How to create an email ID without a phone number (2026)

Yes, you can create an email ID without a mobile number. Gmail says the phone number is optional, though it sometimes asks for one anyway. Outlook lets you use another email address instead of a phone. And some email services never ask for a number at all. Below are the steps for each, in plain words.

All the rules quoted here come from Google's and Microsoft's own help pages, checked on November 4, 2026.

Can I make an email ID without a mobile number?

Yes, in most cases. Here is the short version:

Email service	Is the mobile number needed?	What to do
Gmail	Optional, but "sometimes" required	Move past the phone step if the form allows it
Outlook or Hotmail	Not needed	Give an email address instead of a phone number
Yahoo Mail	Yes	Yahoo says "A valid mobile number is needed"
Secria	Never asked	Just a name, the address you want and a password

The one thing no real email service will skip is a check that you are a person and not a computer program. That check is usually quick, and often you don't even see it. More on that in our post on free email without verification.

Why do email services ask for your phone number?

There are two reasons, and Google says both on its own pages.

To stop fake accounts. Google's Verify your account page says: "To help protect you and stop spammers, before you create an account or sign in, sometimes phone verification is required to confirm you're a real person." A phone number is hard to get in large numbers, so it slows down people who make thousands of fake accounts.

To help you get back in. If you forget your password, a code sent to your phone can prove the account is yours. Yahoo's help says the number is needed "for the verification and account recovery process."

So when you skip the phone number, you are not breaking any rule. You only need another way to get back into your account if you forget the password. Set that up on day one.

How to create a Gmail ID without a phone number

These are Google's own steps from its Create a Google Account page, with the same steps on computer, iPhone and Android:

Go to the Google Account sign-in page and click Create account.
Choose For my personal use.
Enter your name, birthday and gender.
Pick a Gmail address from the suggestions, or type your own.
Make a password and confirm it. Click Next.
The next step says "Optional: Add and verify a phone number for your account." If the form lets you move on without a number, do that and follow the rest of the steps on screen.

If Google does not let you skip the phone step

Sometimes Google shows a screen that will not move on until you enter a code. This is the "sometimes required" check, and no setting on your side can turn it off. Google's options:

Use a landline. Google says: "If you choose the call option, you can also use your home phone number." If you have a landline at home or at your office, choose the call option and the code is read out to you.
Use the number of someone you trust. Google suggests "a number from a friend, family member, or a different carrier." After you finish, remove that number from your account (Google Account, then Personal info, then Phone), so their phone does not get your codes later.
Make a Google Account with an email you already have. If you only need YouTube or the Play Store, Google says "You don't need to have a Gmail address to create a Google Account." Click Use your existing email and the code goes to that email instead.

We explain each Google error message, like "This phone number cannot be used for verification," in our full guide to creating a Gmail without a phone number.

Watch out on Android phones

Most people make their email ID on a phone, so this matters. Google's Android help says: "On your device, phone number verification is turned on by default. We verify the phone number and add them to all Google Accounts that are signed in on the device."

That means if you skip the phone step and then sign in on your Android phone, the phone's SIM number may get added to your new email ID anyway. To turn this off:

Open the Settings app.
Tap Google, then All services.
Under "Privacy & security," tap Phone number verification and turn it off.

Do this before you sign in with the new account if you can. Our guide to creating an email on Android without a phone number has the full steps for a phone.

Don't sign up with only your phone number

In some countries Google lets you sign up using a phone number instead of an email. That sounds handy, but Google warns that your username will be "in the format username@id.gle. This is not an email address." If you want an email ID that can send and receive mail, choose a Gmail address instead.

How to create an Outlook or Hotmail ID without a phone number

Microsoft is easier here. Its account creation page says that if sign-up fails, you can "create your new account using an alternative sign-up method, such as an email address instead of a phone number."

