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Steps to Change Phone Number on an iPhone and What to Expect

Dear Apple Community,


For those who have done it successfully, would appreciate your feedback to set me on the right track and confirm what I expect will happen before I change phone number ... for anyone else, your feedback would also be appreciated.


Steps to Change Phone Number

  1. Remove old SIM
  2. Load new SIM
  3. Update phone number in contact card (Contacts)
  4. Update phone number in Apple ID account to ensure 2FA continues working
  5. Respond to any messages on iMac or iPad of your account being accessed with a new number
  6. For those using WhatsApp, follow these steps: https://faq.whatsapp.com/432077284412078/?helpref=faq_content


What Will Happen to iMessages

Your existing conversations will remain unaffected and those you are in active conversations with will not notice anything has changed (i.e. they will not have a new conversation thread started on their iPhone, correct?). For anyone trying to reach you for the first time via iMessage, you will need to notify them of your new number. WhatsApp however will start new conversations at your contact's end; on your end conversations will remain unchanged (same thread).


What Will Happen to SMS Messages

If you reply to an ongoing SMS conversation, it will start a new conversation at the recipient's end. The old conversation will just remain on the recipient's phone ending at the last message you exchanged before changing SIMs.


Thanks for any feedback, much appreciated!

iPhone 13 Pro

Posted on Aug 12, 2022 11:50 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 13, 2022 8:05 AM

L0Y4L1S3R wrote:

Dear Apple Community,

For those who have done it successfully, would appreciate your feedback to set me on the right track and confirm what I expect will happen before I change phone number ... for anyone else, your feedback would also be appreciated.

Steps to Change Phone Number1.
Remove old SIM
2. Load new SIM

You need to activate iMessage again.


To activate iMessage and FaceTime using your Phone number


First, check to know whether you have an SMS plan enabled at least for One SMS with your carrier. Contact your Carrier (Cellular Service Provider) the agency that issued the SIM to you


If your iPhone is used with a carrier not found in the wireless carrier articles, make sure you can send and receive international SMS. (One SMS Only)


If you can't turn on or sign in to iMessage or FaceTime - Apple ...


Similar questions

3 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Aug 13, 2022 8:05 AM in response to PatrickRayes

L0Y4L1S3R wrote:

Dear Apple Community,

For those who have done it successfully, would appreciate your feedback to set me on the right track and confirm what I expect will happen before I change phone number ... for anyone else, your feedback would also be appreciated.

Steps to Change Phone Number1.
Remove old SIM
2. Load new SIM

You need to activate iMessage again.


To activate iMessage and FaceTime using your Phone number


First, check to know whether you have an SMS plan enabled at least for One SMS with your carrier. Contact your Carrier (Cellular Service Provider) the agency that issued the SIM to you


If your iPhone is used with a carrier not found in the wireless carrier articles, make sure you can send and receive international SMS. (One SMS Only)


If you can't turn on or sign in to iMessage or FaceTime - Apple ...


Aug 13, 2022 8:12 AM in response to PatrickRayes

L0Y4L1S3R wrote:

What Will Happen to SMS Messages
If you reply to an ongoing SMS conversation, it will start a new conversation at the recipient's end. The old conversation will just remain on the recipient's phone ending at the last message you exchanged before changing SIMs.

Since iPhone does not store any data on the SIM so nothing will be lost if you change the SIM with a new number.


Ensure Keep Messages forever is enabled in the settings.

Steps to Change Phone Number on an iPhone and What to Expect

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