Tag: Caller ID

How to Block or Hide Your Phone Number

This article outlines ways to hide your caller ID on Android and iPhone, preventing recipients from seeing your number. One method involves dialing a specific shortcode (*67 for US) before a number. Alternatively, you can permanently block your number via the phone’s operating system. However, this may lead to missed calls from contacts who may not pick up unidentified calls. It also mentions ways to deal with spammy no caller ID calls.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
October 24, 2023

This is for iPhone and Android. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 16+

Nobody likes receiving calls from No Caller ID numbers, as they are usually scams. But there might be cases where you will want your iPhone or Android to hide your phone number to protect your privacy. Whether the person at the other end of the line picks up or not, you can still block your phone number so it’s hidden when you call others.

There are two ways to hide your phone number. One involves using a specific shortcode before the phone number you want to dial. The other is having the operating system block your number permanently. We will show you both, and a tip that makes blocking your number a two-second process.

Using the Quickest Option

If you plan on blocking your number only for certain calls, there’s no reason to mess with the iPhone or Android phone’s settings. Instead, just add *67 before the number you are about to dial. When you do this, it tells your carrier not to show any Caller ID for that call.

An example of the phone number string to dial would be *67-555-555-5555.

Each country has different shortcodes to hide phone numbers. This is the US version. In the UK, you would need to dial 141 before the number.

Block Your Number on iPhone

If you want to hide your phone number routinely, you will need to go into the phone’s settings to enable it.

On iPhone, head to:

Settings > Phone > Show My Call ID

You might have to wait a short while until the toggle appears. Toggle the switch to OFF. Refer to the below image:

Block 1
Disable showing Caller ID

The feature can come in handy if you are using your personal phone number for work-related calls and do not want others to find out your number. But it can be a hassle if you forget to reenable it when calling family and friends. They will see No Caller ID appear on their devices and might not pick up.

Block Your Number on Android

The same warning applies to Android. You can block your phone number on Android phones just as easily as on iPhones. But you will have to remember to unblock it for your closest contacts to see your Caller ID.

To hide your phone number on Android, go to:

Phone > Setting > Calls and Additional Settings > Hide Number

and toggle the switch to OFF.

Repeat the steps to reenable the Caller ID on your Android phone when you are done blocking access to it.

Dealing With No Caller ID Calls

While we are at it, we will remind you there are ways to deal with spammy No Caller IDs on iPhone and Android and ensure they are not too big a hassle for you. Check a related post below to avoid no Caller ID calls.

RELATED

Block No Caller ID

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

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How to Block No Caller ID Calls on iPhone

The blog post by Raymond Oglesby offers tips for iPhone users on how to handle blocked or unknown calls. Among the suggestions are enabling the block unknown callers feature on iOS, which could also inadvertently block legitimate calls. Outgoing calls can be anonymized by dialing *67 before the number. A distinction is made between No Caller ID (intentionally blocked by the caller) and Unknown Caller (Caller ID was provided but not recognized). The post also answers FAQs about related subjects.

RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
October 17, 2023

This is for the iPhone with iOS 13 +. Screenshots are from iPhone 14 Pro running iOS 16+

When your phone rings and the Caller ID is blocked, or it’s an unknown caller, it’s pretty frustrating. Especially with repeat unknown calls. If you are ready to stop those annoying spam calls and unmask the Caller ID behind them, these are some of the best methods to reveal unknown numbers.

Quick Definitions

  • There are two important distinctions you should know. No Caller ID and Unknown Caller are two different things.
  • No Caller ID means that the caller intentionally blocked their ID from you. On the contrary, an Unknown Caller means the Caller ID was not recognized even though it was provided.
  • The best way to handle this is to turn on the option to block unknown callers on iOS. It sometimes blocks real callers, but it’s a good balance between being inundated with spam calls all day.

Block Your Outgoing Caller ID

If you are looking to hide your phone number when making outbound calls, you do not need to even fiddle with your phone’s settings.

Simply dial *67 followed by the phone number you are trying to call. When you do this, it tells your carrier not to show any Caller ID for that call.

An example of the phone number string to dial would be *67-555-555-5555.

Block Unwanted Incoming Calls

First, open the Settings app on your iPhone. Refer to the below image:

Block Call 1
Accessing Settings

Next, scroll down to the Phone option and tap on it. See the below image:

Block Call 2
Accessing Phone option

Now, scroll down to the Silence Unknown Callers option. See the following image:

Block Call 3
Accessing the Silence Unknown Callers option

Next, toggle its switch to the ON position. Refer to the below image:

Block Call 4
Turn the option ON

All calls without a Caller ID will be automatically blocked from your phone. Remember, real numbers and callers can also be affected by this, and customer service-based calls frequently are a target. We recommend you check your voicemails and missed calls list.

FAQ

Can you find out a no Caller ID number?

If you receive a call without any Caller ID, the caller has deliberately blocked their phone number from showing up. There’s no way to find out the number if the call was purposely blocked.

What does *57 do on a phone?

The service code *57 activates malicious caller identification. This is an upcharged fee service offered by some phone company providers. *57 should be dialed immediately after receiving a call from a number with no Caller ID. When you do so, it records the metadata of the malicious call to aid law enforcement investigations.

How do you call a number with a blocked ID back?

You can not call back a number that calls you with a hidden ID. If you miss a call from these numbers, you must wait till they call you back. Their hidden Caller ID prevents you from calling back if you do not have their number.

Will my telephone provider reveal an Unknown Caller’s ID to me?

It is against the law for your mobile carrier to reveal information about another user to you. They can only do that if you can prove that you are in danger or feel threatened. If you are going to request details like that from your mobile carrier, you must have enough evidence to back up your claim and most likely a police report.

Disclaimer

Technology is always changing and rarely is there static tech for smartphones and desktops. Thus, the contents of this post are only valid at the time of writing. Blog posts older than six months may have directions incompatible with your device or OS. Hopefully, older post content will continue to work as advertised. Thank you for reading TechSavvy.Life for Technology at Work For You.

Quote For the Day

When I’m old and dying, I plan to look back on my life and say, ‘Wow, that was an adventure,’ not, “Wow, I sure felt safe”.

Tom Preston-Werner

Tweet Info

That’s it. Please feel free to share this post! One way to share is via Twitter.

Just click the Tweet icon below. This will launch Twitter where you click its icon to post the Tweet.

Checkout TechSavvy.Life for blog posts on smartphones, PCs, and Macs! You may email us at contact@techsavvy.life for comments or questions.

I Would Like to Hear From You

Please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear from you. Do you have a computer or smart device tech question? I will do my best to answer your inquiry. Just send an email to contact@techsavvy.life. Please mention the device, app, and version you are using. To help us out, you can send screenshots of your data related to your question.

Author’s E-Book

You can access the e-book from a Kindle device, the Kindle App for the desktop or smartphone, which is a free app.

The author’s Vietnam eBook on the Battle for Tra Bong Vietnam: Events and Aftermath