How to Block Your Number When Calling Someone (Step-by-Step Guide)

You're about to call back that Craigslist seller, but you hesitate—do you really want a stranger having your personal phone number? With 31% of American adults receiving at least one scam phone call daily, that caution is well-founded. Or maybe you're returning a call to an unfamiliar business and would rather not end up on yet another marketing list.

Hiding your caller ID is free, takes about three seconds, and works on virtually any phone. This guide walks you through every method—from the quick *67 code to permanent carrier blocking—plus what to do when standard tricks don't work.

Dial *67 Before Any Phone Number to Block Your Caller ID

To block your number when calling, dial *67 before the phone number for a single call. Alternatively, you can change settings in your phone's call app (usually under Call Settings > Show Caller ID) to hide it by default. You can also contact your carrier to enable permanent caller ID blocking for your line.

When you use any of these methods, the person you're calling sees "Private," "Restricted," or "No Caller ID" on their screen instead of your actual phone number. The call goes through normally—the only difference is that your number stays hidden.

Why You Might Want to Hide Your Number

Sometimes you just want a little privacy. Maybe you're selling furniture on Facebook Marketplace and don't want strangers having your personal number. Or perhaps you're calling a business for a quick question and would rather not get follow-up sales calls for the next six months.

Here are the most common reasons people hide their caller ID:

• Responding to online listings: When you're buying or selling on Craigslist, Marketplace, or similar platforms, keeping your number private adds a layer of protection until you're ready to share it.
• Making one-time business inquiries: Calling a car dealership or insurance company for a quote doesn't mean you want them calling you back repeatedly. The FTC received over 2.6 million Do Not Call complaints in fiscal year 2025, showing how persistent unwanted business callbacks can be.
• Personal safety situations: Some circumstances—like leaving a difficult relationship or reporting concerns—call for extra caution about who has your contact information.
• Separating work and personal life: If you're using your personal phone for occasional work calls, blocking your number helps maintain boundaries.

Blocking your caller ID doesn't block the call itself. The other person's phone still rings, and they can still answer. They just won't see your number when they look at their screen.

How to Block Your Number with *67

The *67 code is what's called a vertical service code—a special dial sequence that activates a phone feature. In this case, it temporarily hides your outgoing caller ID for one call. The code is free to use and works on most cell phones and landlines in the United States and Canada.

Step 1. Open your phone dialer

Pull up the standard phone app on your device. This is the same keypad you'd use for any regular call—nothing special required.

Step 2. Enter *67 followed by the full phone number

Type *67 directly before the number you want to call, with no spaces or pauses between them. Always include the area code, even if you're calling someone local.

For example, if you're calling 555-123-4567, you'd dial: *675551234567

Step 3. Tap call to connect privately

Hit the call button like you normally would. The call connects just like any other, but when the other person's phone rings, they'll see "Private," "Restricted," or "Unknown Caller" instead of your number.

One thing to keep in mind: *67 only works for that single call. The next time you dial someone, your number will show up again unless you enter *67 before that call too.

How to Hide Your Caller ID in Phone Settings

If you'd rather not type *67 every single time, you can adjust your phone's settings to hide your number on all outgoing calls automatically. Once enabled, every call you make will appear as private—no extra steps required.

That said, not every carrier supports this feature. Some providers disable the option entirely, which means the setting might be grayed out or missing on your device. If that happens, *67 is still your backup.

Hide your number on iPhone

Open Settings, then tap Phone, then tap Show My Caller ID. Toggle the switch to OFF.

If the toggle is grayed out and won't move, your carrier doesn't allow you to change this setting through your phone. You'll either want to use *67 for individual calls or contact your carrier about permanent blocking (more on that below).

Hide your number on Android

Android phones vary quite a bit depending on the manufacturer, so the exact menu path might look different on your device.

Start with this general path: Open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu in the corner, then go to Settings > Calls > Additional settings (sometimes called "Supplementary services") > Caller ID. From there, select Hide number.

On Samsung phones, you might find this under "Supplementary services." On Google Pixel devices, it's typically listed directly under "Caller ID." If you can't find the option at all, your carrier may have disabled it.

How to Permanently Block Your Caller ID Through Your Carrier

For people who want every outgoing call to appear as private without changing settings or dialing codes, carriers offer permanent caller ID blocking at the account level.

To set this up, contact your phone carrier (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, or whoever provides your service) and ask them to enable permanent caller ID blocking on your line. Once it's active, all your outgoing calls automatically hide your number.

