How to Get a New Phone Number: Carrier Steps and What to Update

When the number itself is the problem, after harassment, a breakup, or years of spam, changing it is the clean fix. This guide covers how each major US carrier handles the change, what it costs, and what to update so you do not get locked out of anything.

Carrier fees at a glance

Carrier	Where to change it	Cost
Verizon	My Verizon app or website	Free online or in the app, $15 through customer service
AT&T	Your wireless account online	Free within 30 days of activation, then $36
T-Mobile	T-Life app	Up to once a year at no extra charge

Fees and rules are from each carrier's own pages, checked October 25, 2026. They can change, so confirm in your account before you start.

How to change your number with your carrier

The change swaps the number on your existing line. It is not a new plan or a new phone.

Verizon. Account Owners and Account Managers can change the number in the My Verizon app or on the My Verizon website. Verizon says there is no charge online or in the app, and a $15 fee if you call customer service. You choose the area code and prefix, and the last four digits are assigned by availability. Verizon says anyone who calls your old number gets a message that it is no longer in service, and your voicemails or texts may be lost. Contacts and call logs stay on the phone.

AT&T. Sign in to your wireless account, choose Device options, then Change phone number. AT&T says the change is free within 30 days of activation, and after that there is a $36 change fee. You cannot change the number while Wireless Account Lock is on, and AT&T says it cannot transfer your voicemail messages to the new number.

T-Mobile. In the T-Life app, open the Account tab, select the line, then choose Change phone number. T-Mobile's Privacy Center says you can change your number for any reason up to once a year at no extra charge. Check its support page for current limits before you start.

None of these carrier pages promises you can get the old number back, so treat the change as permanent. Banks, shops, and apps that have your old number on file keep sending messages there until you update them.

Before you switch: what to update

Do this before the change, not after. Once a number is retired, you can lose the codes you need to get back into an account.

1. List accounts that use the number. Search your email for sign-in alerts and receipts, scroll back through your texts for sign-in codes, and check your banking, shopping, travel, payment, and social apps.
2. Add a second way to sign in. Where you can, add a recovery email so you are not relying on one number.
3. Update Apple. Apple says you need at least one trusted phone number on file to receive verification codes. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, choose Sign-In & Security, then Two-Factor Authentication, and add the new number before you remove the old one.
4. Update Google. In your Google Account, open Security, then your recovery phone, and edit it. Google says changes may take up to 7 days to take effect, and that it may still offer to send codes to your previous recovery phone for 7 days.
5. Handle WhatsApp. WhatsApp has a Change number feature in the app that moves your account to a new number. Its Help Center says backups made under the old number cannot be used to restore afterward, so make a new backup.
6. Tell your contacts. Send a message from the old number first if you can, then update the number on your contact card.
7. Save what will not carry over. Verizon and AT&T both say voicemail or messages may not move to the new number.

If you only need an extra number

If what you really want is a number to give out, not a replacement for your main one, you may not need to touch your carrier line at all. A second-number app adds a US or Canadian number for calls and texts on the phone you already have, and nothing changes for your banks or contacts. For short-term use, the same idea is often called a burner number. Our guide to getting a second phone number walks through it, and how two numbers can share one phone explains how they live side by side.

HashPhone is an affordable way to do this: a personal second number for one-to-one calls and SMS on iPhone, iPad, and Android, with unlimited talk and text and no ads. 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.

It also makes the next fresh start easier. If the second number fills up with promotional texts, open Settings and tap Change Number. A new number is usually ready within a few seconds for a one-time $2.99 in the US (checked October 21, 2026). The old one is deleted, so move any account that uses it first, and your main number is never touched.

Free options

Google Voice. Google says that if you are in the US, you can choose your own number by searching a city or area code. Setup sends a code by text to a phone you already have, and Google says new numbers also need identity verification with a government-issued ID before you can call or text. Google also says not to use a Google Voice number as a recovery phone for your Google Account.

Public "receive SMS" websites. These show incoming texts on a public page, so anyone can read the codes. Do not use them for anything you care about. Our guide to free phone numbers for verification goes through the options.

FAQ

Can I get a new phone number for free?

Sometimes. Verizon says there is no charge to change your number online or in the app, AT&T says it is free within 30 days of activation, and T-Mobile says you can change it up to once a year at no extra charge. Google Voice and ad-supported apps also offer free numbers with conditions.

Is it possible to get a completely new phone number?

Yes. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile all let account holders change a number. Verizon, for example, lets you choose the area code and prefix, while the last four digits are assigned.

Should I just get a new phone number?

If the number itself is the problem, yes, as long as you are ready to update every account that uses it. If you mostly want to keep your main number out of forms and listings, a second number is usually less work. See how to use a second number for online signups.

How do I get a new phone number instantly?

Carrier changes can be quick. Verizon says an immediate change takes effect right after you finish, with a phone reset. If you only need an extra number, a second-number app like HashPhone can have one ready in a few minutes.

Can I get my old number back after changing it?

Do not count on it. The carrier pages above do not promise recovery, and in HashPhone a deleted number cannot be recovered. To keep your old number and still get a new one, add a second number instead of changing your carrier line.