Can You Play Overwatch Without a Phone Number?

You can play Overwatch without a phone number if you played it and linked your account to Battle.net before Overwatch 2 launched. New Battle.net accounts can’t: they must link a mobile number to play Overwatch on Battle.net or Steam, and Blizzard says “Customer Support is unable to bypass the SMS requirement.”

If you’d rather not link your personal number, a second mobile number works. For Battle.net basics, see our Battle.net phone number guide.

Who needs a phone number for Overwatch?

Blizzard’s support article says: “If you played Overwatch and linked to a Battle.net Account prior to the release of Overwatch 2, you are not required to have SMS protect on your account.”

Blizzard made the change in October 2022, just after launch, for “a majority of existing Overwatch players”. It said new accounts “will still have to meet SMS Protect requirements”, to protect the community against cheating.

Steam and console players

• Steam: Overwatch on Steam needs a Battle.net account. When you launch it, you see “the screen advising that a Battle.net Account is required to play Overwatch” and link your accounts in the browser.
• Console: Blizzard said “the majority of our console community” no longer needed SMS Protect, “including any console player who has played since June 9, 2021.” On console, the code check is completed “using the QR code on your phone”.

What SMS Protect is for, and what it blocks

SMS Protect is part of Overwatch’s Defense Matrix. Blizzard says it “helps verify ownership of your account in the unforeseen event of an account compromise”, and that “if a disruptive player has been suspended or banned, SMS Protect makes it more difficult for them to return to the game.”

Without a number, a new account can’t play: “you will not be able to access the services until you add a phone number.” Removing the number later has the same effect: it “may prevent access to those games until you add a new one.”

Blizzard also limits free accounts per number: “It is not possible to create multiple free-to-play game accounts of the same kind with the same number.” And disruptive players “may be banned whether they have a new account or not.” This guide is about keeping your personal number private on your own account.

Which numbers work for Overwatch

• Mobile or prepaid, not VoIP. Battle.net “supports mobile plans and prepaid numbers but does not support Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) numbers.”
• Same country as your account. “To add a phone number, your phone number must belong to the same country registered in your Battle.net Account Details.”
• One account per number. “A phone number can only be added to a single Battle.net Account.”

A non-VoIP number from PVADeals is a real mobile line from a carrier, so Battle.net sees an ordinary mobile number.

How to add a second number for Overwatch

1. Create a free PVADeals account and add credits: crypto from $3, or a card through Stripe from $5.
2. Choose Blizzard from the list of websites in the country on your Battle.net account: the United States or the United Kingdom. If it isn’t listed for your country, rent an All services number instead, which works on any website.
3. Pick a long-term rental (3, 7, 14 or 30 days) and turn on auto-renew; see below. See the prices below.
4. On Battle.net, open Account Details, add the number under Phone Number and request the code by text. PVADeals numbers receive SMS only.
5. Copy the code from your PVADeals dashboard, where it appears as soon as it arrives, and enter it.

Short-term or long-term?

A 20-minute number gets the number onto your account, but reuse after the rental isn’t guaranteed. Blizzard uses the number to confirm the account is yours, and can ask for an SMS code when you change it, so a long-term number on auto-renew is the better fit. Set up the Battle.net Authenticator too: Blizzard recommends it “as an alternative verification method”. To swap numbers later, see how to change your Blizzard phone number.

If Battle.net rejects the number

Check the country, use a mobile number rather than VoIP, and make sure it isn’t on another Battle.net account. After several failed attempts, Blizzard says to “Wait a full 24 hours and try again”. If an eligible PVADeals number receives no SMS during the rental, its cost comes back to your balance automatically as store credit. See our US and UK phone numbers.