---
title: "How to get your receptionist's phone number"
description: "Pick the number your receptionist answers, see whether it's answering, and release it if you need to."
url: https://geiavwiyz.gleap.help/en/articles/165-how-to-get-your-receptionist-s-phone-number
collection: "Receptionist"
updated: 2026-11-02
language: en
---

# How to get your receptionist's phone number

Pick the number your receptionist answers, see whether it's answering, and release it if you need to.

The receptionist answers on a new number of its own, the number your customers ring. Your plan includes one. You can't move a number you already have onto it.

You need to be an admin of your team to get or release a number.

## Pick a number

1.  Click **Receptionist** in the sidebar, then the **Settings** tab.
    
2.  Click **Phone number**.
    
3.  Pick the kind of number: **Local**, **Mobile** or **Freephone**. Callers trust a local number most.
    
4.  Search by area code or town, like 0161 or Leeds. A local search starts with the area code near your base.
    
5.  Click the number you want.
    
6.  Click **Use this number**.
    

The number is yours straight away. Put it on your website, van, business cards, quotes and Google Business Profile. The receptionist starts answering it once you put it live.

In Australia, the kinds are **Local**, **Mobile** and **Freecall**, and you can search by area code, city or state, like 02, Brisbane or VIC.

## What the number's status means

-   **Answering calls**: the receptionist is live and picking up.
    
-   **Ready — answers once you go live**: the number's yours, but the receptionist isn't live yet. Calls ring your fallback number until it is.
    
-   **Not ringing your receptionist**: click **Use it for my receptionist** to fix it.
    
-   **Releasing soon**: your account has no plan. See below.
    

## Release your number

1.  On **Phone number**, click **Release number**.
    
2.  Click **Confirm**.
    

The number goes back to the phone company and calls to it stop. You may not get it back, so only do this if you're sure.

## Why is my number being released?

Your account's plan has ended. The page says when the number goes, about a week after the plan ended. Click **Choose a plan** before then to keep it.

## Why can't I find a number?

-   **No numbers free like that**: try a nearby area code or another town.
    
-   **Phone numbers here are nearly ready**: the phone company is still checking our registration. Contact us if you need a number sooner.
    
-   **Phone numbers aren't available here yet**: contact us and we'll set one up for you.
    
-   **We couldn't get phone numbers just now**: try again in a few minutes.
    

Only the kinds of number we can get for you show. If you don't see **Mobile** or **Freephone**, they aren't available yet.