your Android to be private, you can hide your phone number by making a quick change to your settings.
    • Some carriers don't support caller ID blocking. If you can't find the appropriate option inside the Phone app's settings, consider calling your carrier for more information.
  2. This is in the top right corner of your screen.
  3. It's at the bottom of the drop-down menu that appears. [3]
  4. 4
    Scroll down and tap Supplementary Services or Calls . The option you see depends on your phone. For example, if you're using a Samsung Galaxy phone, you'll usually see Supplementary Services . [4]
  5. The name will vary by model. This will load the Caller ID settings.
    • If you don't see an option like this, tap Additional Settings first. [5]
  6. Again, the option you'll choose will vary by provider. On some phones, you'll tap Never to opt never to show your caller ID. On other models, you'll tap Hide Number or similar. Once you make your selection, your Android's phone number will no longer display to the people you call.
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Section 4 of 5:

Using Your iPhone Settings

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  1. This is the gray gear on the Home Screen.
  2. 2
    Scroll down and tap Apps . It's all the way at the bottom of the Settings menu.
    • If you're using an older version of iOS and don't see this option, just skip to the next step.
  3. 3
    Scroll down and tap Phone . This opens your phone settings.
  4. If your carrier doesn't support this feature, you won't see this option. [6]
  5. It will turn white. From now on, the people you from your iPhone won't see your phone number.
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Section 5 of 5:

Other Ways to Call Private

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  1. 1
    Ask your phone carrier to turn off your caller ID. Depending on your carrier, they may be able to hide your phone number on their end so it stays private from everyone you call.
    • If you have Verizon, you can enable Caller ID Blocking by logging in to your account on their website. [7]
    • If you use Xfinity Mobile, you can enable Caller ID Blocking by chatting with customer service . [8]
  2. 2
    Use a Voice Over IP (VoIP) service. Plenty of services, including Google Voice and TextNow, allow you to create a phone number and use it to call and receive calls. You can use these services to call private over Wi-Fi. In the case of Google Voice, you even link your VoIP phone number to your regular phone so your outgoing calls appear to come from that number instead of your real phone number. [9]
  3. 3
    Use a burner phone or burner app. Apps like Burner and Hushed let you make calls from a "burner" (temporary) phone number whenever you need to, keeping your real phone number private. Alternatively, you can buy a cheap burner phone at stores like 7-11 and Walmart in the US, activate it, and only use it when you want to keep your calls private.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I call back a private number?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
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    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    There are a couple possible ways to do this. If you’re on a landline, try dialing *69 to return the call. On a cell phone, use #69. This will only work with some providers, and you have to do it before anyone else calls you. In some cases, you may also be able to see the number on your phone service provider call logs when you sign into your account online.
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  • Question
    Does *67 work on an iPhone?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Yes, you can use this technique on an iPhone. Simply open the phone app, dial in *67, and dial out as you normally would.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    Can private calls be traced?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    In most cases, yes. If you’re in the U.S., you can dial *57 after receiving a private call to trace the number. However, you should only use this option if you’re getting threatening or harassing calls from a private number. After tracing the call, you will need to contact your local law enforcement agency, and they can get the identifying information from the trace from your phone service provider. Your service provider won’t give you that information directly.
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      Tips

      • If you try to call someone who uses Anonymous Call Rejection while your caller ID is disabled, your call will be rejected automatically. [10] To reach that person, you'll need to disable caller ID blocking in your phone's settings, or dial *82 (US) or 1470 (UK) to temporarily disable it for the call.
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      • You can't use *67 or #31# when texting. It won't keep your phone number private.
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      • If you want to make sure you're always calling a certain contact privately, edit their contact card in your Android or iPhone's Contacts app to add a *67 (or your region's caller ID blocking code) to their phone number.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.reference.com/technology/block-number-67-18c910ecae7811ce
      2. ↑ https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/caller-id-block-faqs/
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moYkfynHEoc
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moYkfynHEoc
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kzbW3iUtqLw
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-am/guide/iphone/iph6e5e72b79/ios
      7. ↑ https://www.verizon.com/support/caller-id-block-faqs/
      8. ↑ https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/block-outgoing-name-and-number
      9. ↑ https://support.google.com/voice/answer/3379129?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform=Android
      1. ↑ https://www.att.com/support/article/home-phone/KM1010649/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you want to make a call while keeping your number private, there are a few different methods you can try. One of the easiest is to enter a blocking code before dialing the number you want to call. Start by opening your phone app, then punching in the code. If you’re in the U.S., the most common blocking code is *67. Another common blocking code is #31#, which works for Canada and several European countries as well as in India, Israel, and South Africa. It’s also the code you’ll need to use in the U.S. if you have phone service from AT&T. If you’re not sure which code is correct for you, do a search for blocking codes in your area or contact your phone carrier for more information. Once you’ve put in the right code for your region and service provider, dial the number you want to call as you usually would. The blocking code should hide your caller ID from the person receiving the call. However, be aware that 911 and 800 numbers will still be able to see your number. You can also mask your number using settings on your phone. If you’re using an iPhone, open Settings, then select Phone. Next, tap Show My Caller ID and toggle this option off. If you have an Android phone, open the phone app, then tap the menu button in the top right corner of the screen and select Settings from the dropdown menu. From there, choose Calls, then Additional Settings. Tap Caller ID and select Hide Number. Keep in mind that not all carriers offer the option to hide your number, so you may not see these settings on your phone. For tips on how to call privately using the phone settings on an iPhone or Android, read on!

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