How to delete your TextNow account
TextNow lets you delete your account through the app or website, and the process takes about five minutes. Once you confirm deletion, your phone number, message history, and call logs are removed from TextNow's servers within 30 days. You cannot undo this — if you delete your account and change your mind later, you will need to create a new one with a different phone number.
Before you delete, read any messages or photos you want to keep. TextNow does not send you a copy automatically, so if there is anything in your account you need later, save it first. After deletion is final, you lose access to that phone number permanently.
Key Takeaways
- Delete your TextNow account through Settings in the app or through your account page on the website — both routes take the same amount of time.
- TextNow removes your data from its servers within 30 days of deletion, but you should read any messages or photos you want to keep before you start.
- Once deleted, your TextNow phone number is gone for good and cannot be recovered, even if you create a new account later.
- If you only want to stop using TextNow but keep your number, you can pause your account instead of deleting it.
- TextNow may keep some data longer if you have an outstanding balance or an active dispute with the company.
Delete through the TextNow app on your phone
Open TextNow and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Go to Settings, then scroll down to find Account. Tap Delete Account and confirm your password when prompted. TextNow will ask you to confirm one more time — this is your final note to change your mind before the deletion begins.
After you confirm, TextNow will log you out when ready. Your account will be marked for deletion, and the company will remove your data from active servers within 30 days. During that 30-day window, you technically cannot log back in, but TextNow may still be able to recover your account if you contact support within a few days.
Delete through the TextNow website
Go to textnow.com and log in with your username and password. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Account Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and look for the Delete Account button. Click it, re-enter your password, and confirm the deletion.
The website route is identical to the app in terms of what happens next — your account is marked for deletion and your data is removed within 30 days. Some people find the website easier to navigate if they are deleting because they want to see all their account details one last time before the account is gone.
What happens to your data after deletion
TextNow's privacy policy states that it deletes your messages, call logs, photos, and account information within 30 days. Your phone number is released back into the pool of available numbers, which means someone else could potentially be assigned that same number in the future. This is standard practice across telecom services, not unique to TextNow.
If you have a paid subscription or an outstanding balance on your account, TextNow may keep billing and payment records longer than 30 days for accounting and legal reasons. The company is required by law to keep some financial records for tax purposes. Your personal messages and call history will still be deleted within the 30-day window.
Pause your account instead of deleting it
If you are not sure whether you want to delete permanently, TextNow offers an account pause option. Go to Settings, select Account, and choose Pause Account. This keeps your phone number and account information intact while you are not using the service. You can reactivate whenever you want without losing your number or your message history.
Pausing is useful if you are switching to a different messaging app temporarily or taking a break from TextNow but think you might come back. You do not pay for service while paused, and there is no time limit on how long you can pause. If you decide later that you do not want the account at all, you can always delete it then.
Before you delete: what to save
TextNow does not have a built-in export feature that sends you all your messages in one file. Instead, you need to manually screenshot or copy any conversations you want to keep. Open each conversation you care about and take screenshots of the messages. For photos, long-press on each image and choose Save to your phone's photo library.
If you have important contact information stored only in TextNow (phone numbers, email addresses, or names), write those down or transfer them to your phone's contacts app before you delete. Once your account is gone, you cannot retrieve this information from TextNow's servers.
What to do if you cannot delete your account
If you see an error message when you try to delete, the most common reason is that you have an active payment or dispute with TextNow. Log out completely, wait a few minutes, and try again. If the error persists, contact TextNow support through the app or at support.textnow.com. Explain that you want to delete your account and ask what is blocking the deletion.
TextNow support typically responds within 24 to 48 hours. They can manually delete your account if there is a technical problem, but they may ask you to resolve any outstanding balance first. If you have a dispute about a charge, you may need to work through that before deletion is possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get my TextNow phone number back after I delete my account?
No. Once you delete your account, your phone number is permanently released and cannot be recovered. If you create a new TextNow account later, you will receive a different phone number. If keeping your number matters, pause your account instead of deleting it.
Will deleting my TextNow account delete messages on the other person's phone?
No. Deleting your account only removes messages from your own TextNow account and from TextNow's servers. The other person will still see the conversation history on their end. If you want to remove a specific message from both sides, you would need to ask the other person to delete it themselves.
How long does it take for TextNow to completely remove my data?
TextNow removes your account data within 30 days of deletion. You are logged out when ready when you confirm deletion, but the company takes up to a month to fully purge your messages, photos, and call logs from its servers. If you have a billing dispute, some records may be kept longer for legal reasons.
What if I delete my account by mistake?
Contact TextNow support when ready at support.textnow.com and explain that you deleted your account by mistake. If you reach out within a few days, support may be able to recover your account before the 30-day deletion window closes. After 30 days, recovery is not possible.
Do I need to cancel my TextNow subscription before I delete my account?
No. Deleting your account automatically cancels any active subscription. You will not be charged after deletion. If you have a paid plan with time remaining, contact support to ask about a refund — policies vary depending on how much time is left on your plan.