Privacy is an essential aspect of life that most people want to maintain. For this reason, some phone users choose to activate a private number when making phone calls. While it may be useful in some situations, there are scenarios when you may need to deactivate private number, especially when calling businesses or government offices.
What is a Private Number?
A private number, also known as a withheld number, is a feature available on mobile phones that allows a user to hide their phone number when making calls. When a user places a call with a private number, the recipient sees “Unknown Number” or “Private Number” on their caller ID instead of the caller's phone number.
Why Deactivate Private Number?
While the private number feature may be useful for ensuring anonymity and privacy, deactivating private number may be necessary for some reasons. For example, some businesses do not accept calls from private numbers, and as such, callers will need to deactivate the feature to make calls to such businesses. Also, for emergency calls or when calling government institutions, private numbers may not work, and the number will need to be deactivated.
Deactivating Private Number on Android Phones
If you are using an Android phone, deactivating private number is usually done by accessing the settings of the phone and locating the ‘Caller ID’ section. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Open the phone app on your Android device
- Click on the three dots icon to access ‘Settings’
- Select ‘Calling Accounts’ or ‘SIM Card Settings’, depending on your device
- Select your SIM card
- Click on ‘Additional Settings’ or ‘Advanced Settings’
- Select ‘Caller ID’ and choose the option that shows your phone number
- Save the changes and exit the settings page
Deactivating Private Number on iPhones
If you are using an iPhone, deactivating private number may require navigating through the settings of your phone. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to deactivate private number on iPhone:
- Open the phone app on your iPhone and click on the ‘Keypad’
- Dial *#31#
- Press the call button
- Your caller ID will now display your phone number instead of ‘Unknown’ or ‘Private'
Conclusion
Deactivating private number is necessary in some situations where anonymous calls are not accepted. Whether you are using an Android phone or an iPhone, deactivating private number should be a simple process by accessing the settings of your device. By following the above steps, you should be able to deactivate private number and display your phone number to the recipient during calls.
