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How to change your phone number on Verizon

It's surprisingly simple to leave your old number behind for good.
By

Published onApril 20, 2023

Many people spend years with the same phone number, bringing it from carrier to carrier. There’s usually no reason to change in the smartphone era. If the need arises though, you can do so without too much effort. Here’s how to change your phone number on Verizon.

Note that if you’re looking to port a phone number to Verizon, only some of these steps apply. You’ll want follow the web procedure, in fact.

QUICK ANSWER

The fastest way to change your Verizon phone number is to log into your My Verizon account. Select Manage device on the phone you want to change, and choose Change mobile number. Perform a quick authorization to continue the process. Select the first six digits of your phone number based on your zip code. Finish your new number with four more digits from a drop-down menu. Now choose a date that you want the phone number change to take effect from.


JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

How to change your Verizon phone number

Verizon Wireless logo stock image 1

Verizon makes life pretty easy when you want to change your number. There are two ways to do so, and they both follow similar steps. We’ll break down both methods for you below.

Keep in mind that your contacts will no longer be able to reach your old phone number. Verizon doesn’t automatically forward messages, so you’ll want to let everyone know that you’re changing. You’ll also have to be an account manager to change your phone number, which means children can’t do so unsupervised.

Using the My Verizon app

The My Verizon app might be the easiest and most accessible way to change your phone number. Log into the app and follow these steps:

  • Select Manage device on the phone you want to change. In some cases, you may need to hit Manage all devices first.
  • Scroll down to Preferences and select Change mobile number.
  • Enter your zip code and choose the first six digits of your new number from the Phone number drop-down menu.
  • Tap the New phone number drop-down menu to pick the last four digits of the new number, then hit Done.
  • Tap Next.
  • Choose the date you want the number change to take effect, such as a specific day or your next bill.
  • Choose a device to send an SMS authorization code to, followed by Send code.
  • Once you’ve got the code in hand, enter it and hit Next.
  • Go over details of the switch, then hit Confirm.
  • Restart your phone, and wait about 2 minutes while it updates. In the interim, you’ll get a confirmation email with additional instructions.

On the web

If you’d prefer to change your phone number via a web browser, the steps are almost identical. Head to vzw.com and log into your account. Now, follow these steps:

  • Click Manage device on the phone you want to change.
  • Locate and select Change mobile number under the Manage device options.
  • Choose your phone again on the Change mobile number page.
  • Select either Get a new number or Transfer an existing number.
  • Enter your zip code and select the first six digits of your new phone number.
  • Choose the remaining four digits from a drop-down menu.
  • Confirm your decision and wait for Verizon to update your number.

There you go, one shiny new Verizon phone number. Remember, it can take a few hours for the change to go into effect. In the meantime, sit tight and wait for Verizon to do its thing.

Is it free to change your Verizon number?

There’s no charge for using the My Verizon app or the web service. If you call customer service to do it, however, there’s a $15 fee — presumably to minimize call center traffic and help pay the people who answer.


FAQs

This can happen at times, but normally all you have to do is restart your phone. It should work properly once restarted, but as a last-ditch effort, you can reset network settings. You’ll lose saved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pairings.

Verizon numbers are surprisingly quick to change. The whole process takes between 4 and 24 hours, but you can still use your old phone number while you wait. You’ll be able to place outgoing calls, but other contacts will not be able to make incoming calls to you.

No, you won’t lose your contacts if you change your phone number. However, your contacts will not automatically know what your new number is. It’s best to let contacts know that you’re changing your number and give them your new digits ahead of time if possible. Remember also to update your Android or iOS contact card.

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