Open a normal browser window (not incognito) with no VPN turned on.
Go to outlook.com and tap Create free account.
Choose your address and pick outlook.com or hotmail.com.
Make a password and fill in the details the form asks for.
Complete the quick security check.
If you see "Help us secure your account," type an email address, not a phone number. Microsoft's help page for this screen says "It doesn't have to be your email or phone number," you only need to be able to open it. Copy the code from that inbox and tap Verify.

If the security check keeps failing, Microsoft's own fix list says to turn off private browsing, ad blockers and VPNs, allow cookies and JavaScript, and try mobile data instead of shared Wi-Fi at a college, office or hotel. More detail is in our Outlook without a phone number guide.

One more thing: Microsoft says email addresses used for its accounts can't be reused, even after the account is closed. So pick a name you are happy to keep.

What about Yahoo Mail?

Yahoo is stricter. Its help page lists a mobile phone among the details needed to create an account and says "A valid mobile number is needed for the verification and account recovery process." If you don't want to give a number, Gmail or Outlook is the easier choice.

Why one number can't make many email IDs

Many people search for a way to make several email IDs with one mobile number. Google stops this on purpose. Its help page says: "we limit the number of accounts each phone number can create" and "we limit the number of times a phone number can be used for verification." Google does not say what the limit is. When you reach it, you see an error and need a different number.

So if you need a second email ID, it is easier to make it without a phone number from the start. And if you only want a separate address for shopping sites or sign-ups, an email alias may be all you need. An alias is an extra address that delivers to your main inbox. Read more on our email aliases page.

Tips so you don't get locked out

When there is no phone number on your account, the password is the key. A few habits help:

Write the password down and keep it somewhere safe at home, or use a password manager.
Add a recovery email that you can open, like an old email ID or a family member's.
Don't use free "receive SMS online" websites. Anyone can read the codes sent there. If that number becomes your recovery phone, a stranger can reset your password.
Don't lie about your age to skip steps. Google says that if it learns you are under the minimum age, your account can be disabled after 14 days.

An email ID that never asks for a number: Secria

If you don't want to deal with phone screens at all, Secria's sign-up is a name, the address you want and a password. No phone number, no card. The free plan gives you 1 GB of storage, 2 email aliases and 3 folders.

Instead of a phone number, you save a 12-word recovery phrase when you sign up. Write it down and keep it safe, because it is how you get back in if you forget your password. Your mailbox is protected with post-quantum encryption (ML-KEM-1024 with X25519) on every plan, including free. There are no ads, and we never mine your mail. Secria works on the web and has apps for Android and iPhone. See what is included on the Secria Mail page, or compare options on our page about email without a phone number.

Frequently asked questions

Email ID kaise banaye bina phone number ke?

For Gmail, follow the steps above and move past the optional phone step if the form allows it. For Outlook, give an email address instead of a phone number. If both keep asking, choose a service like Secria, where sign-up needs only a name, an address and a password.

Is it allowed to create an email ID without a mobile number?

Google's own sign-up steps call the phone number "Optional," and Microsoft offers an email instead of a phone. So skipping the number is allowed. What breaks their rules is using an account for spam, fraud or pretending to be someone else.

Can I create an email ID without a phone number on my mobile phone?

Yes. The Gmail steps are the same on Android and iPhone. On Android, turn off Phone number verification in Settings first, or Google may add your SIM number to the new account. Outlook works in your phone's browser or the Outlook app.

Why does Gmail say "This phone number cannot be used for verification"?

Google limits how many accounts each phone number can create. Once a number reaches that limit, Google shows this error. Google suggests using a different number, such as a friend's or family member's, or you can make your email ID with a provider that doesn't ask.

How do I recover an email ID that has no phone number?

You use the other recovery options you set up: a recovery email, backup codes, or for Secria, your 12-word recovery phrase. That is why you should set these up on the first day. Our guide to recovering an email account without a phone number covers the steps.

Want an email ID in a minute with no mobile number? Create a free Secria account with a name, an address and a password.