How to Hide Your Phone Number (UK)

When you place a call, having your phone number display as private number or Withheld on caller ID is fairly easy to do. You can keep your phone number hidden in the UK with a few simple steps. Whether you're calling from a landline or mobile, hiding your phone number can help you maintain your own privacy and prevent people from calling you back.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Blocking Individual Calls

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    Dial "141". Enter this prefix before dialing a phone number to prevent the person you are calling from seeing your phone number on caller ID.[1]
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    Dial the phone number of the person you are calling. Enter all digits of the phone number as you normally would.
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    3
    Repeat the process each time you want to hide your number. Entering 141 is not a permanent way to hide your number. You'll need to enter 141 each time you want to conceal your number.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Blocking Caller ID From a Mobile

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    Change your phone's settings. Most mobile phones will allow you to keep your number hidden every time you make a call. The process is different for smart phones and non-smart phones and varies by model.
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    Find the "Settings" or "Phone Options" menu. Look for a setting called "Show or Hide" or "Restrict My Identity" or something similar. Depending on the make and model of your phone, the exact wording may be different.
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    Set the option to "Hide" or "Always" depending on what's appropriate and hit "Save."
    • For most non-smart phones, click "Menu" and then choose "Settings." Once inside, find and click "Send my caller id" and change the setting to "No." Save your change if necessary.
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    Contact your mobile provider. You can call your provider directly and request they change your preferences for your phone number. They can also provide assistance with your mobile phone model to know exactly which menus to access.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Hiding Your Number from Publication

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    Sign up for ex-directory. If you have phone service with BT, you can sign up for ex-directory. If you do so, your information will not be included in the phone book and will not be available via directory enquiries nor through online directory service.[2]
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    Register with The Telephone Preference Service (TPS). Sign up for the central opt out register to prevent companies from making unsolicited calls to your number.[3]
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    Contact the ICO. If you are receiving nuisance calls, you can file a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office. The ICO investigates companies violating TPS preferences and assists consumers in stopping nuisances calls.[4]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Concealing Your Number to Inbound Callers

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    Get a second number. You can use a service that "cloaks" your phone number by assigning you a second number. Use the alternative number to give to those you might like to receive a call from but don't know or trust well enough to provide your actual phone number. When they place a call to you, it will be diverted to your true phone number without them being aware of the transfer.
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    Download an app. There are apps available for Android and iPhones that allow you to create a "disposable" phone number. The number will mask your true phone number and not allow calls to be traced back to your phone. You can get multiple phone numbers and discard them at any time.[5]
    • This can be a great option for avoiding spam and maintaining privacy when you're job hunting or posting your number in online ads or social media sites.
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    Sign up for temporary call forwarding. Some service providers allow you assign a temporary number to be forwarded to your primary landline or mobile number. This is a good option if you want to provide an alternative number to a group of people.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    What does "private number" on caller ID mean?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The person calling you has withheld their number by using 141 before dialling. They could be scammers, but many people use it when calling people for the first time.
  • Question
    How do I un-hide my number?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    141 only temporarily hides it- after you call using this your number will be shown the next time you call someone.
  • Question
    How can I hide my mobile number in Facebook Messenger?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Check the options menu. Make sure you deny Messenger access to your calls and call data.
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Warnings

  • Some mobile phone networks don't support this feature, in which case the Hide request will be ignored.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Do not attempt to hide your number and "prank" call emergency services, crisis hotlines, or any other organization designed to help and protect people. It is possible (and very easy) for the Police to track down your number. Making false calls to these services can result in hefty fines or even jail time.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ http://btbusiness.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9325/~/displaying-and-hiding-outgoing-caller-id
  2. ↑ http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8307/~/how-do-i-sign-up-to-ex-directory-services%3F
  3. ↑ http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html
  4. ↑ https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/nuisance-calls/
  5. ↑ http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0128/Android-app-offers-a-super-secret-burner-phone-number

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 38 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 2,255,927 times.
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Co-authors: 38
Updated: September 28, 2022
Views: 2,255,927
Categories: Telephone Numbers
Article SummaryX

To hide your phone number in the UK, dial “141” before dialing the number you want to call to prevent the other person from seeing your number on their caller ID. You can also hide your number for all phone calls by changing the settings in the “Phone Options” menu of your phone. From the menu, set the option to “Hide,” or select “Always,” depending on your device. Alternatively, contact your mobile provider to request that they change your preferences so that your phone number stays hidden for all your calls. To learn how to keep your number from being published in a public directory, read on!

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