How to Move Your Phone Number to a New Phone

Your phone number stays with your carrier, not your phone

When you get a new phone, your phone number does not automatically move with it. Your number belongs to your wireless carrier — AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or whoever you pay each month. The new phone is just a device that connects to that number. To use your existing number on a new phone, you need to tell your carrier to connect that number to the new device instead.

The process is straightforward if you stay with the same carrier. If you are switching to a different carrier, it takes a few extra steps but is still something you can do yourself. Either way, your number can move within hours or take a few days, depending on your carrier and the time you request the change.

Key Takeaways

Your phone number belongs to your carrier, not your phone, so moving it to a new device means telling your carrier to connect that number to the new phone instead.
If you stay with the same carrier, call customer service or use their app or website to request the number transfer, which usually takes a few hours to a day.
If you switch carriers, you need a transfer PIN from your old carrier before the new carrier can move your number over.
During the transfer, you may lose service for a few minutes to a few hours, so plan the timing if you need your phone for work or emergencies.
Keep your old phone powered on and with service until the transfer is complete, because your carrier may need to contact you if something goes wrong.

Staying with the same carrier

If you are keeping AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or another carrier and just switching to a new phone, contact their customer service. You can call the number on your bill, use their mobile app, or visit a store in person. Tell them you have a new phone and want to move your number to it. Have your new phone's model name and serial number ready — you can find the serial number in the phone's settings under "About Phone" or on the box it came in.

The carrier will set up your number on the new phone. This usually takes a few hours but can take up to a day. During this time, you may lose service briefly. Once it is complete, your old phone will stop working on that carrier's network, and your new phone will receive calls and texts to your number.

If you bought the phone from the carrier itself, they may set up it automatically when you complete the purchase. Ask at the store or check your confirmation email to see if this happened. If it did, you are done — your number is already on the new phone.

Switching to a different carrier

Moving your number to a new carrier is called porting. You keep the same phone number but it now connects through a different company's network. Start by contacting your new carrier and telling them you want to port your number from your old carrier. They will ask for your account information from the old carrier — usually your account number and billing zip code, which you can find on your bill.

Your new carrier will also ask for a transfer PIN from your old carrier. This is a security code that proves you own the number and have permission to move it. Call your old carrier's customer service and ask for your transfer PIN. They may call it a "port PIN" or "porting PIN" — the name varies by company. Write it down and give it to your new carrier. Do not share this PIN with anyone else.

Once your new carrier has your account information and PIN, they submit the port request. Your old carrier has up to one business day to approve it. After approval, the port usually completes within a few hours, though it can take up to a full day. During this window, your service may drop for a few minutes to a few hours. Keep your old phone powered on during this time — if something goes wrong, your old carrier may need to call you to confirm the transfer.

What happens to your old phone

Once your number is active on the new phone, your old phone loses service on that carrier's network. If you want to keep using the old phone, you have a few options. You can switch it to a different carrier by porting your number there (though you can only port to one carrier at a time). You can also insert a SIM card from a prepaid carrier like Mint Mobile or Visible and use it as a backup phone. Or you can straightforward stop using it.

Before you set the old phone aside, back up any photos, contacts, or messages you want to keep. Most phones have a built-in backup feature — iPhones back up to iCloud, and Android phones back up to Google. Once the backup is done, you can wipe the phone clean or leave it as is. The old phone will not work for calls or texts on your old carrier anymore, but it can still connect to WiFi and use apps that do not need a phone number.

Timing and what to expect during the transfer

Plan your transfer for a time when you do not need your phone urgently. Service interruptions usually last only a few minutes, but they can stretch to a few hours if something needs to be fixed. If you rely on your phone for work, do the transfer in the evening or on a weekend when you have a backup way to reach people.

During the transfer, incoming calls and texts may bounce or fail to arrive. People trying to reach you might get a message saying the number is not in service. This is normal and temporary. Once the transfer is complete, everything works normally again. If you do not see service restored after a full day, contact your new carrier's customer service — there may be a delay or a problem that needs to be fixed.

If something goes wrong

The most common problem is a failed port request, which happens when your old carrier does not receive the request or finds a discrepancy in your account information. If this happens, your new carrier will contact you and ask for corrected information. Make sure the account number and billing zip code you provided match exactly what is on your old carrier's bill.

Another issue is a delayed transfer. If your number is not active on the new phone after 24 hours, contact your new carrier and ask for a status update. They can check whether the port is still processing or if it stalled. If it stalled, they can resubmit the request or troubleshoot the problem with your old carrier.

If you lose service and it does not come back after a few hours, restart your new phone. If that does not work, contact your new carrier's customer service. Have your account number, phone number, and the date you requested the transfer ready. They can check the status and may need to reactivate your number manually.

Moving your contacts and data to the new phone

Moving your phone number is separate from moving your contacts, photos, and other data. Most phones have a built-in transfer tool that moves everything at once. When you first set up your new phone, it will ask if you want to restore from a backup or transfer from an old phone. Choose that option and follow the prompts — it usually takes 15 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have.

If you did not use the built-in transfer tool, you can still move your data later. iPhones can restore from an iCloud backup in Settings > General > Transfer or Reset. Android phones can restore from a Google backup in Settings > System > Backup. Both options will move your contacts, messages, photos, and app data to the new phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my old phone while the transfer is happening?

Your old phone will lose service once the transfer completes, so you cannot make calls or send texts on it anymore. During the transfer itself, service may drop on both phones briefly. Keep your old phone powered on in case your carrier needs to contact you, but do not rely on it for calls or texts during the transfer window.

What if I want to keep my old phone number but use a different phone temporarily?

You can port your number to a prepaid carrier like Mint Mobile or Visible and use it on any unlocked phone. This is useful if your new phone is not ready yet or you want a backup. Once your new phone arrives, you can port the number again to your permanent carrier. Each port takes a day or two, so plan ahead if you need continuous service.

Do I need to tell my contacts that my phone number is changing?

No. Your phone number stays the same — only the phone and carrier change. Your contacts do not need to update anything. Calls and texts to your old number will reach you on the new phone once the transfer is complete.

Can I port my number if I still owe money to my old carrier?

Yes. Carriers cannot block a port because of an unpaid bill. However, you will still owe that money, and your old carrier may pursue collection. Pay any outstanding balance before you port to avoid problems later, but the port itself cannot be stopped for debt.

How long does it take to port a number to a new carrier?

The port request takes up to one business day for your old carrier to approve. After approval, the actual transfer usually completes within a few hours but can take up to a full day. Weekends and holidays may add extra time. Your new carrier will give you an estimated completion time when you start the process.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.