Discord Says Your Phone Number Is Already in Use: Fixes

If Discord says your phone number is already in use, the number is attached to another Discord account, often an old one you forgot about. You can usually free it up yourself. If you cannot, a different number is the way through.

Why Discord says the number is already in use

Discord ties a verified phone number to an account, and it limits how many accounts can use the same number. The message appears when:

• You made an older account with the same number and never removed it.
• A friend, family member or former colleague verified an account with your number.
• You used a number that was previously someone else's. Numbers are recycled by carriers, so the last owner may have attached it to an account.

Fix 1: free the number from your old account

If you can still sign in to the old account:

1. Sign in and open User Settings, then My Account.
2. Find the phone number and remove it.
3. Go back to the new account and verify again.

If you have two accounts and only want one, this is the cleanest route. You keep your own number, and only one account holds it.

Fix 2: you cannot sign in to the old account

Try Discord's account recovery for the old account (the email you used, or a password reset). If the account is gone for good, Discord support is the place to ask about the number, and it can take a while. While you wait, do not keep tapping the resend button. Repeated attempts can trigger a cooldown on top of the problem you already have.

Fix 3: verify with a different number

If you do not want to share your main number with Discord, or the old account cannot be recovered, you can verify with another line. For a throwaway or secondary account, a one-time number is the quick option: pick Discord in the Discord service page, enter the number where Discord asks, and read the code on your order page.

What to know before you do:

• We cannot guarantee Discord accepts any specific number. Services change their rules without notice. Our numbers are real US mobile lines, not VoIP, which avoids the most common reason numbers are refused.
• A one-time number is gone in minutes. If you lose access to the account later, you cannot receive a recovery code on it. Set a recovery email and turn on an authenticator app before you rely on the account.
• A rental lasts longer. Rentals run from one day to one year (rental prices). Even so, a rental ends and the number returns to the pool.

Our guide to verifying Discord without a phone number goes through the options in more detail, and VoIP versus non-VoIP numbers explains why some numbers are rejected.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Discord say my number is already in use when I never used it?

Another account may be using it. That can be an old account of yours, someone who had the number before you, or someone who typed it by mistake. Removing it from the account that holds it is the clean fix.

Can I use the same number for two Discord accounts?

Discord limits how many accounts one number can verify. If you hit the limit, you need a different number for the extra account.

Will a one-time number work for Discord?

Often, but we cannot promise it. If the code does not arrive, the order is refunded in full.

Is it safe to use a temporary number for an account I want to keep?

Not on its own. Add a recovery email and an authenticator app first, because the number will not be there to receive recovery codes.