Here's a useful detail: if you have permanent blocking enabled but occasionally want to show your number for a specific call, dial *82 before the phone number. This temporarily unblocks your caller ID for that one call—essentially the opposite of *67.

When Caller ID Blocking Does Not Work

Even with *67 or permanent blocking enabled, certain types of calls will always display your number. These exceptions exist for safety and verification reasons, and there's no way around them.

Calls to 911 and emergency services

Emergency dispatchers always receive your caller ID and location information, regardless of any blocking settings you've enabled. This is required by law and helps first responders find you quickly if you can't communicate your location.

Calls to toll-free and 800 numbers

Toll-free numbers (800, 888, 877, 866, and similar prefixes) use a different system called Automatic Number Identification, or ANI. ANI bypasses standard caller ID blocking entirely, which means the business on the other end can see your number even when you've dialed *67 first.

Calls to businesses with caller ID unmasking

Some businesses—particularly debt collectors, financial institutions, and certain call centers—pay for services that can reveal blocked or private numbers. While this isn't common for everyday calls, the technology does exist.

Troubleshooting If *67 Is Not Working

If you've followed the steps but your number still shows up on the recipient's screen, a few common issues might be causing the problem.

• Missing area code: *67 requires the full 10-digit number to work correctly. Even for local calls, include the area code after *67.
• Carrier limitations: Some mobile carriers and VoIP services don't support the *67 code at all. This is more common with smaller carriers or internet-based phone services.
• Recipient's phone: In rare cases, "Private" may not display correctly due to how certain landlines or older phone networks process incoming calls.

If *67 consistently fails for you, try the phone settings method instead, or contact your carrier to ask whether caller ID blocking is available on your specific plan.

Alternative Ways to Make Anonymous Calls

When *67 isn't available or doesn't fit your situation, other options exist for keeping your number private.

Use a VoIP or browser-based calling service

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services route calls over the internet rather than traditional phone lines. Because the call originates from the service rather than your personal phone, your private number never appears to the recipient.

CallTuv, for example, lets you make browser-based calls to landlines and mobiles in 200+ countries. You don't reveal your personal number because the call comes from CallTuv's system, not your phone line. No app download required, and rates start at $0.03/min.

Start calling with CallTuv

Use a burner phone number app

Apps that provide temporary or secondary phone numbers offer another path to private calling. You get a separate number that isn't connected to your identity, which you can use for calls and texts.

The tradeoff is that most of these apps require downloading software and often involve subscription fees. Browser-based options like CallTuv let you start calling immediately without installing anything—just sign up, add credits, and dial.

Quick Reference for How to Block Your Number

Make Private Calls to Any Country with CallTuv

Here's something worth knowing: *67 only works within the United States and Canada. If you're calling someone in another country and want to keep your personal number private, the code won't help you.

CallTuv offers a straightforward solution. You can call landlines and mobiles in over 200 countries directly from your browser, and since calls route through CallTuv rather than your personal phone line, your number stays private automatically.

• No app download required: Call from Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or any modern browser on your phone, tablet, or computer.
• No subscriptions or hidden fees: Pay only for the minutes you use, with rates starting at $0.03/min.
• No expiring credits: Add as little as $5 and use it whenever you want—your balance stays until you use it.
• Secure and private: All calls use end-to-end encryption for crystal-clear HD audio.

Sign up for CallTuv today to make private international calls from your browser.

FAQs About Blocking Your Number When Calling

Does *67 work on cell phones?

Yes, *67 works on most cell phones in the United States and Canada, including both iPhone and Android devices. Simply dial *67 before the phone number to hide your caller ID for that call.

What does *82 do on a cell phone?

Dialing *82 before a phone number temporarily unblocks your caller ID. This is useful if you have permanent caller ID blocking enabled through your carrier and want to show your number for a specific call—like when calling a doctor's office that won't answer blocked numbers.

Can you block your number when calling internationally?

The *67 code only works for calls within the US and Canada. For international calls, a VoIP service like CallTuv lets you call abroad from your browser without revealing your personal number, since the call originates from the service rather than your phone line.

Will the person I call know my number is blocked?

The recipient will see "Private," "Restricted," "Blocked," or "No Caller ID" on their screen instead of your phone number. They'll know the caller chose to hide their information, but they won't see the actual number itself.

Is it legal to hide your caller ID?

Yes, blocking your caller ID is legal in the United States for personal use. However, using blocked numbers for harassment or fraud can violate state and federal laws, so always use this feature responsibly.

Sign up for CallTuv today