Get your texting number

Choose and confirm the texting number included in your plan, manage replacements and check carrier verification.

In the sidebar, open Settings, then choose Phone Lines under Communications. The page address is /settings/communications/phone-numbers. The card titled Your texting number sits at the top of the page.

Before you start

• Texting has to be part of your plan. If it is not, the card says so and points to the plan page.
• Your role needs permission to manage the texting number. Without it the card shows the status and says an owner or admin can get the number.
• Activating or restoring a plan makes number selection available; it does not assign a number automatically.
• With more than one branch, each active branch gets its own card and can choose its own number, so replies stay with the branch. Work with no branch uses the default branch's number.

Steps

1. Press Get your texting number on the card. With branches, the button names the branch instead.
2. Choose the Country and enter an area code such as 343 if you want a local number.
3. Press Find available numbers, then choose the exact number from the results. If none match, try another area code.
4. Press Continue. Check the number and the confirmation that it is included in your plan, then press Confirm number.
5. Wait for Your texting number is ready. Check the confirmed number and press Done. Customers can text it back; replies appear in Texts.
6. If the number is toll-free (it starts with 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877 or 888), read the US toll-free verification box. US carriers only deliver texts from a toll-free number once the business behind it is verified. Press Check status to refresh it; it reads Not verified yet, then that the verification is in review, then Verified for texting.

What you see

• The number is used for automatic customer texts and for texting from conversations, unless you pick another of your numbers under Texts come from on Customer messages (Choose the number and inbox customer messages come from). Replies show under Texts.
• Replace number opens the same number selection. A replacement needs Nova approval and an extra-number allowance because the old number remains in its courtesy period. The old number stays active if acquiring the replacement fails. Confirm the change only when you mean it.
• Release number gives the number up. Customer texts stop until you get a number again; confirm with Release.
• A released number still held for its cancellation or courtesy period uses an allocation slot. Reactivate it in Phone Lines to keep it, or request Nova approval and an extra allowance before selecting a replacement. Releasing and getting another number does not bypass your allowance.
• The number also appears as a line further down in the Phone Lines list, where you can name it, assign people and set voicemail. See Set up who answers a phone line and where calls go.

If something looks different

• The card shows a reason and Try again: open selection and choose a number again. Availability can change before confirmation. Nova never replaces your choice with an arbitrary number; repeated failures stop automatic retries.
• The verification box says the verification was declined: check the business details and try again.
• You want a specific area code: enter it during number selection. A second or paid number needs Nova approval and available room in your allowance; see Buy a phone number.
• You already have a business number you want to keep: see Transfer your existing phone number to Nova.

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