Change Your Phone Number With Social Security

To change your phone number with Social Security, first determine whether the number belongs to your sign-in account or to your Social Security records. Update a security number through the sign-in provider you use, while changes to contact records may require help from Social Security.

Before starting, have access to your current sign-in method and the new phone. Do not enter personal information on a page reached through an unexpected text message, email, or call.

Where is your phone number used by Social Security?

A phone number connected with Social Security can serve two different purposes:

• Account security: Login.gov or ID.me may use a phone number to verify that you are the person signing in. A verification code is a temporary code used as an additional identity check.
• Social Security contact records: Social Security may keep contact information as part of an agency record or case. Changing the security number used to sign in does not necessarily update contact information in those records.

Check where the old number appears before changing anything. If it appears during the Login.gov or ID.me sign-in process, it is probably controlled by that provider. If it appears inside a Social Security record, notice, application, or case, contact Social Security to ask how that particular record can be corrected.

How do I change my phone number with Social Security online?

To change a phone number online, begin at the official Social Security site and use the same sign-in provider already connected to your account. The exact setting names can change, so follow the labels shown on the official page rather than instructions from an unofficial website.

1. Open {site} and select the option to sign in to your personal Social Security account.
2. Choose the sign-in provider you previously used, such as Login.gov or ID.me. These are separate accounts, so selecting the other provider may not show your existing security settings.
3. Complete the identity checks shown on the screen.
4. Open the profile, account, security, or authentication settings provided by Login.gov or ID.me.
5. Look for the phone number or verification method you want to replace.
6. Add and verify the new phone number by following the provider’s current prompts.
7. Remove the old number only after the new method has been confirmed, if the provider gives you that option.

If your goal is to change contact information held in Social Security records, review the personal information available after signing in. If no editable phone field appears, do not assume that changing Login.gov or ID.me changed the agency record.

What should you do if you cannot access your old phone?

If verification codes go to a number you no longer use, do not keep guessing codes or create multiple accounts. Use only the recovery or help choices displayed by the official sign-in provider.

1. Return to the official Social Security sign-in page and identify whether you use Login.gov or ID.me.
2. Look for an option concerning trouble signing in, account recovery, or another available verification method.
3. Use an alternative method only if it is already offered on your account or presented by the provider.
4. If the provider cannot verify you, contact that provider through its official help process.
5. If the problem concerns a Social Security record rather than sign-in security, contact Social Security through an official channel.

Recovery choices depend on the provider and the security methods previously connected to the account. Follow the current on-screen instructions; do not rely on a third party that promises to bypass identity verification.

How can you change your phone number by phone or in person?

You may need help from Social Security when the number is part of an agency record, the online account does not offer an editable field, or official account recovery does not resolve the issue. Use the verified contact information shown on this page or locate an office through Social Security’s official site.

Explain whether you need to change a sign-in security number or contact information in a Social Security record. That distinction helps the representative direct you to Social Security, Login.gov, or ID.me.

Social Security may ask questions or request documents to confirm your identity. Have your government-issued identification, relevant Social Security correspondence, and basic account or case details available. Provide sensitive information only when you initiated contact through an official channel, and follow the representative’s instructions about which documents are required.

Do not send identity documents to an address supplied in an unexpected message. If an office visit is required, confirm the location and document requirements through Social Security before traveling.

How can you confirm that the phone number change took effect?

Confirm the change before discarding the old phone or verification method, when possible. A successful profile update does not always mean every Social Security record was changed.

1. Sign out completely from the Social Security account and the sign-in provider.
2. Start a fresh sign-in from the official Social Security site.
3. Check that the new number or verification method is offered during authentication.
4. Review any visible profile or contact information separately.
5. Check official confirmation messages for the change, without opening links in unexpected messages.

If the old number still appears, note exactly where it appears. An old number on a Login.gov or ID.me security screen should be addressed through that provider. An old number in a Social Security record should be reported to Social Security. Avoid repeatedly changing settings while a verification or recovery request is still unresolved.

How can you protect your Social Security account?

• Start at the official Social Security site instead of following a link in an unsolicited message.
• Never give a verification code, password, or recovery code to a caller, texter, or unofficial support service.
• Be suspicious of anyone who creates urgency, threatens account closure, or claims that identity checks can be skipped.
• Use a strong, unique password for Login.gov or ID.me and protect the email account connected to it.
• Review unexpected security alerts by signing in through the official site, not through a button in the alert.

Anyone asking for your verification code may be trying to enter your account. End the contact and use an official Social Security, Login.gov, or ID.me support channel that you locate yourself.