Whether you just want to make a prank call to your friend or ring a person who has been avoiding you, this can be achieved by hiding your Phone Number or Caller ID from appearing on the receivers phone. You will find below the steps to Hide Phone number or Hide Caller ID on Android Phone.
Hide Caller ID On Android Phone
Most Android phones have an in-built option to Hide Caller ID and you should be able to prevent your Phone Number from appearing on the receivers phone by disabling Caller ID in the Settings screen of your Android Phone.
However, you need to be aware that certain Carriers block this feature and may charge a fee for providing you with the option to Hide Caller ID. Also, Phones locked to carriers may have their own way of setting up Caller ID blocking.
Another point worth noting is that you won’t be able hide your Caller ID when you call Toll free numbers (1800) and emergency numbers (911). Your Phone Number will be displayed when you call 911 or 1800 numbers, even if you have setup Caller ID Blocking on your Android Phone.
Steps to Hide Caller ID On Android Phone
Follow the steps below to Hide Caller ID on Android Phone.
1. Tap on the Phone App on your Android Phone.
2. Next, tap on More (in case of Samsung Phone) or 3-dots icon (in case of Stock Android Phones).
3. From the Menu that appears, tap on Settings.
4. On the next screen, scroll down and tap on More Settings option.
5. On the More Settings screen, tap on Show My caller ID
6. On the pop-up that appears, tap on Hide Number option and then tap on Cancel to come out of the Caller ID Menu.
Once you complete these steps, your phone number will not be visible on the recipient’s phone, it will appear as ‘Private’.
Before making any calls it is recommended that you test whether the Caller ID block is working by calling your other number or calling someone that you trust.
Temporarily Hide Caller ID on Android Phone
In case you want to Hide Caller ID for specific calls, you can do so by using *67 and #31# which works in North America and 141 which works in United Kingdom.
1. Find the Temporary Caller ID disabling code for your area.
As mentioned above, codes *67 and #31# work with many cell phones in North America, while 141 works in United Kingdom and Ireland.
2. Make a call from your Android Phone by prefixing the Caller ID disabling code for your area. For example you will be dialing *67AAA 555-5555 or #31#AAA-555-5555 in case you are trying to call the number AAA-555-5555.
In case the Caller ID disabling code works, the person at the other end won’t be able see your phone number. As usual, first verify and make sure that codes are working on your Android Phone before making calls.
Disadvantages of Turning Off Caller ID
While hiding Caller ID may help you protect your identity and give you a sense of security while dealing with unknown people, there are certain disadvantages of hiding Caller ID that you need to be aware of.
1. Users who are annoyed with anonymous callers may have setup their phone on “Auto reject” for calls from anonymous numbers.
You may be unable to contact such people as your calls displaying ‘Private’ will most likely be rejected. Also, the party that you are trying to reach will not be notified about your calls.
2. You may have to pay a fee to use Caller ID blocking in case your Android Phone is locked to a carrier.