Activate Tracfone

Search This Site:

See how to activate Tracfone handsets before you buy one? Here, as an example, is my Motorola W175 Tracfone activation experience. After losing my C261, I went and bought the new basic Tracfone Model, the Motorola W175 and activated it online.

This is something I've done many times before, but this was the first time I took down the details and captured some screenshots on how you activate Tracfone handsets. It's not a big deal, but I thought some might find it useful in deciding whether to do it online or by phone.

Getting It

I bought a new $10 W175. My phone came with a car charger and headset, which I thought was a good deal, but I still haven't opened the accessories. It looked just like this:

Today, I would look for the double minutes version.

Getting Ready

Opening the Package

Once you open the package, there will be a Red Card that tells you to

1. Peel of plastic protector from your Tracfone2. Install battery an back cover3. Plug charger into Tracfone and outlet4. Turn your Tracfone ON by pressing and holdin the POWER key (the red key which is also the END key) until the screen lights up.

(You don't need to install the SIM card as it is already in the slot.)

5. Go to www.tracfone.com or call 1-800-867-7183

Since you're reading on the web, I'll assume you want to do it online.

Activation Process

So, go to their website and press the green Activate Tracfone "button".

Hover over the blue "Activate/Reactivate" area and choose "Activate".

If you are an existing customer with a tracfone "MyAccount" you can click the second button, otherwise you have to click the first button and enter your personal information along with an email address when you activate Tracfone handsets online.

The email address field is limited to a fairly small number of characters. For example I couldn't enter the email address I have from this site and had to use a shorter alternate email.

Next, you select whether it's a new activation or reactivation, or whether you want to port your number from one of your previous Tracfone's. I would have like to use that last option, but at that point I still hoped to find my lost C261 so I didn't want to port that number over to this basic phone.

If YOU want to do this in the future, I would recommend that you write down the serial number of the phone so you'll still have it if you end up losing the phone.

So, in our case we choose New Activation and then select our phone model, the W175.

Now, enter your serial number and give your Tracfone a nickname. You can find your serial number in the phone's prepaid menu or on a card in your package.

Then enter your calling area zip code.

Adding Airtime during Activation

If you have already bought airtime, you can choose to add them at this time during the activation process. Make sure to use any promo or bonus codes you may have.

I choose not to add airtime when I activate Tracfone handsets so I just receive the following confirmation for 20 bonus minutes.

And thank you for reading this article.

footer for activate tracfone page