Messenger is a popular messaging app owned by Meta (formerly Facebook) that allows you to easily connect with friends and family. When you use Messenger, your phone number is displayed to any contacts you message or call unless you specifically choose to hide it. There are a few different options for hiding your phone number on Messenger so you can protect your privacy and avoid unwanted calls or messages.
Should I hide my phone number on Messenger?
There are a few key reasons you may want to hide your phone number on Messenger:
– Privacy – Hiding your number prevents people you don’t know well from seeing your personal contact information. This gives you more control over who can reach you directly.
– Avoid spam – Displaying your number publicly means anyone can use it to call or text you, even spammers or scammers. Hiding it reduces unwanted contacts.
– Personal preference – You may just feel more comfortable not openly sharing your phone number with all Messenger contacts.
However, there are also some drawbacks to consider:
– Reduced connectivity – Hiding your number makes it harder for new contacts to call or text you if needed.
– Complicated relationships – For friends, family or romance, hiding your number can imply distance or lack of interest.
– Emergency contacts – In crucial situations, an easily visible phone number enables people to call you quickly.
Overall, it’s a personal decision based on your priorities and messaging habits. If privacy is paramount, hiding your number makes sense. But weigh the potential impact on your relationships and accessibility as well.
How to hide phone number on Messenger
There are three main ways to hide your phone number on Messenger:
1. Adjust profile settings
The easiest option is to change your Messenger profile settings so your number is no longer visible:
– Open the Messenger app and tap your profile picture (top left)
– Scroll down and tap ‘Privacy’
– Tap ‘Phone number’
– Select ‘No One’ to hide from all contacts or ‘My Contacts’ to show only to your connections
This instantly removes your phone number from your Messenger profile. But contacts you’ve previously messaged will still see your existing chat thread with your number.
2. Remove number from existing chats
To hide your number from current chat threads:
– Open the Messenger thread you want to edit
– Tap your name at the top of the thread
– Tap ‘Remove’ to delete your phone number
Repeat this in every thread you want to remove your number from. All new messages will have your number hidden.
3. Use Messenger Kids
Messenger Kids is a safer version of Messenger made for children. It never shows your phone number:
– Download the Messenger Kids app
– Create an account with parent approval
– Number remains private in all messages
The downside is you can only message other users of Messenger Kids. But it guarantees total phone number privacy.
Does hiding your number on Messenger also hide it on Facebook?
No, your Messenger and Facebook settings are separate:
– Hiding your number on Messenger doesn’t affect Facebook
– You need to change settings in both apps to hide your number fully
– Facebook privacy settings let you control number visibility separately
So even if you hide your phone number on Messenger, people may still see it if you have it set to public on your Facebook profile. Make sure to double check your visibility settings in both apps.
Can people find my hidden number on Messenger?
If you completely remove your phone number from Messenger, there is no way for contacts to see it directly in the app anymore. However, it’s still possible for them to find your number through other methods:
– Checking previous Messenger threads that displayed your number
– Looking at contact details stored in their phone
– Finding your publicly listed number on sites like Facebook
– Using reverse phone lookup services
– Asking mutual friends who have your number
In other words, hiding your number on Messenger makes it private within the app itself. But anyone who previously had access to it could still retrieve it through other channels. There is no way to guarantee your number remains 100% hidden after sharing it.
Should I block contacts instead of hiding my number?
Blocking specific people on Messenger prevents them from viewing your profile or contacting you. It’s an alternative to hiding your number from everyone.
Potential advantages to blocking contacts vs. hiding your number:
– Selectively blocks individuals without affecting all your relationships
– Completely severed contact with certain people you want to avoid
– Allows you to keep number visible for trusted contacts
However, key differences include:
– Blocking is irreversible, while hiding your number can be changed at any time
– Hiding number provides more complete privacy from spam
– Blocking notifies the blocked contact, hiding your number does not
– Blocking prevents any communication, hiding number still lets you message each other
Overall, blocking is better for completely removing specific undesirable contacts. Hiding your number is better for controlling general privacy without disrupting your overall Messenger use.
Can I hide my number for voice and video calls?
Yes, Messenger gives you options to keep your number private on calls too:
For voice calls:
– Open your call settings in Messenger
– Toggle ‘Caller ID’ off
This hides your number on all outgoing voice calls.
For video calls:
– Open the video call screen
– Tap ‘Don’t Show My Number’ before calling
You need to disable caller ID each time you make a video call.
An alternative for complete call privacy is using a call/texting app like Google Voice as your Messenger calling method instead of your real phone number.
What happens when I message someone with my number hidden?
When messaging new contacts with your number hidden:
– Your messages will show as coming from your chosen Messenger ID (often your name)
– You will show up as “Facebook User” in their contacts list rather than your phone number
– There will be no indication your number is hidden
In group chats with hidden number:
– You will be listed in the group as your Messenger ID instead of number
– New people added won’t see your number in previous messages
The conversation flows normally. The only difference is your number stays private.
Can I selectively hide my number from specific contacts?
Unfortunately, Messenger doesn’t let you choose to show your number to some people but not others. The settings apply universally:
– You can’t pick and choose who views your number
– It’s either hidden from everyone or visible to all your contacts
This all-or-nothing approach is less flexible. But it also means you don’t have to keep track of who can and can’t see your number.
If you need more selectivity, you’ll have to block contacts individually that you want to hide your number from permanently.
What if someone I know messages me and can’t see my number anymore?
If an existing contact can no longer see your phone number after you hide it on Messenger, there are a few ways you can share it with them directly:
– Send them your number in a Messenger message
– Provide your number through another app (text, WhatsApp, etc)
– Temporarily change your Messenger settings to show your number to contacts again
– Call them so they see your caller ID (if you didn’t disable it)
– Update your info in their phone contacts if they previously had it
Having to re-share your number is inconvenient. But it allows you to selectively provide it only to trusted contacts who actually need it.
Can I get in trouble for hiding my number on Messenger?
There are no rules against hiding your phone number on Messenger. Some key points:
– It doesn’t violate Messenger’s terms of service or any laws
– You can’t get banned or kicked off Messenger for hiding your number
– It’s a built-in privacy option just like profile or audience settings
– Messenger has no way of knowing if your number is hidden
– You retain full functionality of Messenger without your number shown
So there are no risks or potential penalties for choosing to make your number private on Messenger. It’s simply a personal preference the app enables you to set.
Is hiding my number on Messenger permanent?
No, you can re-enable your phone number visibility in Messenger at any time:
– Go back into your Messenger privacy settings
– Tap ‘Phone number’ and change the setting from ‘No One’ to ‘My Contacts’
– Your number will again be visible to all your contacts
It takes just a few taps to reverse the process. So don’t worry about hiding your number being a permanent change you can never undo.
You have total control to hide or unhide your phone number on Messenger as often as you want.
Conclusion
Hiding your phone number on Messenger lets you take control of your privacy. It removes an avenue for unwanted contact without severely limiting your Messenger use.
Just be aware that previous message recipients may retain your number even if it’s now hidden. And blocking specific problematic contacts is still an option if needed.
Overall, keeping your personal info like your phone number private is wise in the age of messaging apps. Messenger makes it easy to do this while still enjoying seamless communication with your true friends and family.