How To Activate Straight Talk (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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• Phone Plans

How to Activate Straight Talk Download Article Author Info

Last Updated: February 19, 2026

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• Choosing Your Phone
|
• Buying Your SIM Card
|
• Activating Your Plan
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips
|
• Warnings
|
• Things You'll Need

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wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 294,890 times. Learn more...

Straight Talk is a no-contract wireless plan created by TracFone and Walmart. [1] You can choose 2 plans: the $30 “All You Need” plan with approximately 1,000 minutes for 30 days or a $45 Unlimited plan for smart phones, which includes unlimited talk, data and text. Find out how to activate a Straight Talk plan using the phone of your choice.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Choosing Your Phone

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1. 1 Check the Service Area map on the Straight Talk website to review the phones that can be used for these plans in your area. Go to http://www.straighttalk.com/wps/portal/home/h/coverage/servicearea/.
   • TracFone uses the Sprint, Verizon and AT&T networks for service, so the phones and providers in your area will determine their coverage.
   • Choose a phone on the list that you have or would like to buy.
2. 2 Use your own unlocked phone. If it is on the list, the best option is to unlock a phone you have already bought with another cell phone plan. Call the wireless provider you have used and ask them to unlock your phone. Advertisement
3. 3 Buy an unlocked phone from the Straight Talk website. You can choose a phone from the list of phones that are available in your area.
4. 4 Purchase an unlocked cell phone, such as an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, from Walmart or a third-party site. Walmart bundles refurbished phones in packages with a 30-day Unlimited plan with Straight Talk.
   • You can go into a local Walmart or order from Walmart.com.
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Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Buying Your SIM Card

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1. 1 Determine if your Straight Talk-compatible phone works on a CDMA or GSM network. This will depend upon both the model of phone and your wireless provider.
   • Phones that work on the CDMA network have a letter “C” in the model number.
   • Phones that work on the GSM network have a letter “G” in the model number.
2. 2 Go to Walmart to purchase a Straight Talk activation pack. You can activate the service faster if you purchase the SIM card and plan card together. Walmart is the official provider of the activation pack.
   • If you find a Straight Talk activation pack at another store, such as eBay, it is a resale product.
   • Some phone models, such as the iPhone 4 and 4S require a micro SIM, rather than a regular SIM.
3. 3 Opt to buy a Straight Talk SIM card from the TracFone website. Go to http://www.straighttalk.com/wps/portal/home/shop and select “SIM Cards” from the drop down list. Follow the prompts to buy your CDMA or GSM SIM card for approximately $15.
   • You can choose to purchase a service plan card that will also be shipped to you, or you can wait and choose a plan on the website, when you activate your plan.
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Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Activating Your Plan

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1. 1 Find the red activation card that came with your SIM card. It lists the serial number you should use during the activation process, in place of your phone’s former serial number.
2. 2 Find the Service PIN on the back of your Straight Talk service plan card. You may have already purchased a $30 or $45 service plan card, if you bought an activation kit from Walmart. If you do not have a service plan card, you can purchase it during the activation process.
3. 3 Go to straighttalk.com/activate once you have purchased received your SIM card. Click “Continue” to start the process.
4. 4 Enter the Serial Number. The following are the different numbers you will need depending upon the type of phone you own:
   • Enter the IMEI/MEID number on the red activation card, if you bought the phone from TracFone.
   • Enter the last 15-digits of your new SIM card, if you have an existing phone, but purchased a TracFone SIM card.
   • Enter the MEID, if you purchased an iPhone through Walmart or the Straight Talk website.
5. 5 Enter the zip code of your main residence.
6. 6 Type in your Service PIN, if you have already purchased your $30 or $45 plan card. Click on the credit card option, if you want to purchase your plan during activation.
7. 7 Create an account. It is necessary to pay each month anew with your credit card and to see details about your plan.
8. 8 Enter your credit card details and choose your plan, if you have not activated a Service PIN. Agree to the terms and conditions.
9. 9 Insert your SIM card when you reach the confirmation page. Wait several hours to 2 days for mobile service to be activated. Try making a call.
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Community Q&A

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• Question I have an LG Straight Talk flip phone. How can the pictures I've taken with phone be retrieved for development, say at Walmart or Walgreen's photo lab? Community Answer You could send them to an email address and from there save them to your computer and move them to a flash drive. You can then take the flash drive to wherever you want them printed. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 3
• Question How do you find the serial number an an iPhone? Community Answer The serial number for an iPhone (on iOS 9) can be found in the Settings under General. Head down to "About" and then scroll down to "Serial Number." Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 7
• Question Where do I find the SIM card? Community Answer You can purchase SIM cards from Walmart or directly from the Straight Talk website. Make sure you purchase the right size card for your phone. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 6

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Tips

• Call the customer service number, at 1-888-251-8164, if you have any problems during this process. [2] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you have chosen the Unlimited plan, go to your Settings application. Choose the network called “Cellular Data Network” to activate your data plan on your smartphone. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2
• During the activation process, you will be asked whether you want to keep your number or get a new number. This choice cannot be reversed later on. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Show More Tips Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

• Beware that straight Talk plans do not include streaming. If you are using a smart phone, your data use will be limited to certain applications. Thanks Helpful 19 Not Helpful 13

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Things You'll Need

• Unlocked cell phone
• TracFone SIM card
• Straight Talk service plan card/Credit Card
• $30-$45 per month

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References

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TracFone_Wireless#Straight_Talk
2. ↑ http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-01-11/features/sfl-walmart-to-offer-monthly-nocontract-unlimited-plans-on-iphone-5-for-45-20130110_1_8gb-model-apple-smartphones-iphone

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 294,890 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 5 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 294,890 Categories: Phone Plans In other languages Russian Indonesian Japanese

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Click a star to vote Co-authors: 5 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 294,890

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