How to Hide Your Caller ID on Safaricom Kenya’s Network: A Simple Guide

Most of us must have at least in the past if not now been in a situation where they desired to hide our caller ID while reaching out to someone. They way mobile phones are made when someone initiates a call, the recipient would be able to see their names if they had saved that contact in their phone book or at the very minimum see the number that is calling. However, in some I believe very rare instances you might want to call someone without revealing your number to them.

The reasons vary from one person to another, and I must also clarify that some of this approaches are not done in good faith. Safaricom which is the largest Telkom service provider in Kenya by share of subscribers, has a nifty way to hide your caller ID by just following a few prompts initiated via a USSD code. In this guide, I am going to outline how you can easily achieve this feature. This guide is for those who want to hide their phone numbers when calling someone for privacy or any other lawfully allowed reason, we are not liable for those using for malicious purposes.   

Quick Summery

• Concealing your caller ID on Safaricom Kenya network can be achievable through USSD codes, presenting a hassle-free method for those hesitant to delve into their device settings.
• You have the option to hide your identity from specific contacts or activate the feature for all outgoing calls.
• Deactivating private number settings on your phone entails navigating through caller settings, with steps varying based on your Android version.

Concealing Caller ID for Specific Contacts:

To start us off, lets explain the guide for those keen to hide their caller ID’s only to specific people in their contact list. To hide your identity from specific contacts, follow these simple steps:

1. On your Safaricom phone’s dial pad, you’ll need to dial #31# followed by the phone number you intend to call without revealing your identity.
   1. Example: #31#0722000000
2. Secondly, just Initiate the call, and don’t worry about the recipient on the other side being able to see your mobile phone number.

Hiding Caller ID from All Outgoing Calls:

If for whatever reason you want to hide your caller ID from all outgoing calls, then the following process is for you. You’ll need to be aware of this setting as some recipients don’t appreciate callers with hidden identities. They might not receive your phone call at all. The following steps should suffice if you intent to hide your phone number from all outgoing calls:

1. On your mobile phone’s dial pad, enter *31#.
2. You should receive a notification confirming that the caller ID option has been enabled on your phone.

Deactivating Private Number Setting:

If you’ve previously enabled the “hide caller ID” feature but wish to deactivate it, then the following  steps should do:

1. Open your phone’s dialer app and tap on the three dots at the top to access settings.
2. Navigate to “Calls” followed by “GSM Call Settings.”
3. Under GSM settings, tap on “Additional settings.”
4. Locate “Caller ID.”
5. Choose between Network Default, Hide Number, or Show Number based on your preference.

   – Settings may vary depending on your phone’s Android version.

Finally

Understanding the process of making your Safaricom number private grants you control over your communication preferences. Whether you only selectively hide your identity or activate the feature for all outgoing calls, the given guide utilizing USSD codes empowers you to manage your privacy settings effortlessly.