| # | USSD Code | Service / Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | *100# (prepaid) / *200# (postpaid) | Main customer menu — account management, SIM queries, product/services menu, self‑care. |
| 2 | *456# | Safaricom unified services menu — access bundles, promotions, services, manage subscriptions, etc. |
| 3 | *234# | Access M-PESA services — send money, withdraw, pay bills, manage account, etc. |
| 4 | *144# | Check airtime balance / available credit. |
| 5 | 141PIN# | Load airtime via scratch‑card top‑up. |
| 6 | 10014# (or 140AmountMobileNumber#) | “Sambaza” — transfer airtime from your Safaricom line to another Safaricom user. |
| 7 | *544# | Data/bundle menu — buy data bundles, purchase bundles (voice/data/SMS), check data bundle options. |
| 8 | 544PIN# | Load data bundles using scratch‑card / PIN (for data top‑up). |
| 9 | *450# (or 4501# by some sources) | Check data/bundle balance. |
| 10 | *445# | Request internet settings (APN / config) for phone or SIM — useful for new phones/SIMs. |
| 11 | *188# | Subscribe to SMS bundles, manage SMS bundle subscriptions. |
| 12 | *126# (or 4563#) | Access Bonga Points — check points, redeem for airtime/data/SMS/phones/offers. |
| 13 | 130 # | Send a “Please Call Me” (flash‑back) message to another number. |
| 14 | *811# | Enroll / manage Skiza Tunes (ringback tunes / caller‑ringback tone) and set your tune. |
| 15 | *555# | Access youth‑tariff / youth‑package menu (Blaze) — affordable airtime/data bundles for youth under certain age. |
| 16 | *400# | Access Safaricom Home Fibre / home‑internet service — check coverage, subscribe, manage bills or subscription via USSD. |
| 17 | *485# | Access Safaricom Business services menu — business internet, fixed 4G/LTE, website/email services, business‑oriented offers. |
| 18 | *444# | Access offers / promotions / deals — data deals, bundles, promotions, hot deals. |
| 19 | *411# | Get alerts / classifieds / news / entertainment alerts / miscellaneous broadcast‑alerts offered by Safaricom. |
| 20 | 100551# | Unsubscribe from marketing / promotional messages (opt‑out). |
| 21 | 1005*4# | Another code used to unsubscribe from certain promotional / marketing SMS. |
| 22 | *131# | Access Okoa Jahazi — airtime advance / credit when your airtime runs out (eligibility criteria apply). |
| 23 | *855# | Access Okoa Stima — borrow prepaid electricity tokens (for KPLC prepaid meters) when your electricity runs out (credit / history based). |
| 24 | 2341*1# | Access M-Shwari loan/savings menu (loan request, check limit, repay, savings) — via M‑PESA integration on Safaricom. |
| 25 | *222# | Activate voicemail service. |
| 26 | ##002# | Deactivate voicemail service. |
| 27 | 62 # | Activate missed‑call alert service (notifications for missed calls). |
| 28 | ##62# | Deactivate missed‑call alert service. |
| 29 | 330000# | Activate call‑barring (outgoing calls). |
| 30 | #33*0000# | Deactivate call‑barring (outgoing calls). |
| 31 | 350000# | Activate call‑barring (incoming calls). |
| 32 | #35*0000# | Deactivate call‑barring (incoming calls). |
| 33 | 3320000# | Bar all incoming calls (except from home‑country numbers) — sometimes used for roaming / safety. |
| 34 | #332*0000# | Deactivate bar on incoming calls except home‑country calls. |
| 35 | 3310000# | Bar all international calls. |
| 36 | #331*0000# | Deactivate bar on international calls. |
| 37 | 350000*16# | Bar all incoming SMS (block incoming SMS). |
| 38 | #35000016# | Deactivate block on incoming SMS. |
| 39 | #330*0000# | Deactivate all types of call/SMS barring previously activated. |
Notes:
- Cognitive Load:
- Human short-term memory can typically handle 7±2 items comfortably. Expecting someone to remember 30–50 codes with precise digits and syntax exceeds that capacity.
- Most people will only remember a few they use regularly (e.g., *234# for M-PESA, *544# for data bundles, *100# for main menu). Everything else becomes “lookup-only.”
- Error-prone:
- Mistyping even one digit in a USSD code can trigger a wrong service or fail entirely. With so many similar sequences, errors are likely.
- Practical Usage:
- This is why people often rely on bookmarks, notes, or phone contacts for USSD codes rather than memory.
- Companies sometimes offer a master menu code (like *100# or *456#) that nests other services, reducing the need to memorize dozens of sequences.
- Design Implications:
- From a UX perspective, USSD-heavy service delivery has high friction — convenient for feature reach but not human memory-friendly.
- It favors frequent users for specific services (e.g., M-PESA transfers) and discourages casual exploration.
