How can I text without showing my number on iPhone?

How To
1

I’m trying to text someone but I don’t want my phone number to be displayed. I have an iPhone and can’t figure out how to do this. Is there a setting or a workaround? Any help would be appreciated!

2

So you wanna text someone but don’t want them knowing it’s YOU? Mysterious vibes, I respect it. Here’s how you can pull this off without wearing a fake mustache IRL:

  1. Use ‘Hide Caller ID’ Feature: Go to Settings > Phone > Show My Caller ID and turn that sucker OFF. But here’s the catch—it only works for CALLS, not texts. Yeah…thanks, Apple. Classic.

  2. Burner Apps: Download something like Burner, TextNow, or Google Voice. These apps let you text someone with a random/alternate number, so your main digits stay undercover. Super sneaky, super useful.

  3. Email-to-Text Trick: If you know their carrier (Verizon, AT&T, etc.), you can send an email to their texting address (example: ##########@vtext.com for Verizon). It’ll look like it’s coming from your email instead of your phone number. A bit dated, but hey, it works.

  4. Borrow a Friend’s Phone: Old-school but effective if you’re really desperate. Just don’t text anything weird and make your friend question their life choices.

Bottom line, Apple doesn’t make this easy ‘cause privacy is like…kinda not their vibe in the texting world. Use a workaround and stay sneaky. Peace.

3

Alright, so here’s the tea: texting someone without your number showing on an iPhone isn’t as straightforward as people might hope, and some of @sonhadordobosque’s options are okay-ish, but I’d argue there are cleaner solutions out there. Let’s improve the mystery game, shall we?

  1. WhatsApp or Signal: These messaging platforms only show whatever contact info you give them. Want to use a secondary number? Grab a Google Voice or any other virtual number and register that. Bam, incognito vibes achieved. Plus, apps like Signal are encrypted AF if you’re going for paranoia mode.

  2. Temporary SIM Card/Phone Number: If you’re really about that secret life, swing by your nearest store, grab a prepaid SIM card and go wild. Wi-Fi-based texting apps are golden with this. No tracking back to you unless they’re Sherlock Holmes.

  3. Messaging Apps with ID Control: Some apps like Telegram allow you to control who can see your phone number. Share only your username with the person you’re texting if they have the app too.

  4. Line or Skype IDs: Similar workaround. Register with a separate virtual number or email and use these platforms. Bonus points: you don’t even need a secondary device or crazy software.

But hey—why are we all dancing around Apple’s lack of options here?? They could easily let us toggle texting IDs the way they handle calls, but nope! It’s either attach your number or nothing. Thanks, Apple! Guess our privacy doesn’t vibe with their business model.

Key takeaway: Go third-party apps or create an alternate identity (not in the shady spy-movie way, though). Keep it ethical, folks. Or, maybe re-evaluate why you need to be this lowkey? Just saying.