How to change your phone number on Verizon

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.

How to change your Verizon phone number

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