Discover the Truth: Does 141 Really Work on Mobiles in the UK?
On most UK mobile networks, 141 does not reliably work to withhold your number. It functions consistently on landlines, but mobile networks handle caller ID suppression differently, and several carriers simply do not support the prefix at all.
What does 141 actually do?
Dialling 141 before a phone number tells the network to hide your caller ID from the person you are calling. On a BT landline, this works every time. On a mobile, the picture is much murkier.
Does 141 work on UK mobile phones?
The short answer is: sometimes, but you cannot rely on it. Reports from real users paint a conflicting picture. One contributor on the Samsung Community forum argues that "141 is network driven and is national in the UK. So if you are UK using a UK SIM card it should work fine." A reasonable position, but it does not match what other users actually experience.
On iD Mobile, the community forum is clear that 141 does not work to withhold a caller's number. A MoneySavingExpert forum contributor makes the same claim more broadly, saying 141 does not work from mobile phones in the UK at all. A Plusnet community thread goes further, reporting that dialling 141 on mobile caused calls to fail entirely, connecting to neither landlines nor mobiles.
So the evidence leans against 141 working on mobiles, with at least two named networks (iD Mobile and Plusnet's mobile service) confirmed as non-functional.
What should you do instead?
If you want to withhold your number on a mobile, the reliable method is to disable CLI (Caller Line Identification) directly in your phone's settings rather than using a prefix code. iD Mobile's own community team advises exactly this. On most Android phones, the option sits under Phone app settings, then Calls, then Additional settings. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Phone, then Show My Caller ID and toggle it off.
This approach works at the handset level and does not depend on your network supporting a dialling prefix.
Landline vs mobile: why the difference?
Landline networks were built with 141 support baked in from the start. Mobile networks use different signalling systems, and whether a prefix code like 141 gets passed through depends on how each carrier has configured its infrastructure. There is no Ofcom requirement forcing mobile operators to honour it, which is why behaviour varies from one network to the next.
If withholding your number on every call matters to you, use the phone settings toggle rather than 141. It is the only method that works consistently across UK mobile networks in 2026.
141 is network driven and is national in the UK. So if you are UK using a UK SIM card it should work fine.
Frequently asked questions
- does 141 work on mobile phones UK
- No, 141 does not reliably work on most UK mobile networks. While it works consistently on BT landlines, mobile carriers handle caller ID suppression differently, and networks like iD Mobile and Plusnet do not support the 141 prefix at all. Some users report that dialling 141 on mobile causes calls to fail completely.
- why doesn't 141 work on my mobile
- Mobile networks in the UK do not universally support the 141 prefix for number withholding, unlike landlines. Each network handles caller ID suppression differently, and many simply do not have this feature enabled. Check your specific network's settings or contact their customer service to confirm whether they support 141.
- how to hide your number on UK mobile phone
- Instead of using 141, disable CLI (Calling Line Identification) directly from your phone's settings, which is the method recommended by mobile networks like iD Mobile. Alternatively, contact your mobile provider to ask if they offer a number-withholding service through their account settings. This approach is more reliable than attempting to use the 141 prefix.
- does 141 work on iD Mobile
- No, 141 does not work on iD Mobile. The iD Mobile community forum confirms that the 141 prefix does not withhold your caller's number on their network. Users are advised to disable CLI from their phone settings instead.
- 141 not working on Plusnet mobile
- Plusnet's mobile service does not support 141 for number withholding. Users have reported that dialling 141 on Plusnet mobile causes calls to fail entirely, preventing connection to both landlines and other mobiles. Use your phone's built-in privacy settings instead.
Was this article useful?
Thanks — your feedback was recorded.
Sources
- Withhold valley ID | iD Mobile Community (community.idmobile.co.uk)
- Mobile carrier / service provider that lets customer disable caller ID from their own device? — MoneySavingExpert Forum (forums.moneysavingexpert.com)
- 141 on mobile network, does not let the call go th... - Plusnet Community (community.plus.net)
- Withholding your number - Samsung Community (eu.community.samsung.com)
Comments
0 comments
Loading comments…