Create an Apple ID with a virtual number
Apple asks for a phone number when you create an Apple ID, and then keeps asking — two-factor sends to that same number on every new device and every password reset. A monthly rental is the shape that fits; a one-time code is not.
- Monthly from
- US$18.00
- First month from
- US$20.00
- Countries
- 58
- Receives SMS codes
- SMS
How it works
Pick a country and rent the line
The country of the number does not decide the account's region, so choose on price and on whether you want a line that also takes calls. Apple can read the code out by voice, and the US and UK ranges here include call-capable lines.
Enter the number when Apple asks
International format, no leading zero after the country code. Apple will offer SMS or a voice call — pick SMS unless the line you rented takes calls.
Read the code on the order page
Apple's message appears in the order page on your account.
Add a second trusted number or device
Apple lets you register more than one trusted number, and a trusted device counts too. Do that now: it is what keeps the account reachable if a rental ever lapses.
Which country to pick
| Country | Setup | Monthly | First month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia+62 | US$17.00 | US$18.00 | US$35.00 |
| United Kingdom+44 | US$0.00 | US$20.00 | US$20.00 |
| Malaysia+60 | US$20.00 | US$22.00 | US$42.00 |
| United States+1 | US$25.00 | US$25.00 | US$50.00 |
| Philippines+63 | US$30.00 | US$30.00 | US$60.00 |
| Hong Kong+852 | US$35.00 | US$35.00 | US$70.00 |
The number does not set the account's country
This is the part worth reading before you spend anything. An Apple ID's country or region is set by the billing address and the payment method, not by the country of the phone number. Buying a US number does not make a US account.
What the number does is receive the verification code. Anyone telling you that a particular number opens a particular App Store has skipped the payment step — and the payment step is where most people actually get stuck.
Why a second number comes up at all
Usually because the first one is already spoken for. A phone number can sit on an Apple ID as a trusted number, and people creating a second Apple ID — for a separate device, a family member, or another country's store — find that reusing the same line is awkward. A second carrier line solves that cleanly.
One-time or rented by the month
Most code-receiving services sell a single code. Apple's two-factor is the opposite of a single event: a new Mac, a reset password, a restored iPhone, and the code goes to the trusted number again.
If that line has gone back into the pool, there is no way in — and an Apple ID usually carries purchases and subscriptions behind it. A monthly rental stays yours for as long as you renew it. More on that: how a long-term number differs from a disposable.
What can go wrong
Apple says the number is already associated with an Apple ID
That line is a trusted number on another account. Use a different number rather than trying to attach this one twice.
The code never arrives
Check for an extra zero after the country code and wait the full two minutes. If Apple offers a voice call instead, that only helps on a line that takes calls — the SMS-only ranges will not ring.
Apple wants the number the account was created with, and the rental has lapsed
Account recovery is Apple's own process and runs on its own timetable. Renew or replace the trusted number before a rental ends, not after.
Frequently asked questions
Will a US number give me a US App Store account?
No. The region comes from the billing address and the payment method. The number only receives the code.
Does Apple accept a rented number?
It does not distinguish a rented line from your own. It needs a number that receives the code.
How many Apple IDs can one number cover?
One as the trusted number. A second Apple ID needs a second line.
Could I use a one-time number instead?
For creating the account, yes. Two-factor will ask for the same number for as long as the account exists, and a one-time line is gone after the first code.
What happens if I stop renewing?
The Apple ID stays. The trusted number does not, so add a second trusted number or a trusted device before the rental lapses.
Can the number take a voice call instead of an SMS?
Only on the call-capable ranges. Most lines in the catalogue are SMS only, and the table above says which is which.
Which country is cheapest?
Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines carry the lowest monthly fee. The table above syncs from the billing system once a day.