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This wikiHow teaches you how to change your cell phone number for common carriers, including AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
Steps
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Check all of your voicemails and texts. While you may be able to get these forwarded, chances are that you will lose access to text messages, call records, and voicemails as soon as you change phone numbers. Ensure that you have saved any important messages before proceeding.
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Make sure that you're the account manager. In order for you to change the number for a phone on your plan, you must be the account owner or have account manager status.
- If your phone is the only phone on the plan, you're most likely the account owner.
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Open the Change Mobile Number webpage . This will open your account manager page if you're already logged in. [1] X Research source
- If you aren't logged in, first enter your Verizon user ID (or phone number) and password, then click Sign in .
- If you have a prepaid phone, you'll instead go to the Prepaid Change Mobile Number page and skip ahead to the "Enter your ZIP code" step.
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Select a phone line. Check the box next to the number (or phone name) for which you want to change the number, then click Next .
- Skip this step if you only have one phone on your plan.
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Check the Get a new number box. You'll find this near the bottom of the page.
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Click Next . It's at the bottom of the page. Doing so will take you to the ZIP code entry page.
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Enter your ZIP code. If you're keeping your current phone number's area code, simply type in your current ZIP code in the provided text field.
- You can also select a city and state from the drop-down menus here. Do this if you want to change your phone's area code.
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Click Next . It's at the bottom of the page.
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Select an area code and exchange. Click the drop-down menu to select the area code and exchange you would like. The area code is the first three digits, and the exchange is the second set of three digits.
- If you don't see this option, it isn't available for your phone.
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Click Next .
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Select the date you want the change to occur. You can choose to change the number immediately, when your next billing period starts, or any other time within the next 30 days.
- The number change will occur at midnight (EST) on the selected day, unless you choose today, in which case it should happen immediately.
- Skip this step if you aren't prompted to pick a date.
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Click Next .
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Click Submit . It's on the "Review" page. This will confirm your decision to change your number.
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Review the activation instructions. After submitting your number change, look for any activation instructions on the following webpage. You may need to turn off your phone for a few minutes or dial a number to complete the change.
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Call to change your number. Changing your number is free if done online, but you can call and have it changed by a customer service rep for $15. Call 1-800-922-0204 to speak to a representative. [2] X Research source
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Check all of your voicemails and texts. While you may be able to get these forwarded, chances are that you will lose access to text messages, call records, and voicemails as soon as you change phone numbers. Ensure that you have saved any important messages before proceeding.
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Open the Sprint website. Go to https://www.sprint.com/ in your browser. This will open your Sprint home page if you're logged in.
- If you aren't logged into Sprint, click Sign In in the upper-right corner, enter your username and password, and click Submit .
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Click My Preferences . You'll find this option on the "My Sprint" page.
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Click Change phone number . It's below the "Things I can manage online - account" heading.
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Select a phone. Click the number of the phone that you want to want to change.
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Select a reason for changing your number. Click the drop-down menu, then click one of the following reasons:
- I need a new phone number in the same area. - Allows you to keep your current area code.
- I need a different area code for this phone. - Assigns to your phone a new area code.
- I am moving and need to change my phone number and billing address. - This option will require you to update your billing information in addition to assigning a new phone number.
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Click Next . It's at the bottom of the page.
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Confirm the number change. You are not able to select your new number, it will be assigned randomly. Check the box and click "Continue" to confirm that you want to keep the new number. As soon as you confirm, you will no longer be able to retrieve your old number.
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Turn off your phone, then turn it back on. Doing so should activate your new phone number, though you may need to wait until the following day before your old number is fully removed from service.
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Pay for the change. Sprint charges $15 for each number change. You'll see the charge on your next bill.
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Call Sprint to have your number changed over the phone. If you encounter an error on the website or would prefer to speak to a human being, you can dial 1-888-211-4727 to contact customer service and ask them to change your phone number.
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Check all of your voicemails and texts. While you may be able to get these forwarded, chances are that you will lose access to text messages, call records, and voicemails as soon as you change phone numbers. Ensure that you have saved any important messages before proceeding.
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Open the AT&T website. Go to https://www.att.com/ in your browser. This will open your AT&T home page if you're logged in.
