How To Activate New Straight Talk Iphone

Are you looking to transfer your current Straight Talk service to a new phone or SIM card? In this article, I'll tell you what you need to do.

This article and video below were originally published in August 2016. and are still very popular in 2020. I've updated the article but you can still find the original below.

First, this article is for current Straight Talk customers looking to change to a new phone or SIM card. If you looking for information about how to sign up for Straight Talk, check out How To Sign Up and Use Your iPhone 6 or 6s with Straight Talk Wireless or How To Sign Up And Use Your iPhone SE With Straight Talk Wireless. Both of those articles explain what you need to know to sign up for Straight Talk.

Hey,
In 2020, you have a lot of choices for prepaid wireless service. You may be able to save $100s per year and get the features you want such as Wi-Fi calling, Mobile Hotspot, and Visual Voicemail. Sound good? to learn more see, Is Straight Talk Your Best Option in 2020?

Transferring Your Current Straight Talk Service

If you want to transfer your current Straight Talk number and remaining service balance to a new phone or SIM. You have two options.

Move the SIM card from your current phone to your new phone
Activate your New Phone or SIM from straighttalk.com

Before explaining these two options you need to understand how Straight Talk works. Straight Talk does not own their own cellular towers. They lease service from AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint. Your Straight Talk phone uses the towers from one of these four networks.

If you bought an iPhone or Galaxy phone from Straight Talk, chances are it uses the Verizon towers. If you brought your own phone (BYOP) from another carrier, you are likely uses the same towers with Straight Talk. So if you were perviously an AT&T customer and signed up for Straight Talk BYOP, your phone is likely using Straight Talk's AT&T towers. The same for Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint customers.

If you don't know which towers, your phone uses, ask Straight Talk. The easiest way to do that is visit straighttalk.com and use the online chat feature. Here is what you should ask…
Hi,
My phone number is (xxx) yyy-zzzz. Can you please tell me if my phone is using your AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint towers?

Moving Your Straight Talk SIM card to your new phone

Sometimes you can just move your SIM card from your current phone to your new phone. Your current SIM card will need to fit into your new phone and your new phone will need to be compatible with the current Straight Talk SIM card you are using. This works pretty welll with Straight Talk's AT&T and T-Mobile SIM cards. It will also work with Straight Talk Verizon SIM cards but this can cause problems.

This is a great solution if you need to temporarily switch to a new phone. In the long term, you are better off properly activating your new phone or SIM card. To read all the annoying details of moving your Straight Talk SIM card, see Moving Your Straight Talk SIM Card To Your New Phone. I'll tell you now that just moving a SSIM card has caused some people a lot of pain.

Activating Your Ne Straight Talk phone

I'm updating this section for 2020 because I think this a lot simpler way to transfer your service to your new phone than the old way I described.

If you bought your phone from Straight Talk or Walmart, the phone should already lnclude a SIM card. If you are signing up for Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) or Keep Your Own Phone (BYOP, you'll need a SIM card. You can order one from straighttalk.com for $1. Order the SIM card for the network you want to use AND is compatible with your new phone. Note, if you want to use Straight Talk's Verizon towers, you'll need to check the phone's serial number (MEID or IMEI) on staighttalk.com to make sure the phone is compatible (eligible).

I haven't checked Walmart recently, I do not think you can buy just the SIM in the store. They only had kits with both a plan card and a SIM and if you did the math you were paying about $10 for the SIM card.

If you don't already have one, create an account for your current phone on straighttalk.com
Verify you can log into your account, and then log out
From straighttalk.com, choose Activate
Choose the Straight Talk Phone or BYOP option
Choose I have a SIM card
enter your SIM card number, accept the terms of service, and continue

If you are using a Straight Talk Verizon SIM card, you may need to enter your phone's MEID or IMEI,
After this, you will eventually be asked if you want a new phone number or to transfer your existing phone number. Choose the option to transfer your current number. After that, Straight talk will realize you are a current customer looking to transfer your service.

Below is my original article and video….

Transferring Your Service From straighttalk.com

If you are unable to move your SIM card from your current phone to your new phone then you'll need to transfer your service online from straighttalk.com

Creating Your Straight Talk Account

To transfer your service using straighttalk.com, you'll need an account. If you don't already have one, now is the time to set one up. Once you have created your straighttalk.com account, you'll see your current phone listed as an Active Device. Later you'll be able to transfer your phone number and remaining service balance to your new phone or SIM. You could probably create your account during the transfer process, but I think its better to do it beforehand.

Your New Phone or SIM card

If you are planning to transfer your Straight Talk service, you'll need a either a new phone, a new SIM card, or possibly both. If you bought your new phone from straighttalk.com or from Walmart everything you need is in the box.

If you got your new phone somewhere else, you'll need to by a SIM card for your phone. SIM cards come in three sizes, Standard, Micro, and nano you'll need the right size SIM card for your phone. You'll also need to make sure that you order the SIM card for the Straight Talk network you want to use. (AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile). Make sure your new phone is compatible with the Straight Talk network you want to use.

Your Phone Number and Service Balance

You can transfer your phone number to your new phone and your remaining service balance as long as your new phone is eligible for your current plan. If you are using Straight Talk's $30 plan you will not be able to transfer your remaining service balance to a smartphone or BYOP phone. Your phone number will transfer, but you'll need to purchase a new service plan for your new phone.

The last time I transferred my Straight Talk service to a new SIM card, it took only a minute before the new SIM was active. Straight Talk claims the process can take up to 48 hours so make sure you plan your transfer accordingly.

Transferring Your Service

Now, I'm going to show you how to transfer your Straight Talk service. I am currently using Straight Talk's AT&T network with my iPhone 6s with the $45 BYOP plan. I'm going to transfer my service to a new Straight Talk AT&T nano SIM. When I am done, I'm going to use that SIM in the same iPhone 6s. For most people, when you transfer your service you'll be transferring your service to a new Straight Talk phone or a BYOP SIM card. If your transferring to a new SIM card, it would usually be a different size SIM or for a different network, otherwise you would just move your SIM.

Go to straighttalk.com
From the menu, Click Activation
Under Bring Your Own Phone or Devices, Click Activate
Under I HAVE A SIM CARD, Click Select
Under Enter your SIM card number here, type in your SIM card number. Click Continue
Under KEEP MY NUMBER, click Select
Under Please enter the phone number you want to keep here, type in your phone number, Click Continue
Under We noticed that you are currently an active Straight Talk customer. To continue with this process, please log into your account., Log in with your straighttalk.com account
Under Information About Your New Device, Make sure your SIM number is correct. The first 5 digits may be missing. That's OK
Under Information About Your New Device, Enter a nickname for your new phone or SIM if you want
Under Information About Your Current Device, check the button to the left of your current phone.
When ready, Click Submit