Classic Hacks: How To Anonymise Your Phone Number When Making A Call

It’s not just sinister creepers who want to hide their phone number from recipients. Perhaps you’re buying something over the phone and don’t want the business’ marketing department to have your contact details. Or maybe you’re arranging a first date and aren’t entirely sure about the guy yet. Whatever the reason, here’s how to stop your number flashing up on the display of the person you’re calling.

We originally posted this life hack back in 2013. Now this should really go without saying, but DO NOT use this information to harass people anonymously. Not for any reason.

We mean it. We don’t care what your ex-partner did to your heart or how much your boss deserves a good bollocking — you need to resist the temptation. Apart from being supremely scummy, your inappropriate calls will be logged by the telco and can easily be traced back to you by police. Don’t do it.

Now that’s out of the way, here are all the ways to hide your number when making a phone call from a landline or mobile. (The methodology is the same across all networks.)

How to hide your home phone number before making a call: If you’re dialling from a fixed line phone, adding ‘1831’ before the number will make your call come up as a private call with no caller ID attached.

How to hide your mobile phone number before making a call: If you’re dialling from a mobile, then add ‘#31#’ to the front of your calls.

You can also anonymise your number through your phone’s settings which controls the sending of caller ID. Here’s how it’s done.

How to hide your phone number on Android: On Android devices it should be found by going into the menu from the phone dialler, choosing additional settings and then caller ID

How to hide your phone number on iPhone: On iPhones, it’s found under Settings>Phone>Show My Caller ID.

Lifehacker’s Classic Hacks is a regular segment where we dig up the most popular, useful and offbeat advice from our archives and update it for your modern lifestyle.


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