How to Activate Verizon Phone by Yourself

Whenever you purchase a Verizon phone for the first time or replace an old one, it is necessary to activate it. The activation process may differ depending on the type of phone or how you choose to do it.

Luckily, Verizon has instituted a simple phone activation process, which anyone can use. If, for some reason, you cannot complete the activation process, you can call or visit the local Verizon store for assistance.

This article discusses how to activate your Verizon phone in three ways – online, via an app, or by telephone. It also details what it takes to activate an Android, iPhone, or feature phone. Could you keep reading to learn more about it?

How to Activate Verizon Phone via Online

Before you can activate a Verizon phone online, you should sign up for the My Verizon Account. You need to open the Verizon website to create this account and sign up for Verizon services. Therefore, you need to keep your sign-in information close. Here are the steps you should take to activate a Verizon phone online:

Step 1: Set Up Verizon Account

After opening www.verizon.com and proceeding to Verizon Registration, enter your 10-digit mobile number and click Continue.

You’ll see the Are You the Account Owner section. If already registered as an account owner, click Continue. Otherwise, select ant of the two options -Yes or No.

Select whether or not you want Verizon to send you a text message with your registration PIN. After entering the registration PIN, click Verify My Account.

Proceed to the Create Profile page and create a USER ID, Password, Confirm Password, enter Email Address, and create a Secret Question with an appropriate answer. After agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, click Complete Registration.

Step 2: Signing-In to My Verizon Account

Go to the Verizon website and select Sign In. to the top-right corner of the page, click My Account. Enter your User ID and Password to sign in to your account.

Click on Activate, Switch, or Bring Your Own Device, then activate a Device on an Existing Line. Next, Click the phone line on which you wish to activate the new device.

Step 3: Checking the Phone for Compatibility

Verizon checks if the phone is compatible with the current line and existing plan. Click Yes if you have ever used the device on your account. If you’re setting it up for the first time, click No. Type the Device ID and click Check Device.

Step 4: Authorization and Activation

Verizon sends a text with a verification code to the phone you intend to activate. Choose the phone to which you want the code sent and select Text Me the Code. Type the code into the website and click Confirm.

Step 5: Checking the SIM Card

You may need Verizon to help you locate your SIM card and SIM ID number. Select Finding SIM Card and SIM ID. If necessary, you can order a new SIM card. Type the SIM ID number followed by Check ID. Once you click Confirm, you will confirm the changes. You can now use your new phone on the Verizon network.

How to Activate a Verizon Phone Via My Verizon App

Apart from the Verizon website, you can activate a Verizon phone via the My Verizon App. You can download the app to your Android or iOS phone goes through the straightforward activation process. Here are the steps you can follow:

Step 1: Go to My Verizon app and tap to open it.
Step 2: Tap Add Device.
Step 3: Select Activate a Device I Already Own.
Step 4: Select the type of device you wish to add.
Step 5: Choose the device’s operating system.
Step 6: Type in the Device ID.

How to Activate a Verizon Phone Via Telephone

If you do not want to activate your Verizon phone online or via the app, you can do it via the telephone. Before making the call, ensure you have your phone, SIM card, and receipt handy. Once you’re ready, go through the following process:

Step 1: Dial 877-807-4646 using any phone.
Step 2: Follow the prompts to activate the wireless service.
Step 3: Insert the SIM card into the new phone. The procedure for inserting the SIM card may vary from one device to another. So, check the user guide that came with your phone.
Step 4: Insert the battery. If your device doesn’t require the insertion of the battery (it could be built-in), skip that step.
Step 5: Place back the cover and charge your device. After that, you can start using your device to make or receive calls.

How to Activate an Android Phone on Verizon Wireless

The process of activating an Android phone on the Verizon Wireless network can be different from other phone types. It requires you to have a Gmail account, so you must register for one if you do not already have it. Then, you can take the following steps to activate your Verizon phone.

Step 1: Insert the SIM card into your new Android phone.
Step 2: Replace the battery where necessary. If your phone has a built-in battery, skip this step.
Step 3: Turn on the Android phone by pressing the power button. Hook it up to a charger if you see a battery icon or the screen doesn’t light up.
Step 4: Enter your Verizon PIN or the last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN), depending on which one is required.
Step 5: Follow the prompts, which can be different for each device. It may require you to sign in to your Gmail account. Set a passcode and select a Wi-Fi network.
Step 6: If you have a replacement phone, restore your Google backup by going through the onscreen instructions.
Step 7: Select Activate Now when prompted. It may take several minutes to activate your Android phone. Once activated, the phone should display Verizon at the top of its screen. You may get a prompt to restore your phone at this point.
Step 8: Activate 4G, a prepaid service plan, or both. That depends on your SIM card and the service plan you currently have. For 4G, you can dial 877-807-4646 and follow the prompts. On the other hand, A prepaid plan requires you to dial 22898 and follow the prompts.

How to Activate An iPhone On Verizon Wireless

Possibly, you have just bought an iPhone. How do you activate it on the Verizon Wireless networks? It’s necessary to back up your old phone. You’ll also need an iCloud account to complete the phone activation process successfully.

Here is the simple procedure you can take to activate an iPhone on the Verizon network:

Step 1: Insert your SIM card into the new iPhone.
Step 2: Turn on the phone by pressing the Power Button. If the phone’s screen doesn’t light up or display a battery outline, plug in the phone.
Step 3: Enter the Verizon PIN or the last four digits of your SSN.
Step 4: Follow onscreen prompts to customize the Language, Country, Location Settings, Wi-Fi network, and Passcode.
Step 5: Restore your backup from iCloud. This step is unnecessary if you have a new phone. Also, if you previously had an Android phone, you can sync the contacts later.
Step 6: Complete the activation process by following the onscreen instructions. Once you’re through, tap Get Started. When the progress bar disappears, you should see Verizon on the screen.
Step 7: Activate 4G, prepaid service plan, or both. That depends on your SIM card’s service plan. You can dial 877-807-4646 to activate 4G or 22898 to activate a prepaid service plan.

How to Activate a Feature Phone on Verizon Wireless

If you have a feature phone, the activation process is nearly the same as that of the Android or iPhone. You may need to back up important information such as contacts by saving it on a computer. After that, you can activate it by going through the following process:

Step 1: Insert a SIM card into your phone, and replace the battery. Suppose you have no idea how to insert the battery. Consult the user manual.
Step 2: Turn on your phone by pressing the Power or Send button. Hold it down until you see the light on the screen.
Step 3: Dial *228, the update number, and press Send.
Step 4: Follow the onscreen or verbal prompts. You can swiftly register your feature phone on the Verizon Wireless network.
Step 5: Restore the backup information by going to Verizon Backup Assistant. Some phones may not support that option. If yours does, open it up and download your data following the onscreen prompts.
Step 6: Activate a prepaid service plan by dialing *22898 and following the resultant prompts.

The Bottom Line

Do you know how to activate a Verizon phone? Whether a smartphone or feature phone, you can start it by taking the simple steps stated above. The good thing is that the procedure doesn’t require you to be a tech geek to do it successfully.

You can activate any phone on Verizon’s website via an app or dial a telephone number. Besides, there are Android, iPhone, and feature-phone-specific procedures to activating your Verizon phone.