What Number Do You Dial to Hide Your Number: The Real Way to Stay Private

You're standing there, phone in hand, and you need to make a call. But there is a catch. You don't want the person on the other end to have your personal digits saved in their call log forever. Maybe it’s a Craigslist seller who seems a bit sketchy, or perhaps you're just calling a giant corporation and you know that the second they get your number, you'll be buried in marketing SMS spam for the next decade. Whatever the reason, you need to go "dark" for a minute.

So, what number do you dial to hide your number? If you are in the United States or Canada, the magic sequence is *67.

It is that simple. You punch in those three characters, follow them with the full phone number, and hit dial. On the recipient's screen, you won't appear as "Dave from work" or even a random 555-number. Instead, they will see something like "Private Caller," "Restricted," or "Anonymous." It feels a bit like a spy movie, honestly, but it’s a standard feature of the North American Numbering Plan that has been around since the days of landlines and chunky corded phones.

The Global Codes You Might Actually Need

While *67 is the king of privacy codes in North America, the world is a big place. If you’re traveling or using a SIM card from another region, that code will fail you. It won't work. You’ll just get a recording saying your call cannot be completed as dialed.

In the UK and Ireland, the code shifts to 141. If you find yourself in Australia, you're looking at 1831. Most of the European Union uses #31#. It’s funny how we’ve standardized so much of the internet, yet the basic "don't show my face" code for a phone call remains a fractured mess of regional preferences.

Why does this even still exist? Well, it’s about "Calling Line Identification" (CLI). When you dial these prefixes, you’re basically sending a command to your carrier’s switchboard. You are telling the system: "Hey, I have the right to make this call, but I’m withholding my identity from the destination terminal."

✨ Don't miss: What Does Geodesic Mean? The Math Behind Straight Lines on a Curvy Planet

Why *67 Isn’t a Magic Invisibility Cloak

People get this wrong all the time. They think dialing *67 makes them a ghost. It doesn't.

First off, you cannot hide from the authorities. If you call 911 (or 999/112), your number and location will pop up on their screens regardless of what you dialed. This is a safety feature designed so emergency responders can find you even if you’re unable to speak. The same goes for toll-free numbers. When you call an 800 or 888 number, the person receiving the call is paying for it. Because they are footing the bill, they have a legal right to know who is calling. This is handled via a system called Automatic Number Identification (ANI), which bypasses the standard Caller ID blocking.

Also, some people are smart. Or just annoyed. Many smartphones and landline services have a feature called "Anonymous Call Rejection." If you have this turned on, and someone calls you with *67, your phone won't even ring. The caller just gets a polite (or blunt) message saying the party does not accept private calls. If you’re trying to reach a business or a busy professional, don't be surprised if your "private" call never actually gets through.

The Permanent Fix: Hiding Your Number by Default

Maybe you’re tired of typing *67 every single time. It's tedious. I get it. If you want to hide your number for every single call you make, you don't actually need a code at all. You just need to dive into your settings.

On an iPhone, it's buried a bit. You go to Settings, then Phone, then "Show My Caller ID." Toggle that off. Boom. You're now a permanent "Private Caller."

🔗 Read more: Starliner and Beyond: What Really Happens When Astronauts Get Trapped in Space

On Android, it varies because every manufacturer likes to move things around. Usually, you open the Phone app, hit the three dots for settings, go to "Supplementary Services" or "More Settings," and find "Show my caller ID." It’s basically the same thing.

But here is a pro-tip from someone who has been in the tech trenches: if you set your phone to permanent private mode, you are going to miss a lot of calls. Friends won't pick up because they think you're a telemarketer. Doctors' offices might block the call. If you really want privacy without the hassle, you’re better off using a "burner" app like Burner or Hushed. These apps give you a secondary, real-looking number that routes to your phone. It’s way more professional than being a "Restricted" caller, and it keeps your real life separate from your digital one.

Is This Even Legal?

Kinda. Mostly.

Hiding your caller ID is perfectly legal for privacy. If you don't want a business to have your number, that is your right. However, the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 in the US makes it illegal to "spoof" or hide your number with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value.

So, using *67 to call a friend for a prank? Totally fine. Using it to harass someone or trick an elderly person into giving up their Social Security number? That is a federal crime. The technology is neutral; the intent is what the law looks at.

💡 You might also like: 1 light year in days: Why our cosmic yardstick is so weirdly massive

The Evolution of Privacy in the 2020s

We live in an era where "private" is a relative term. Even if you hide your number, your carrier still has a log of every call you make. Metadata is everywhere. If you’re truly worried about privacy, you shouldn't be using the cellular network at all. You should be using encrypted apps like Signal or WhatsApp, which allow for voice calls that are end-to-end encrypted.

But for the average person just trying to buy a used lawnmower without getting harassed afterward, the old-school codes still reign supreme.

It’s fascinating that in 2026, despite all our AI advancements and satellite connectivity, we are still using a system of star codes developed decades ago. It's one of those rare bits of tech that just... works. No updates required. No subscription fee. Just three digits and a dial tone.

How to Use Your Privacy Codes Right Now

If you want to test this, call a friend's phone using the code for your region. Don't just take my word for it. See how it looks on their screen.

• North America (USA, Canada): Dial *67 + Number.
• United Kingdom: Dial 141 + Number.
• Australia: Dial 1831 + Number (or #31# for mobiles).
• Most Global GSM Networks: Dial #31# + Number.

Once you’ve confirmed it works on your specific carrier, keep that code in your mental back pocket. It is a small but powerful tool for maintaining a shred of anonymity in a world that wants to track everything you do.

If you find that your calls are being blocked because of your hidden ID, the best "next step" is to look into a secondary VOIP (Voice over IP) number. Services like Google Voice are free and give you a "buffer" number that you can give out to the world while keeping your primary line strictly for people you actually trust. It's much more effective than constantly hiding behind a "Restricted" tag that most people simply won't answer anymore.

Stay private, but stay reachable. It's a fine line to walk.