*67 Does What? How to Block Your Number on iPhone & Android

Pick up your phone and dial *67 before a number — it sounds like a secret code from the 1990s, and in a way it is, but this three-digit prefix still works on millions of phones across the U.S. to hide your caller ID from the person you’re calling. Whether you’re responding to a classified ad, calling from a work line, or just want to keep your number private for one conversation, *67 remains a free and straightforward tool — though as smartphone settings have evolved, it’s not always the only option.

Caller ID displayed as: “Restricted” or “Blocked” ·
Coverage: All major U.S. carriers ·
Cost: Free to use ·
Effect duration: Single call only ·
Device support: iPhone, Android, landline

Six facts tell the story of *67 in a glance — from what it does to where it falls short.

Can someone see my number if I use *67?

How *67 blocks caller ID

• *67 sends a “Calling Number Delivery Blocking” signal to the phone network, instructing it to withhold your number from the recipient (NANPA).
• The effect is temporary — it applies only to that single call (AT&T Support).
• Your phone number is never sent to the called party’s device, so their caller ID display never receives it.

What does “Restricted” mean?

• When *67 works correctly, the person you call sees “Restricted,” “Blocked,” or “Private” instead of your phone number (Spectrum Support).
• They cannot call you back using the displayed ID — there’s no number to redial.
• Some recipients have their phones set to automatically reject restricted calls, which means the call may not go through at all (Google Phone App Support).

The implication: *67 gives you one-time privacy from the person you’re calling, but it also flags your call as intentionally anonymous — which some people choose to ignore.

Does *67 work on iPhone and Android?

How to use *67 on iPhone

• Open the Phone app and enter *67 followed by the full phone number (including area code), then tap Call (AT&T Support).
• Alternatively, you can hide your caller ID for all calls by going to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and toggling it off (Kim Komando).
• The *67 method only affects that one call, while the Settings toggle blocks your number on every outgoing call until you turn it back on.

How to use *67 on Android

• Open the Phone or Dialer app and dial *67 before the number, then press Call (AT&T Support).
• Android users can also hide their number permanently through the Phone app’s settings: open the three-dot menu, go to Settings > Caller ID, and select “Hide number” (Kim Komando).
• Some carrier or device configurations may override the *67 command; testing a call to a friend is the quickest way to confirm it worked.

Does *67 work with all carriers?

• All major U.S. carriers — including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile — support the *67 prefix (Spectrum Support).
• Most prepaid and MVNO carriers (like Cricket, Metro, and Mint Mobile) also support it, though some budget plans may have restrictions (Ting Help Center).
• If you’re using a VoIP service like Google Voice or a work PBX system, *67 may not work the same way — check your provider’s documentation.

What this means: *67 works across the vast majority of U.S. carriers and devices, but if you want to hide your number on every call, the Settings toggle on your phone is more reliable than dialing *67 each time.

Does *67 cost money?

Is *67 free to use?

• Yes — **there is no per-use charge** for dialing *67 on any major U.S. carrier (AT&T Support).
• It is included in your standard voice plan at no extra cost (Kim Komando).
• Neither your carrier nor any third party charges a fee for using star codes.

Does *67 require a subscription?

• No subscription or plan upgrade is needed — *67 works on the most basic postpaid and prepaid plans (Ting Help Center).
• Some very old or limited prepaid plans may have charged per-use fees in the past, but that practice is effectively extinct in the U.S. market.
• If you’re on a business or enterprise plan, check with your administrator — some corporate lines restrict star codes for security reasons.

The trade-off: *67 is free and requires no subscription, but it asks you to form a habit. If you forget to dial it, your number goes through normally.

Can you be tracked with *67?

Can law enforcement trace *67 calls?

• Yes — while *67 hides your number from the recipient, your carrier still records the call metadata, including your number, the called number, and the call duration (AT&T Support).
• Law enforcement can obtain these records through a subpoena or court order (Kim Komando).
• *67 is not a tool for anonymity — it only blocks caller ID display on the receiving end.

Does *67 protect your number from all forms of tracking?

• No — your phone company maintains a full log of every call you make, regardless of whether you used *67 (NANPA).
• Emergency services (911) always receive your number even if you dial *67 before calling — the code cannot block caller ID from emergency responders.
• Third-party apps and websites that you call through (such as a business’s phone system) may also capture your number through ANI (Automatic Number Identification) services, which bypass *67.

The pattern: *67 blocks your number from showing up on someone’s phone screen, but it does nothing to hide your identity from the phone network, emergency services, or law enforcement.

What do other star codes like *82 and *77 do?

*82: unblock caller ID

• Dialing *82 before a number **reverses a *67 block** — it unblocks your caller ID for that specific call if you normally have caller ID blocking enabled (AT&T Support).
• It works the same way as *67: dial *82 + number, and your number will show up even if your default settings hide it.
• This is useful when you need to call a business or service that screens restricted numbers.

*77: anonymous call rejection

• *77 activates **Anonymous Call Rejection**, which blocks incoming calls from numbers that are restricted or private (NANPA).
• Once enabled, callers using *67 will hear a message saying the person they’re calling does not accept blocked calls.
• To turn it off, dial *87 (NANPA).

#002#: deactivate all call forwarding

• The code #002# cancels all types of call forwarding on your line — including unconditional, busy, no-answer, and unreachable forwarding.
• It is a standard vertical service code recognized by most U.S. carriers, though not directly related to caller ID privacy.
• Use it if you’ve previously set up forwarding and want to clear everything at once.

Five star codes, one pattern: each one gives you a per-call or per-feature toggle for caller ID and call handling — no apps, no menus, just a few digits.

Comparing the most common star codes side by side shows how they relate.

The result: *67 and its counterparts give you granular control over caller ID, but each comes with trade-offs.

How to use *67: step-by-step instructions

1. Step 1: Open your phone’s dialer or Phone app.
2. Step 2: Type *67 (asterisk, then 6, then 7).
3. Step 3: Enter the full phone number you want to call, including the area code.
4. Step 4: Tap the Call button. The recipient will see “Restricted” or “Private” instead of your number (AT&T Support).
5. Alternative — permanent block on iPhone: Go to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and toggle it off (Kim Komando).
6. Alternative — permanent block on Android: Open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, go to Settings > Caller ID, and select “Hide number” (Kim Komando).
7. Tip: Test the feature by calling a friend first — ask them what they see on their screen.

By following these steps, you can reliably hide your number for a single call.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s still unclear

“To block your caller ID for a specific call, enter *67 before the number you want to call.”

— AT&T Support (U.S. carrier documentation)

“*67 temporarily changes the public/private status indicator of a directory number for the called party.”

— NANPA (North American Numbering Plan Administrator)

“When you use *67, the person you’re calling may see ‘Private’ or ‘Anonymous’ instead of your phone number.”

— Spectrum Support (cable and phone provider)

“*67 is a landline-era code that still functions on modern smartphones, but carrier or device settings can sometimes override it.”

— Apple Community (user forum)

For the person who wants to keep their number private on a specific call without changing their phone’s settings, *67 still delivers. For anyone who blocks restricted calls habitually, the code becomes invisible — the call simply won’t connect. What Is Identity Theft? is a related topic worth reading if you’re concerned about broader phone-number privacy.

These answers cover the most common questions about *67 and caller ID blocking.