- If you aren't logged into your account, click Sign in in the top-right side of the page, then enter your username and password and click Sign in .
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Click your username. It should be in the upper-right side of the page. A drop-down menu will appear.
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Click Accounts & services . It's in the drop-down menu.
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Click the Wireless tab. This will open a list of your current wireless items, including any phones on your plan.
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Select your phone. Click the name (or number) of the phone for which you want to change the number.
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Click Manage device & features . You should see this option above or below the phone's information.
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Click See more device options . Doing so prompts additional options to appear.
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Click Change a wireless number . It's in the additional options group.
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Follow the on-screen prompts. Depending on your plan, you may have to enter your ZIP code, area code, and/or other information about your phone and plan. [4] X Research source
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Select a new number. If prompted, check the box next to a new number that you'd like to use.
- You may have the option of selecting a new area code here as well.
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Click Submit . Doing so will assign to your phone the new number.
- You may have to answer additional questions before or after clicking Submit here.
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Sync your iPhone with iTunes . If you changed the number for an iPhone, you'll need to synchronize it with iTunes before you can use cellular functions such as the voicemail feature.
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Set back up your AT&T features. Changing your number means you will need to reactivate any additional features you have added to your line.
- TXT-2-PAY - You will need to contact TXT-2-PAY with your new number.
- Promotional messages - You will need to opt out of these again if you weren't receiving them.
- Smart Limits - You will need to call or visit an AT&T store to have this feature set up again.
- National Do-Not-Call Registry - You will need to submit your new number if you were previously registered.
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Pay the charge. You will be charged a one-time fee of $36, which will appear on your next monthly bill.
- If you're changing your number within 30 days of buying it, the number change will be free.
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Call if you need to change area codes. If you need to change your area code (if you are moving or for any other reason), you may need to call AT&T customer service. If so, call 1-800-331-0500 to talk to a representative about changing your number.
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Check all of your voicemails and texts. While you may be able to get these forwarded, chances are that you will lose access to text messages, call records, and voicemails as soon as you change phone numbers. Ensure that you have saved any important messages before proceeding.
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Open your phone's "Phone" app. To change your phone number with T-Mobile, you must call their customer service line.
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Call T-Mobile customer service. Dial 1-877-746-0909 into your phone's dialer, then press the "Call" button.
- You may first have to tap a dial pad icon to open the dial pad.
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Follow the audio prompts. You'll first need to choose a language and enter your current T-Mobile phone number, after which point you can listen for the "Service" option.
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Tell the representative that you want to change your number. The rep will most likely ask you some questions about your current number and/or plan, the reason for the change, and any new number preferences (e.g., your preferred area code). Once the representative confirms that they've changed your number, you can proceed.
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Follow the activation instructions. If your customer service representative gave you any instructions on how to activate the number change (e.g., turning off your phone for a few minutes), follow them.
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Pay for the change. T-Mobile charges $15 per number change. You'll see this amount on your next bill. [5] X Research source
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I change my Virgin mobile phone number?Community AnswerContact Virgin Mobile via phone or by visiting a booth, and let them know you wish to change your mobile number. They will ask you questions to confirm you are indeed the owner of the account, and should be able to change you number easily. There may or may not be a fee associated with the change.
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QuestionHow do I change my Metro PCS phone number?Community AnswerDial 611 on your Metro PCS phone and the representative will have the tools to make the change. There may or may not be a charge of $15.
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Tips
- For any carrier, you can call and ask to have your current number changed instead of using the website.Thanks
- Most smaller carriers will require you to call and request a number change rather than using a website.Thanks
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Warnings
- Once you change your phone number, you won't be able to get back your old phone number.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/how-to-change-phone-number-video/
- ↑ https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/faqs/MyVerizon/change-number.html
- ↑ https://www.sprint.com/en/support/solutions/device/change-your-phone-number-area-code-or-address-on-sprint-com.html
- ↑ https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1011568
- ↑ https://www.t-mobile.com/support/account/change-your-phone-number
About This Article
Article Summary
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To change your mobile phone number, log into your mobile provider's website with your username and password, navigate your preferences, select the Change phone number option, and then follow the on-screen instructions. Some providers require you to call customer service or visit an in-store location.
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 280,317 times.
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