Can I reuse a number?
Why one-time numbers can't be ordered again, what happens to them afterwards, and what to use when you'll need the number later.
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Not a one-time number. If you'll need to receive codes on the same number later, rent one instead.
Why not
A one-time number is yours for 20 minutes. After that it rests for a cooldown period and returns to the shared pool, where it can be given to someone else — but never for a service it has already been used with. There's no way to ask for a particular number back.
That has two consequences worth knowing:
- Don't rely on a one-time number for anything you'll need again, such as two-factor authentication or account recovery. If the service texts that number later, the message won't reach you — it may reach whoever holds the number by then.
- No one else can receive the same service's messages on your number through passcode.sh. We never assign a number twice for the same service.
Warning
If a service lets you add a backup phone number or switch to an authenticator app, do that before your order ends. It's the safest way to keep the account.
Need the number again? Rent it.
A rental keeps one number yours for 7, 30 or 90 days, and every SMS sent to it lands in your inbox. Turn on auto-renew to keep it longer.
A second code on the same order is fine
That's a different thing: while an order is active, every message to its number is yours, which is handy when a service needs a resend. See Requesting another code.