How to Hide Your Number and Call Privately on iPhones

Your iPhone gives you a few options for controlling what appears on caller ID when you make a call. Depending on your carrier, you can turn off caller ID for outgoing calls or use *67 for an individual call. If you’d rather give someone a functional, working number without sharing your personal one, you can also use a second number.

These options work differently, so the right approach depends on what you want the person receiving the call to see. Here’s how to hide your caller ID or use another number when calling from an iPhone:

How Do I Hide My Number on iPhone?

The best method depends on whether you want to change your caller ID settings for outgoing calls or keep your personal number separate in another way. Here are the most common options:

Turn Off Caller ID in Your iPhone Settings

For calls made through your regular iPhone number, Apple lets you turn off caller ID directly in your settings:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps, then Phone.
3. Tap Show My Caller ID.
4. Turn Show My Caller ID off.

With this setting turned off, your phone number won’t appear on outgoing calls made through that line. The setting stays off until you turn it back on, which is important to keep in mind when calling friends or family members.

If Show My Caller ID is unavailable or doesn’t appear, Apple recommends calling your carrier.

Use *67 for a Single Call

If you only want to hide your caller ID for one call, you may not need to change your iPhone settings. In the U.S., you can dial *67 before the phone number you want to call. For example, it would look like *67-123-456-7890.

Your caller ID will be blocked for that call alone, and you’ll need to dial *67 again the next time you want to use it. Availability can vary by carrier and location.

Use a Second Phone Number App

A second phone number works differently from blocking your caller ID. The person you call still sees a working phone number; it just isn’t your personal one.

With Burner, you can create a second number on your existing iPhone and use it for calls and texts. The recipient sees your Burner number when you contact them, while your personal number stays private. This can be a better fit when you want someone to be able to call or text you back without giving them your personal number.

Depending on your Burner plan, you can also manage multiple Burner numbers and delete a number when you no longer need it. Deleting that number also deletes all associated calls and text history.

Contact Your Carrier

If the Show my Caller ID option is unavailable on your iPhone, contact your wireless carrier. Apple notes that some carriers control whether caller ID can be turned off, so the option may not be available directly in your settings.

Your carrier can also tell you which caller ID options are available for your line and how to change them.

Hidden Caller ID vs. a Second Phone Number

While people use the terms interchangeably, hiding your caller ID and using a second phone number aren’t the same thing. More importantly, they offer different types of privacy.

With caller ID turned off, your personal number isn’t displayed on the outgoing call. A second number, on the other hand, gives the recipient a working number to see, call, or text without giving them your personal one.

Caller ID blocking may make sense for a one-time call or when you don’t need the person to contact you back directly. But a second number is better suited for ongoing conversations where you prefer to keep your personal number private.

FAQs About Calling Privately on iPhone

Can you hide your caller ID on an iPhone?

Yes, on current iOS versions, you can turn off the caller ID setting. If the option is unavailable or dimmed, Apple recommends contacting your carrier.

Does *67 work on iPhone?

In the U.S., you can use*67 before a phone number to block caller ID for an individual call. You’ll need to enter it again for each call when you want to block your caller ID.

Can you text someone without sharing your personal number?

Turning off caller ID or using *67 applies to calls, not text messages. If you want to call and text without sharing your personal number, a second-number app like Burner gives you another working number for both. Burner routes outgoing calls through your Burner number rather than displaying your personal number.

Keep Your Personal Number Private with Burner

Hiding caller ID can work when you don’t want your number displayed on a particular call. But if you want someone to have a number they can call or text back, Burner gives you another option.

With a Burner number, the person you contact sees your Burner number rather than your personal one. You can use that number for ongoing calls and texts, and depending on your plan, manage multiple numbers when you want to keep different conversations separate.

Get Burner and create your phone’s other number.