Releasing a number is reversible for a while. How long you have depends on how far the release has got.
Stage 1 — you released it, your billing period has not ended yet
Nothing has actually happened to the number. It is still on your account, still taking calls, and simply carries a scheduled end date.
You can cancel the release at any time before that date, with no consequence at all. Go to Phone Numbers → Your Numbers, open the number, and choose to restore it. The scheduled release is cancelled and the number carries on as if you had never asked. No re-provisioning, no new setup fee, no gap in service.
This is the stage most people are in, because a release you schedule today does not take effect until the end of your current billing period.
Stage 2 — your billing period ended and the number moved out
Once your period ends, the number leaves your account and moves into a holding area. Calls to it stop.
From this moment you have 7 days to restore it. Open the number under Phone Numbers → Your Numbers and choose to restore. It comes back to the same location it was on, with its previous configuration.
A restore at this stage does re-provision the number with our carrier, so allow a short delay before calls start working again.
Stage 3 — more than 7 days have passed
The number has gone back to our carrier's general inventory. It cannot be restored, and it may already have been issued to someone else. You will see a message telling you the restore window has expired.
If you need a number again at this point, you will have to buy a new one — and there is no guarantee the old number is still available.
A note on the 7 days
The 7 days are counted from when the number left your account, not from when you clicked release. If you release a number on the 3rd and your billing period ends on the 30th, you have until the 30th to cancel it freely, and then a further 7 days to restore it.
Things that can stop a restore
- The original account was closed. A number cannot be restored to an account that no longer exists.
- An administrator reclaimed it. If our team moved the number for another reason, restore is unavailable and support can explain why.
Not sure whether a number is still recoverable? Open it under Phone Numbers → Your Numbers — if a restore option is offered, it is still recoverable. See also Cancelling a Number: What Happens and When.