How to Hide Your Phone Number from a Specific Person

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Smartphone with a contact being blocked, surrounded by privacy and messaging app icons, illustrating how to hide your phone number.


How to Hide Your Phone Number from a Specific Person

Want one person to stop seeing or contacting your phone number? This guide shows practical, legal ways to make your number unavailable to a single contact — on iPhone, Android, messaging apps, and via carriers — plus safer alternatives and tips.

Nobody wants drama in their phone book. Whether it’s an ex, a persistent salesperson, or someone you just don’t want to hear from anymore, there are smart ways to make your number unavailable to one person without going nuclear on your whole life. Below I’ll walk you through the friendly, effective options — from simple phone-blocking steps to carrier tools, messaging app settings, and privacy-minded alternatives.

Quick summary: The easiest way is to block the person on your device and messaging apps. If you need to hide your number from them specifically, that’s harder — you’ll usually need to call from a different/secondary number or use a third-party service. Read on for step-by-step instructions and pro tips.

1) Block the Contact on Your Phone (Fast and Reliable)

iPhone (iOS)
Open the Phone app → Recents or Contacts.
Tap the contact or the ⓘ beside the call.
Scroll down and choose Block this Caller → Block Contact.
This blocks calls, messages, and FaceTime from that number. It’s immediate and effective.

Android (Stock / Most OEMs)
Open the Phone app → tap the number or contact.
Tap the three-dot menu or Details → choose Block number or Block/report spam.
Confirm.
Exact wording varies by phone maker (Samsung, Google, OnePlus), but the basic flow is the same.

Pro Tip: If your touchscreen is acting up while trying to block a contact, check out 10 Proven Solutions to Fix Your Touchscreen Not Working Issue Today to ensure your device is fully responsive.

2) Block in Every Messaging App They Use

Blocking on your phone doesn’t always block apps. Don’t forget these big ones:

  • WhatsApp: Open chat → tap contact name → Block Contact.

  • Telegram: Open chat → tap profile → three dots → Block user.

  • Facebook Messenger: Open conversation → tap name → Block.

  • Signal: Open conversation → tap name → Block.

Tip: Blocking on apps prevents messages and calls inside those apps and usually hides your profile/last seen from that person.

3) Use Do Not Disturb / Focus With Exceptions (Soft Block)

If you want to ignore someone without outright blocking:

  • Create a Focus/Do Not Disturb mode that allows calls only from Favorites or a custom contact group.

  • Don’t add the person to Favorites. Their calls will go to voicemail and notifications remain muted.

This is useful when you want plausible deniability or temporary silence.

For more on optimizing your phone settings for privacy and focus, see 8 Android Settings You Should Turn Off for Better Privacy.

4) Make Your Number Unavailable to Them Specifically — Limitations and Methods

Important: cellular networks don’t let you selectively hide your caller ID from just one contact. You can either:

  • Hide your number from everyone (by disabling caller ID), or

  • Call from a different number (recommended for selective hiding).

Options:

  • Use a secondary number app (Burner, Google Voice, Sideline). Call or text from that number so your real number stays private.

  • Use VoIP services (Skype, WhatsApp call, Google Voice) to call without revealing your mobile number.

  • Anonymous/blocked caller ID: Some phones let you prefix a code (varies by country) to hide your number for that call — but this hides it from everyone, not just one person.

Learn more about protecting your phone’s privacy in How to Stop Apps from Listening to You.

5) Ask Your Carrier for Help (Call Rejection / Number Blocking)

If the contact is harassing or won’t stop, your mobile carrier can often:

  • Block a specific incoming number at the network level (so your phone never rings).

  • Enable spam/auto-blocking features.

  • Place a temporary bar on incoming calls from that number.

Contact your carrier’s support (via app, website, or call) and request number-blocking or nuisance call support. This is especially useful for spam or repeated harassment.

For extra measures, see How to Hide Your Phone Number When Calling for more detailed caller ID options.

6) Use Call-Screening & Third-Party Apps

Apps like Truecaller, built-in Call Screen (Google Pixel), and carrier spam filters can:

  • Identify and auto-filter suspected spam calls.

  • Send unknown callers to voicemail.

  • Allow you to create personal blocklists.

Warning: read app permissions — some apps collect phone metadata.

7) When Blocking Isn’t Enough: Change Your Number or Get a New One

If someone keeps finding ways to contact you (multiple numbers, persistent accounts), consider:

  • Changing your phone number and sharing it only with trusted contacts.

  • Getting a work/secondary line for public-facing uses.

  • Using virtual numbers for classifieds, dating apps, or online signups.

It’s a heavier step, but it’s effective and sometimes necessary.

For long-term phone maintenance, check out The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Android for tips on keeping your device secure and functional.

8) Safety, Legality, and Documentation

If you’re dealing with harassment or threats, document calls/messages (screenshots, call logs) and contact local authorities. Blocking alone may not be enough in dangerous situations.

Don’t use blocking or anonymous tools to break laws or evade legal responsibilities. For workplace or family conflicts, consider mediation or legal advice before taking drastic measures.

9) Practical Checklist: Make Your Number Unavailable to One Person (Step-by-Step)

  • Block contact on your phone (iPhone/Android instructions above).

  • Block on messaging apps they use (WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Signal).

  • Enable Do Not Disturb with a whitelist if you want quiet without total block.

  • Use a secondary number (Burner/Google Voice) if you need to call them back anonymously or make your primary number private.

  • Contact carrier if the person is a spammer or harasser — ask for network-level blocking.

  • Consider legal help if messages or calls are threatening or don’t stop.

Final Thoughts — Keep It Calm and Smart

Making your number unavailable to a particular person is usually simple: block them on phone and apps, use Do Not Disturb, or call from a secondary number. For persistent or dangerous situations, involve your carrier or the authorities.

Remember, technology can help you reclaim your privacy without creating unnecessary drama. For more on keeping your device secure, see 8 Android Settings You Should Turn Off for Better Privacy.



 

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