Temporary phone number
Definition
A number you use for a short time, often one verification, before it is returned to the provider and reassigned.
Temporary phone number, explained
A temporary phone number is rented or borrowed for a short period, usually to receive a single verification code, and then released. Afterwards the provider recycles it, so you cannot receive future codes on it. That makes it useful for keeping your personal number off a sign-up, but unsuitable as a recovery number for an account you keep for years. With Noir SMS, each temporary number is reserved for 20 minutes for one service; if no SMS arrives in that time, the charge is refunded to your balance. If you keep the account, add your own number, an email or an authenticator app afterwards.
Related terms
Disposable number
A phone number meant to be used briefly and thrown away, so your personal number stays private.
Number recycling
When a phone number that someone stopped using is reassigned to a new subscriber or user.
SMS verification
Confirming that you control a phone number by entering a code the service texts to it.
Where you'll meet this term
Temporary Phone Numbers for Verification: What They Are and When to Use One
What a temporary phone number for verification is, whether it's legal and safe, what it can't do, and how to pick a trustworthy provider.
Read the guide →Safety & privacyIs It Safe to Use a Virtual or Temporary Phone Number?
Are temporary and virtual numbers safe for verification? The real risks (recycling, recovery, public inboxes) and how to use one safely.
Read the guide →Safety & privacyIs It Legal to Use a Temporary Phone Number for Verification?
Is it legal to use a temporary or virtual phone number for verification in the US, UK and Canada? What's lawful, what's not, and terms of service.
Read the guide →Getting startedCan You Reuse a Temporary Phone Number?
Whether you can reuse a temporary number for another code, another app or a later login, what happens after it expires, and how to avoid lockouts.
Read the guide →Disposable email vs Temporary phone numberDisposable email vs a temporary phone number for sign-ups
Disposable email handles sites that ask only for an email. When a sign-up demands SMS, you need a phone number. How to choose for each account.
See the comparison →