Blocking your number on outgoing calls

You can hide your phone number from the person you are calling in two ways: block it for every call you make, or block it one call at a time. The method depends on your phone type and your carrier.

On most phones, you can dial *67 before the number you are calling to hide your caller ID for that single call. The person receives the call but sees "Private," "Blocked," or "Unknown" instead of your number. This works on landlines and most cell phones, though some carriers charge a small per-call fee or require you to enable the feature first.

If you want to block your number on all outgoing calls, you can set it in your phone's settings or contact your carrier to enable permanent blocking. The steps vary by phone type and carrier, so the section below covers the most common paths.

Key Takeaways

  • Dialing *67 before any number hides your caller ID for that single call on most phones and carriers.
  • To block your number on all calls, go to your phone's settings (iPhone: Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID; Android: varies by manufacturer and carrier) or call your carrier to request it.
  • Some carriers charge a monthly fee for permanent caller ID blocking, while *67 is usually free or costs a few cents per call.
  • The person you call may still see your number if they have caller ID blocking defeat enabled, or if you are calling a business, government office, or emergency service.

Blocking your number on iPhone

On iPhone, go to Settings, then tap Phone. Scroll down and tap Show My Caller ID. Toggle the switch to Off. This hides your number on all outgoing calls.

If you do not see this option, your carrier may not support it, or you may need to contact them to enable it first. Some carriers, like Verizon and AT&T, allow you to turn it on or off through their own apps instead of the iPhone settings.

To block your number on a single call without changing your settings, dial *67 before the phone number and press call. Your number will be hidden for that call only, and your setting will remain unchanged.

Blocking your number on Android

Android phones vary by manufacturer and carrier, so the path depends on which phone and service you have. On most Android phones, open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings, then look for Caller ID, Show My Number, or Caller Identification. Toggle it off.

If you cannot find this setting, open your carrier's app instead. Verizon users can use the My Verizon app, T-Mobile users can use the T-Mobile app, and AT&T users can use the AT&T Mobile app. Each app has a settings section where you can toggle caller ID blocking.

As with iPhone, you can also dial *67 before any number to hide your caller ID for a single call, regardless of your phone's settings.

What happens when you block your number

When you block your number, the person you call sees "Private," "Blocked," "Unknown," or "Restricted" instead of your phone number. They can still answer the call and hear you normally. The call goes through just like any other call.

However, some people and organizations can see through caller ID blocking. Businesses, government offices, and emergency services often have systems that defeat caller ID blocking and display your real number anyway. If you call 911, your number is always revealed to the dispatcher, even if you have blocking enabled.

If the person you are calling has their own caller ID blocking defeat service enabled, they may also see your number. This is less common on personal phone lines but more common in business settings.

Carrier-specific options and fees

Most carriers allow you to block your caller ID for free using *67 on a per-call basis. Some carriers charge a small fee — usually 50 cents to $1 per call — but many do not.

For permanent blocking on all calls, carriers handle it differently. Verizon offers Caller ID Block as a free feature you can turn on in the My Verizon app or by dialing *67. AT&T offers Anonymous Call Rejection (which rejects blocked calls) but does not charge for blocking your own number. T-Mobile allows you to hide your caller ID through the T-Mobile app at no charge.

If you are on a smaller carrier or prepaid plan, contact your carrier directly to ask whether they support caller ID blocking and whether there is a fee. Some carriers do not support it at all.

When blocking your number may not work

Caller ID blocking does not work reliably when you call certain types of numbers. Banks, credit card companies, and other financial institutions often have systems that override caller ID blocking to prevent fraud. Government agencies, hospitals, and utility companies may also see your real number.

If you are calling a business and they need to reach you back, they may ask you to unblock your number or provide it manually. Some businesses will not take calls from blocked numbers at all and will hang up or ask you to call back with your number visible.

Emergency services (911 in the United States) always see your real number and location, regardless of any blocking you have enabled. This is a legal requirement so that dispatchers can send help to the right place.

Alternatives if you want more privacy

If blocking your number is not enough privacy for you, consider using a second phone number or a virtual phone service. Apps like Google Voice, Skype, and TextNow give you a separate phone number that you can use for calls and texts without revealing your real number.

Google Voice is free and works on any phone. You get a real phone number that forwards to your actual phone, or you can make calls through the Google Voice app instead. The person you call sees the Google Voice number, not your real number. You can also block your Google Voice number on individual calls by dialing *67 before the number, just as you would on a regular phone.

Virtual phone services are useful if you want to keep your real number completely private, or if you want to use different numbers for different purposes — one for work, one for personal calls, one for online signups, and so on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does *67 work on all phones and carriers?

*67 works on most landlines and cell phones in the United States, but not all carriers support it. Some carriers charge a small fee per call. If *67 does not work for you, contact your carrier to ask whether they support caller ID blocking and what the cost is.

Can I block my number when calling internationally?

*67 may not work on international calls, and support varies by country and carrier. If you are calling outside the United States, contact your carrier first to ask whether caller ID blocking is available and how to use it. Virtual phone services like Google Voice may be more reliable for international calls.

If I block my number, can the person I call still see my number if they save it?

No. If you block your number, they see "Private" or "Blocked" on that call. If they save the call, they save the blocked identifier, not your real number. However, if you call them again without blocking your number, they will see your real number on that second call.

What is the difference between blocking my number and rejecting incoming calls?

Blocking your number hides your caller ID when you make outgoing calls. Rejecting incoming calls is different — it stops calls from specific people from reaching you. Those are two separate features on most phones.

Will blocking my number prevent someone from calling me back?

No. Blocking your number only hides your caller ID on outgoing calls. It does not affect incoming calls or whether someone can reach you. If you want to prevent someone from calling you, you need to block their number instead, which is a different setting on your phone.