How to Get a Phone Number on an iPad

People ask this when they want to take a call on a tablet, text from a bigger screen, or give a website a number that is not their main one. The iPad itself has no phone line, so you add one of the two routes below.

Why your iPad does not have a phone number

A Wi-Fi iPad has no cellular hardware and no number at all. A cellular iPad does have a number tied to its data plan. If you open Settings, tap General, then About, Verizon's support page says you will find it listed as the Cellular Data Number.

That label matters. It identifies the data line on your account. Apple's own instructions for phone calls on an iPad do not use that number. They describe relaying calls from an iPhone instead, which is option 1 below.

Option 1: Use your iPhone's number on the iPad

If you have an iPhone with an active carrier plan, this is the simplest route. Your iPad can make and receive the iPhone's calls and show its texts. It is not a new number, though. It is the same number, shown on a second screen.

For calls, Apple lists these steps:

1. On the iPhone, make sure Wi-Fi is on and connected to the same network as the iPad.
2. On the iPhone, open Settings, tap Apps, then FaceTime, and make sure FaceTime is on.
3. Still on the iPhone, open Settings, tap Apps, tap Phone, then Calls on Other Devices. Turn on Allow Calls on Other Devices and switch on your iPad in the list.
4. On the iPad, sign in with the same Apple Account as the iPhone and join the same Wi-Fi network.
5. On the iPad, open Settings, tap Apps, then FaceTime. Make sure FaceTime is on, then turn on Calls from iPhone.

For texts, use Text Message Forwarding. On the iPhone, open Settings, tap Apps, then Messages, tap Text Message Forwarding, and turn on your iPad. Both devices must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple Account. Apple notes the iPhone has to be on and connected to Wi-Fi or a mobile network. If the option is missing, Apple says to turn iMessage off and on, tap Send & Receive, and sign in again. If a device does not use two-factor authentication, a code appears on it that you enter on the iPhone.

Calls need both devices on the same Wi-Fi network, unless your carrier supports Wi-Fi Calling on other devices, which Apple says also requires the same Apple Account on both. Texts only need the iPhone to be on and connected. Either way, the number is still your iPhone's.

Option 2: Give the iPad its own number with an app

If you want a separate number that is not your iPhone's, or you have no iPhone, a second-number app gives the iPad a number of its own. With HashPhone, setup on an iPad looks like this:

1. Download HashPhone from the App Store on your iPad.
2. Create your account.
3. Choose a US or Canadian number. For a US number, you can pick the area code.
4. Review the current offer and renewal price shown to you, then start your plan.
5. Allow notifications and microphone access when asked, so you can take calls and see new texts.
6. Call and text from inside the app.

HashPhone gives you a personal number for one-to-one calls and SMS, with unlimited talk and text and no ads. Its App Store listing says you can make calls and send SMS directly from your iPhone or iPad with no extra SIM card. The number works over the internet, so it suits a Wi-Fi iPad that has no cellular plan.

It is also affordable. US prices are $2.99 a week, $6.99 a month, or $24.99 a year, which is about $2 a month on the yearly plan, checked October 25, 2026. Here is the current trial status:

Want a different number later? Open Settings and tap Change Number. Each change is a one-time purchase ($2.99 in the US), and the old number is deleted.

For more on how this works without a SIM, see how to use a second phone number without a SIM. Our guide to adding a second number on an iPhone covers the same app setup, and how to text from a different number explains what people see when you message them.

What about FaceTime and iMessage?

An iPad can place FaceTime calls and send iMessages without a SIM, using your Apple Account. Open Settings, tap Apps, and choose Messages or FaceTime, then sign in if prompted.

This is not a phone number, though. It only reaches people on Apple devices, and Apple's page on adding a phone number to Messages or FaceTime says a phone number there needs an active SIM or eSIM. The number is set up on the iPhone, and the iPad then turns it on in the "You can be reached" section. On its own, an iPad can be reached at your Apple Account email instead.

Which option fits

Your situation	Best fit	Same number as your iPhone?	Needs an iPhone?
Want your iPhone's calls and texts on the iPad	Option 1: iPhone relay	Yes	Yes
Want a separate number, or have no iPhone	Option 2: second-number app	No	No
Only talk to Apple users	FaceTime and iMessage	Uses your Apple Account, or the iPhone's number if set up	No

If you are weighing a separate line against your main one, our piece on running two phone numbers on one phone explains the trade-offs.

Common questions

Can I use my iPad as a telephone?

Yes, in two ways. You can relay your iPhone's calls to it, or you can use an app that makes calls over the internet. Either way the iPad needs a connection. FaceTime audio also works between Apple devices.

Why does my iPad not have a phone number?

Because it was not built as a phone. A Wi-Fi model has no cellular line. A cellular model has a data number on your account, which appears as the Cellular Data Number in Settings, and it is not what Apple's call setup uses.

Does a cellular iPad have its own phone number?

It has a number for the data plan, shown under Settings, General, About. Apple's steps for calling on an iPad rely on an iPhone instead, so do not expect that number to behave like a normal mobile line. Your carrier can tell you what your plan includes.

How do I add a mobile number on my iPad?

You cannot register a new carrier number on the iPad alone. Either turn on your iPhone's number for the iPad (option 1) or use a second-number app for a separate number (option 2).