How To Activate A New Iphone On Sprint

1
Ensure that you have an account for your phone. If you're switching over to an iPhone or an Android smartphone, you'll need to have a iCloud or Gmail account set up, respectively. If you don't already have such an account, set one up before proceeding:
- iPhone — Create an iCloud account for your iPhone.
- Android — Create a Gmail account for your Android.
2
Remove the old phone's SIM card . This is only necessary if you want to use the same phone number on your new phone as you used on your old phone.
- Skip this step if you're using a brand-new SIM card from Verizon.
3
Back up your old phone's information if necessary. If you want to restore an old phone's information onto your new phone, back up the data to your old phone's cloud storage service or computer.
- Even if you don't want to use your old phone's information on your new phone, backing up your phone is always a good idea.
4
Find your phone's MEID or IMEI number. If the phone is brand-new, you can find this number in the phone's packaging or manual.^[1]
- You can also find the MEID or IMEI number by dialing *#06#; if you have an iPhone, you can find this number in the "IMEI" or "MEID" heading of the "About" menu in the "General" section of the Settings app.
5
Turn off iMessage if necessary. If your old phone is an iPhone and you're switching to an Android, you'll need to disable iMessage on your iPhone before proceeding:
- Open Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Messages
- Tap the green "iMessage" switch.

1

Power down the old phone. Press and hold the "Power" button on the phone that you want to replace, then slide right the "slide to power off" switch (iPhone) or tap Power off (Android).
2
Install the old phone's SIM card in your new phone . If you want to use your old phone's SIM card, remove it from the old phone and insert it into your new phone.
- You can skip this step if you're using a new SIM card, or if your phone came with its own SIM card.
3
Charge your new phone to 100 percent. Plug your phone into its charger and leave it alone for up to an hour depending on the phone's previous charge.
- You can turn on your phone to check its charge, but don't perform any setup steps.
4
5

Click Sign in to activate . It's a yellow button at the bottom of the page.
6

Enter your Sprint username and password. Type your Sprint username and password into the "Username" and "Password" text boxes, respectively.
7

Click Submit . It's under the "Password" text box. Doing so will open your Sprint Account page.
8

Scroll down and find the phone you want to replace. You'll find the phone you want to replace in the "About my devices" section of the Your account tab.^[3]
9

Click the "Manage this device" drop-down box. It's to the right of the phone you want to replace. A drop-down menu will appear.^[4]
10

Click Activate a new phone . This option is in the drop-down menu.
11
Enter your new phone's serial number. You can find your phone's serial number on the phone's box or in the phone's manual.
- You may instead be prompted to select the new phone if you bought it from Sprint but didn't activate it in-store.
12
Follow the on-screen activation prompts. Depending on your phone and SIM card options, you may be prompted to enter your SIM card's ICCID; you'll then follow any prompts to the "Activation" page, where Sprint will alert you when your phone has been activated.
- If you're activating a different phone than the one listed on the right side of the page, click the enter new device link under the "New device to activate" heading, enter the IMEI or MEID number found in your phone's manual or box, and follow the prompts from there.
- Activating your phone may take up to two minutes.
13

Power on and set up your new phone. Once your phone is activated, you can turn it on and follow the on-screen prompts to add your account, set up Wi-Fi, and so on.

1

Find your phone's serial number. Your phone's serial number is most commonly found in the packaging or manual, though you may be able to find the serial number on your phone's receipt if you bought it from a Sprint dealer.
2

Make sure you know your phone's MEID or IMEI number. You should have found your IMEI or MEID number already; this number in conjunction with your phone's serial number will help identify your phone to Sprint.
3

Call Sprint customer service. Using a different phone, call Sprint at (888) 211-4727.^[5]
4

Follow the spoken prompts to contact a service representative. Depending on the Sprint menu when you call, these steps may vary, so use your phone's dial pad to navigate through the steps until you reach a representative.
5

Ask the representative to activate your phone. They should ask you for your account information at this point.
6
Provide the representative with the requested information. Your representative may ask for your account name, password, PIN, and/or the last four digits of your Social Security Number; they should also ask for your phone's serial number and IMEI number here.
- If you're using a new Sprint SIM card, you'll have to recite the SIM card's ICCID number as well.
7
Turn on and set up your activated phone. Once the representative confirms that your phone has been activated, you can turn it on and follow the on-screen prompts to add your account, set up Wi-Fi, and so on.
- If you're using a new SIM card, insert it into your phone before you turn on and set up the phone.

Add New Question

Question

What's the activation code for a Sprint phone?

You get a unique code. If you don't know your code, contact Sprint.
Question

How do I transfer my old data plans to a new phone?

You can ask the phone company when you are switching over.
Question

Do I really have to activate a Sprint phone?

Yes. If you want to use the Sprint service provided, then you have to activate the phone. If you don't activate your phone, you might not be able to use certain features.
Question

Can I unlock a Sprint phone that's not activated?

You may jailbreak/root your phone, however it is not a recommended path as it will void your warranty.
Question

I'm trying to switch my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S3 to Total Wireless, but I don't have a place to put a SIM card. What do I do?

The Sprint Samsung Galaxy S3 phone uses a different network technology (CDMA), and does not have a place for a SIM.

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Typically speaking, your Sprint phone will be activated as soon as you purchase it if you're buying the phone in-store.

Attempting to set up your phone before activating it may cause issues when trying to activate it later.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

1. Insert Sprint SIM.
2. Charge phone to 100%.
3. Go to https://www.sprint.com/activate.
4. Click Sign in to activate.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions.

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