---
title: "Burn a number"
url: "https://numberburn.com/help/burn-a-number.md"
canonical_url: "https://numberburn.com/help/burn-a-number"
last_updated: "2026-10-19"
type: "how-to"
summary: "What burning a number does, how the 30 day quarantine and data retention work, and when a burn costs extra."
related: ["https://numberburn.com/help.md", "https://numberburn.com/help/billing-and-usage.md", "https://numberburn.com/help/getting-started.md", "https://numberburn.com/help/troubleshooting.md"]
---

# Burn a number

What burning a number does, how the 30 day quarantine and data retention work, and when a burn costs extra.

Burning ends a number in one tap. It is permanent, so read what happens before you confirm.

## Burn a number

1. **Open the number.** Pick the number you are finished with from your numbers.
2. **Choose burn.** The burn screen shows any one-time charge before you confirm.
3. **Confirm.** Forwarding stops at once. The number cannot be un-burned.

## What burning does

- Forwarding stops at once. Nobody who calls the number reaches your phone.
- Texts already received stay visible in your inbox until they are 30 days old, then they are deleted. That happens for every text, burned number or not.
- The number goes into quarantine for 30 days. After that it returns to the carrier pool and can be given to someone else.
- After a number is released, its record is kept for 90 days and then deleted.

## Burn charges

| When | Charge |
| --- | --- |
| During the trial | The trial number can be burned; the trial has no extra burns |
| After the trial, the first burn each UTC calendar month | Free |
| After the trial, each further burn in the same month | $1, added once to your next bill |

> **Note:** The free burn count is 1 per UTC calendar month, so the month rolls over at midnight UTC and not at your local midnight.

## Related

- [Help center](https://numberburn.com/help.md)
- [Billing and usage](https://numberburn.com/help/billing-and-usage.md)
- [Getting started](https://numberburn.com/help/getting-started.md)
- [Troubleshooting](https://numberburn.com/help/troubleshooting.md)