You can create an email account without a phone number at Proton, often at Gmail and usually at Outlook; Yahoo's help page lists a mobile number as part of sign-up. Where a provider insists, you either give your own number or one that only receives the sign-up code. Afterwards, a second email address or an authenticator app keeps the inbox safe without any phone.
Which providers ask for a number, and when
| At sign-up | Without a phone | Asks again later | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail (Google) | Listed as optional, sometimes required | Often possible | Yes |
| Outlook (Microsoft) | Email or phone as the sign-up method | Possible with another email address | Yes |
| Yahoo Mail | Mobile number requested | Not in the standard flow | Yes |
| Proton Mail | CAPTCHA, email or SMS, if asked | Yes, by CAPTCHA or email | No |
From each provider's help pages and the service facts on our service pages. Providers change sign-up checks without notice.
Allowed alternatives to the phone step
- Use an email you already have. Google and Microsoft both let you create an account around an existing address and verify it by a code sent there.
- Choose CAPTCHA at Proton. Proton offers a short test instead of SMS. It shows only email or SMS if you sign up from Tor or create several accounts.
- Leave the optional field empty at Google. The phone is marked optional in Google's own steps.
- Use a fresh address at Microsoft. Microsoft says an email address that was once used for a Microsoft account, even a long-closed one, cannot start a new account.
Gmail in detail: create a Google account without a phone number. Proton in detail: Proton Mail phone verification.
When a number is required: your own or a one-time one
- Your own number
- The provider can use it for recovery and security codes later. It also links the inbox to you.
- A one-time number
- Receives the sign-up code and closes. Fine for the first step; never leave it as the recovery phone.
- Proton's privacy detail
- Proton says it does not store the number you verify with, only a cryptographic hash of it.
For Microsoft, numbers by country are on the Microsoft page; the app shows the success rate per country before you pay.
Securing the mailbox afterwards
- Add a recovery email A second address you control is the simplest way back in after a forgotten password.
- Turn on an authenticator app Login codes come from your own device, with no number involved.
- Save backup codes Print or store them offline. They replace a lost phone or authenticator.
- Remove any temporary number If you used one for the sign-up, delete it from the account's security settings.
Common questions
Which email provider does not need a phone number?
Proton Mail lets you verify with a CAPTCHA or another email address. Gmail and Outlook often let you skip the phone too.
Can I create an Outlook account without a phone number?
Usually, yes. Microsoft's help suggests signing up with an email address as an alternative to a phone number.
Does Yahoo Mail need a phone number?
Yahoo's help page lists a mobile number among the details you provide when creating an account, and you verify it on screen.
Is a one-time number safe for an email account?
For the sign-up code, yes. As a recovery number, no, because it closes after one code.