Phone number formatter: E.164, international and national format
Sign-up forms, SMS gateways and contact databases all expect phone numbers in a predictable shape, yet people type them in dozens of ways: with or without the country code, with a leading 0, with 00 instead of +, with brackets and dashes. This formatter turns whatever you type into the three standard forms and tells you whether the length and prefix fit a mobile number in the country you picked.
The number you type is formatted on our server with the same public numbering-plan data phone apps use, and it is not stored, logged or looked up anywhere else; the tool simply applies each country's published numbering rules to the digits.
Below the tool you will find how E.164 works, the difference between the three formats, real example numbers for 20 countries and the mistakes that most often make a form reject a number.
Format a phone number
Pick a country, then type a number in any style you like. The tool shows the E.164, international and national formats and tells you whether the length and prefix look right for a mobile number in that country.
How E.164 works
E.164 is the international numbering plan published by the ITU, the UN agency for telecommunications. It defines one global format that every public phone number fits into, which is why most apps and messaging systems store numbers this way.
A number in E.164 format has at most 15 digits. It starts with a plus sign, followed by a country code of one to three digits and then the national significant number: the subscriber's number without any domestic trunk prefix. There are no spaces, dashes, brackets or extension digits.
- +
- Stands for the international access code. On a mobile phone you can type it directly; from a landline you replace it with your country's exit code, such as 00 or 011.
- Country code
- One to three digits that identify the country or shared numbering zone, for example 1 for the North American Numbering Plan, 44 for the United Kingdom or 971 for the United Arab Emirates.
- National significant number
- The number as it is dialed within the country, minus the trunk prefix. Its length depends on the country's plan.
- Maximum length
- 15 digits in total, counting the country code but not the plus sign.
International vs national vs E.164 format
The three formats carry the same digits; they differ only in whether the country code and trunk prefix are present and how the digits are grouped. Using the United Kingdom example number from the table below:
- E.164
- +447400123456: plus sign, country code and national significant number, no spaces. Best for storage, databases and single-field sign-up forms.
- International
- +44 7400 123456: the same digits grouped the way the country writes them. Best for printing on a website or business card for a worldwide audience.
- National
- 07400 123456: the trunk prefix 0 added back and no country code. This is how people in the UK write and dial the number at home.
Examples for 20 popular countries
These are the example mobile numbers from the open-source phonenumbers library, the Python port of Google's libphonenumber, which is also the data behind the formatter. They are format samples, not numbers in service.
- United States
- +12015550123
- United Kingdom
- +447400123456
- Canada
- +15062345678
- Germany
- +4915123456789
- France
- +33612345678
- Spain
- +34612345678
- Italy
- +393123456789
- Netherlands
- +31612345678
- India
- +918123456789
- United Arab Emirates
- +971501234567
- Saudi Arabia
- +966512345678
- Australia
- +61412345678
- Singapore
- +6581234567
- Brazil
- +5511961234567
- Mexico
- +522221234567
- Indonesia
- +62812345678
- Turkey
- +905012345678
- Philippines
- +639051234567
- Nigeria
- +2348021234567
- Pakistan
- +923012345678
Common mistakes when entering numbers
- Keeping the leading 0. Most countries, including the UK, Germany, France, India and Australia, use 0 as a domestic trunk prefix. It is dropped after the country code: 07400 123456 becomes +44 7400 123456, never +44 07400 123456.
- Typing 00 in a field that expects +. 00 is the exit code in most countries (011 in the US and Canada), and it means the same as +. In a web form, always use the + form; many validators reject a number that starts with 00.
- Adding spaces, dashes, dots or brackets to a single-field form. Some forms strip them, others fail. Digits after a + are the safe choice.
- Doubling the 1 for US and Canadian numbers. The 1 is both the country code and the domestic long-distance prefix, so +1 is written once: +1 201 555 0123, not +1 1 201 555 0123.
- Dropping the 0 on Italian landlines. Italy has no trunk prefix: the leading 0 of a landline such as 06 for Rome is part of the number and stays after +39. Italian mobile numbers start with 3.
- Assuming every country has a trunk prefix. Spain, Italy and Singapore dial the same digits at home as after the country code, so there is nothing to remove.
- Picking the country code but typing the code again in the number field. If the form has a country picker, the number field wants only the national significant number.
What this tool does NOT do
The formatter checks structure, not status. A number can be perfectly formatted and still be unusable for a particular service.
- It cannot tell whether a number is VoIP or a real mobile line. In many countries both use the same number ranges; telling them apart needs a carrier line-type lookup against live network data.
- It does not check whether a number is in service, who owns it or which carrier currently holds it after a number transfer.
- It does not send any SMS or call, so it cannot confirm that a verification code would arrive.
- Its mobile check reflects the published numbering ranges bundled with the library; a range opened very recently may show as unknown until the data is updated.
Why it works with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram & Google
Apps check more than the digits: they look up the line type, the country format and whether the number can actually receive their code. Every SMSCreation number is a real mobile number in its country's official format — not a VoIP line — so it passes those checks the same way a SIM in your pocket does.
And we stand behind it with a 7-day replacement guarantee: if your number doesn't work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Google or any app you need, we replace it free with a new number in the same country — or refund 100% if you prefer.
- Non-VoIP, real mobile line type — line-type checks see an ordinary SIM number, not a VoIP line
- Official country format with the right country code, prefix and digit count
- Unlimited incoming SMS and calls — codes arrive by text or through the “call me” option
- Private to you — never listed on public SMS sites, so it isn't flagged or rate-limited
- Yours for as long as you want — re-verification and account recovery keep working
Need a real mobile number that passes these checks?
If you need a number that is correctly formatted and also accepted by apps that reject VoIP lines, SMSCreation offers real mobile numbers in 181 countries, each in the country's official mobile format. Every plan includes unlimited incoming SMS, 500 outgoing SMS and 1,000 outgoing call minutes a month, and unlimited incoming calls.
Prices start from $1.80 a month on the yearly plan ($21.60 billed yearly), the same in every country. The number stays yours for as long as you renew it, and a 7-day replacement guarantee gives you a free replacement number in the same country, or a 100% refund, if it does not work with the app you need.
Questions
What is E.164 format?
E.164 is the ITU's international numbering format: a plus sign, a one- to three-digit country code and the national number without its trunk prefix, up to 15 digits in total and with no spaces. For example, the UK mobile 07400 123456 is +447400123456 in E.164.
Should I include the leading 0 when I add the country code?
In most countries, no. The leading 0 is a domestic trunk prefix and is dropped after the country code. The notable exception is Italian landlines, where the 0 is part of the number and stays after +39.
Is 00 the same as +?
In most countries, yes: 00 is the exit code that + stands for. The US and Canada use 011 instead. Web forms and apps expect the + form, so use + when you type a number online.
Is my number sent anywhere when I use the formatter?
No. The number is formatted on our server using public numbering-plan data and is discarded straight away — it is not stored, logged or checked against any database.
Can this tool tell if a number is VoIP?
No. Format and number range alone cannot reliably separate VoIP from mobile lines, because both often share the same ranges. That requires a carrier line-type lookup, which our guide on checking whether a number is VoIP explains.
Why does a form say my number is invalid when the formatter says it is fine?
The formatter only checks structure. A form can also reject a number because of a stray space or 00 prefix, a mismatched country picker, or because the service does not accept that type of line, such as VoIP numbers for verification.
Will the number work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and Google?
Yes — guaranteed. It's a real mobile number with unlimited incoming SMS and calls, so verification codes arrive by SMS or voice call. If it doesn't work with WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Google or any app you need, we replace it free within 7 days — or refund 100%.