How many accounts can one phone number have?
In short
- On WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal your number is the account, so one number means one account.
- Discord lets a number be on one account at a time; Google limits how many accounts one number can verify.
- Hit the limit? Take the number off the old account, get back into that account, or use a different number.
Apps limit how many accounts one phone number can make, to cut spam and fake accounts. The rules differ from app to app.
One number, one account
- WhatsApp: your number is your account, and a number can be on one WhatsApp account at a time. See WhatsApp’s “already registered”.
- Telegram and Signal: each account is tied to the number it registered with.
- Discord: a phone number can be registered with one Discord account at a time; take it off the other account to reuse it.
A cap on how many
Google limits how many accounts a number can verify. Past the limit you see “This phone number has already been used too many times for verification.” See Google’s “used too many times”.
Check the app’s rules
Some apps allow one account per person, whatever the number. Upwork, for example, says creating a new account is against its terms. See Upwork phone verification.
When you hit the limit
- Take the number off the old account, if you can still sign in.
- Or get back into the old account instead of making a new one.
- Or use a different number. See a number already linked to another account.
Using a one-time number
Each number from ReserveSMS is bought for one app, from $1. Where the number is the account, as on WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal, the app may text it again when you sign in on a new phone, and ours receive codes for 20 minutes only. Set up the app’s other ways in straight away: see keeping an account after a temporary number.
Common questions
Can I use one phone number for two WhatsApp accounts?
No. WhatsApp uses your number as your account, and a number can be on one WhatsApp account at a time.
How many Discord accounts can one phone number have?
One at a time. Discord says to remove the number from the other account before using it on a new one.
Why does Google say my number has been used too many times?
Google limits how many accounts one number can verify. Use another number, or wait and try the same one again later.