When you activate wireless service with TextNow, your service usually works right out of the box. In a few situations you may need to set your APN settings manually to ensure that your data service works as expected.
If you're getting service bars but your data isn't functional follow the instructions for Android or iPhone below to setup the TextNow APN manually on your device. You can also find video walkthroughs of the Android and iPhone steps at the bottom of the page.
Android Setup:
- Go to your phone's Settings menu
- Click on Connections (it may also be called Networks or Networks & Internet)
- Click on Mobile Networks (it may also be called SIMs)
- Select Access Point Names (you may need to scroll down and tap on Advanced then select Access Point Names)
- At the top of the Screen, select Add (or +)
- Under Name add "TextNow"
- Under APN add "textnow.static"
- Tap the 3 dots in the top right and select Save
- Select the "TextNow" APN option
- Go back to the Settings menu
- Turn Airplane mode on and wait 10 seconds then turn it off again
Android Step Walkthrough:
iPhone Setup:
- Go to your phone's Settings menu
- Click on Cellular
- Click on Cellular Data Network
- In the APN field under Cellular Data, type "textnow.static" (do not copy and paste)
- In the APN field under LTE Setup (optional), type "textnow.static" (do not copy and paste)
- Go back to Settings
- Turn Airplane mode on and wait 10 seconds then turn it off again.
iPhone Step Walkthrough:
Help! My data still isn't working.
If the data is not working yet after toggling Airplane Mode, try restarting your device.
In rare cases you may need to set more than just the APN name in order for data to work. This is very uncommon, but if you do need to we've listed them below. You will need to delete the current TextNow APN and re-add it with the details above and the information below in these additional fields on that same page:- MCC: 310
- MNC: 260 (or try 240 if that doesn't work)
- IP Protocol: IPv4
- MVNO (Mobile virtual network operator) Type : GID
- MNVO (Mobile virtual network operator) Value: 4358
Help! I can't change the Access Point Name settings.
If you cannot update the Access Point Name settings either because the option is greyed out or does not appear at all, your device may be locked. This means you need to get it unlocked by the original carrier it was purchased from before you are able to activate your TextNow SIM. For more on locked devices, check out this article.
Still looking for help?
If you're having trouble or have a question that isn't answered here in our Help Center, our support team can help you over Chat. Our agents are available every day to help you with any questions you might have. Our chat hours are 10am-5:30pm (Eastern), every day. Just look for the little purple bubble at the bottom of any Help Center page!
PRO TIP: For the best chat experience, please try to visit us on a different device than the one that you're looking for help with. That way we can troubleshoot the issue without risking the chat window being closed!
Note: The videos below are only available to view on the web. If you are on a mobile device, please visit this page from a computer to watch the video walkthroughs of these steps. |
Android Video Walkthrough

iPhone Video Walkthrough
