Wondering how to delete a TextNow account? With over 100 million users, TextNow is one of the most popular apps for getting a free phone number to call and text. However, at some point you may want to delete your TextNow account if you no longer use or need the service.
In this 2024 guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know about how to delete a TextNow account – including step-by-step instructions for both Android and iPhone. You’ll also learn whether it’s possible to permanently delete a TextNow account and reclaim your phone number. Let’s get started!
Is It Possible to Fully Delete a TextNow Account?
The first question many people have is – can you actually delete a TextNow account? The short answer is yes. However, there are a few caveats to be aware of:
- TextNow does not have an option to directly delete your account. But there are workarounds, which I’ll explain below.
- Your phone number gets recycled back into TextNow’s pool of available numbers after a period of inactivity.
- While you can delete the app and some personal data, some usage data remains in TextNow’s systems.
So in summary – you can essentially deactivate and delete the core parts of your TextNow account, but not every trace of it.
Why Would You Want to Delete TextNow?
Before going into the how to delete a TextNow account steps, understanding the reasons to delete in the first place is helpful. Here are some of the top reasons you may want to cancel and delete your TextNow app:
- You don’t use it anymore – If you’ve stopped using TextNow, deleting the app cleans up your phone.
- Privacy reasons – Removing the app purges stored data like contacts, call logs, messages etc.
- Fixing issues – Sometimes deleting and reinstalling the app fixes bugs.
- Phone number change – Deleting your account frees up your number to be reused.
- Switching services – You may want to close TextNow after switching to another free phone service.
Knowing why you want to delete TextNow guides how thorough you need to be. Now let’s get into the step-by-step tutorial for how to cancel your account.
How to Delete a TextNow Account on Android
It’s straightforward to remove your TextNow account from an Android device. Follow these steps to cancel your account and TextNow app on an Android phone or tablet:
Step 1: Open the TextNow App
First, launch the TextNow app on your Android device. Tap into the app and go to the main screen.
Step 2: Go to Account Settings
Next, open your TextNow account settings. On Android, tap the “three lines” menu icon in the top left corner, then choose Settings > Account.
Step 3: Select Delete Account
On the Account screen, tap Delete Account at the very bottom.
Step 4: Confirm Account Deletion
A popup will ask you to confirm that you want to delete your TextNow account. Tap Delete to proceed.
And that’s it! The TextNow app will close and your account is now deleted from that device. But we still have a couple more steps to finish removing all trace of your account.
Step 5: Uninstall the TextNow App
Open your Android settings, go to Apps, select TextNow, and uninstall it. This removes the app and all local data stored on your device.
Step 6: Deregister Your Phone Number
Even once deleting the app, it can take up to 30 days for TextNow to free up your phone number to be assigned to a new user. So your number technically stays tied to your account during this time.
After 30 days of inactivity your number gets fully deregistered from their systems and can be assigned to another person.
And those are all the main steps for cancelling your entire TextNow account on an Android phone or tablet!
How to Delete TextNow on iPhone
Need to remove TextNow from an iPhone or other iOS device? The process of account deletion is very similar:
Step 1: Open the TextNow app
First launch the TextNow app on your iPhone. Tap into it and navigate to the main screen with your texts and calls.
Step 2: Go to Profile > Settings
Tap your profile icon in the bottom right. This opens the side menu. At the top, choose Settings.
Step 3: Scroll Down and Select Delete Account
Scroll down on the Settings page, past messages and notifications. At the very bottom is the Delete Account option.
Step 4: Confirm TextNow Account Deletion
A confirmation popup will appear to confirm you want to delete. Tap Delete to proceed removing your TextNow account.
Step 5: Delete the App from Your Device
From the home screen, find the TextNow app icon, tap and hold it until the icons start wiggling, then tap the X icon to delete it. This removes the app and all stored data from your iPhone.
Step 6: Wait for Phone Number Deregistration
Similar to Android, you’ll have to wait those 30 days for TextNow to officially free up your old phone number to be recycled.
And that covers everything you need to fully cancel and delete your TextNow account from an iPhone!
Can You Recover a Deleted TextNow Account?
What happens if you delete your TextNow account, but later decide you actually still need it? The good news is – yes, TextNow allows you to restore deleted accounts as long as your phone number has not been reassigned to someone else.
Here is how account recovery works with TextNow if your account has been deactivated:
- 30 days or less inactive – you can reinstall the app and sign back into your account seamlessly.
- Over 30 days inactive – your phone number gets freed up to be reassigned. But you can create a new TextNow account and get a new number.
- Over 60 days inactive – at this point full account recovery is unlikely. You’d have to create a brand new account.
So if you changed your mind shortly after, reactivating your TextNow account is fairly easy. But take note – waiting too long starts to limit your recovery options. Act fast if you want your number back!
What Exactly Gets Deleted When You Remove TextNow?
As we’ve covered, getting rid of your TextNow account does not completely wipe all data they have ever stored about your usage and account details. So what exactly does get deleted when you cancel TextNow?
Removing your TextNow account deletes:
- The TextNow app from your phone or tablet
- Your user profile and login credentials
- Your phone number (after 30+ days of inactivity)
- All TextNow contacts, call logs, text history
- Associated payment methods and billing details
However, TextNow will keep certain usage analytics and metadata tied to your account on their server systems. So remnants of your account do still exist in their databases.
In summary – deleting TextNow allows you to take back control of personal account data on your device. But some info does still remain in their internal logs.
Key Takeaways: How to Delete a TextNow in 2024
In summary, here are the key points to remember about cancelling your TextNow account:
- You can delete TextNow accounts by selecting “Delete Account” in the app’s account settings
- Removing the app itself does not formally close your account
- Your phone number gets recycled after approx. 30 days of account inactivity
- While not permanent, deleting TextNow purges personal data from your device
- You can recover recently closed accounts if your number has not been reassigned
And there you have it – a full walkthrough on how to properly cancel your account and delete the TextNow app from Android or iPhone! I hope this 2023 guide was helpful if you are looking to deactivate your TextNow mobile phone service. Let me know if you have any other questions down below!
Common Questions About Deleting TextNow Accounts
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about removing TextNow accounts:
Can I permanently 100% delete my TextNow account?
No, there is no way to guarantee a complete permanent deletion from their systems. Some analytics data does still remain internally.
Does TextNow allow account deletion?
Yes. TextNow gives you the option to delete your account. But they do not have a self-serve permanent account deletion feature.
What happens if I delete the TextNow app without deleting my account first?
Your account and phone number will remain active even if you just delete the app. Be sure to formally deactivate your account first before removing the app.
If I reinstall TextNow after deleting my account, will my data still be there?
If you wait too long (30+ days) before reinstalling, your phone number gets freed up and account data erased. Act fast if you may want to recover your account.
