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Cancel guide · Updated April 18, 2026

How to cancel AT&T Wireless

Canceling AT&T Wireless is a phone call, 1-800-331-0500 routes to wireless customer service. As with Verizon, the cleanest 'cancel' for most people is a number port to another carrier, which auto-closes the AT&T line without a retention call. Only call AT&T directly to hard-cancel if you're closing the account entirely and keeping no numbers. Financed phones accelerate on cancel.

Cancel AT&T Wireless, direct line

1-800-331-0500Call now

AT&T Wireless does not offer a fully-online cancel flow, phone is the only reliable path.

Policies change frequently. Verify current terms at the time of cancellation. Prices, ETFs, return windows, and cancel numbers can shift, always confirm with the provider on the call before accepting any offer.

Step-by-step: cancel AT&T Wireless

  1. Decide: port out or hard-cancel?

    If you're keeping your phone number, start the port at the new carrier (T-Mobile, Verizon, Cricket, Mint, etc.) using your AT&T account number and transfer PIN. The port auto-cancels your AT&T line, no call to AT&T required. Only call AT&T to cancel if you're closing the account without keeping any numbers.

  2. Generate your AT&T Number Transfer PIN

    In the myAT&T app or att.com, go to your profile > 'Get your Number Transfer PIN'. The PIN is a 6-8 digit code that expires in 7 days. You can regenerate if needed. Give this PIN (plus your account number and wireless phone number) to the new carrier.

  3. Check device-financing balance on each line

    In myAT&T under Devices, review each line for AT&T Next Up or standard installment financing. The remaining balance accelerates and becomes due on the final bill if you cancel. If you had 'free phone with trade-in' promo credits, those stop on cancel, remaining credit is forfeited.

  4. Pay off devices or plan for accelerated charges

    If you have $600 remaining on an iPhone financed over 36 months and you cancel, $600 is due immediately on the final bill. You can pay in full or arrange a post-cancel payment plan, AT&T still reports unpaid balances to credit bureaus.

  5. If hard-canceling, call 1-800-331-0500

    Say 'cancel wireless service' at the voice prompt. You'll route to AT&T's retention/account services team. Have your account number, transfer PIN, and the account holder's identity ready. Retention will pitch a few offers, AT&T's are typically lighter than Verizon's.

  6. Confirm proration and closeout items

    AT&T Wireless prorates final bills, you'll be credited for unused days in the current cycle. Get a cancel confirmation number and the final-bill estimate in writing via email.

  7. Remove AT&T Protect Advantage, HBO Max, and other add-ons

    Confirm that AT&T Protect Advantage (phone insurance), Next Up upgrade credits, HBO Max/Max if bundled, and any International Day Pass settings are flagged for termination. Some add-ons continue to bill separately if not explicitly removed.

  8. Watch final bill for device-balance and surprise fees

    AT&T final bills often include the accelerated device-financing balance, forfeited promo credits, prorated service, and regulatory fees. Review carefully, the accelerated device line is usually the biggest number. Dispute errors via myAT&T chat within 60 days.

What retention will offer, and how to evaluate it

Here's what to expect when the AT&T Wireless retention team pitches you, and how to tell a real offer from a distraction.

  • A monthly per-line discount of $5-15 for 6-12 months, AT&T's standard retention lever on wireless.
  • A plan upgrade at the current price (e.g., AT&T Unlimited Starter to Extra EL, adding hotspot data or HBO Max), feature-add at no extra cost.
  • A free additional line or waived line-access fee on a second line, real savings if you want an extra line anyway.
  • A trade-in credit on a new device with a fresh 36-month installment plan, requires re-locking into device financing, effectively a new commitment.
  • An AT&T Fiber bundle discount ($10-20/line/month) if you already have or will add AT&T Fiber, cross-product lock-in.

Early termination fee and equipment return

Early termination fee

AT&T Wireless has no ETF on the service plan, all postpaid lines are month-to-month. The 'real' cost of leaving is the remaining balance on device financing (AT&T Next Up or standard installment plans), which accelerates to the full amount on cancel. Promotional trade-in credits (e.g., 'free iPhone with trade' spread over 36 months) also stop on cancel, remaining credits are forfeited, effectively increasing the net device cost. Check each line's 'Devices' page in myAT&T before canceling. AT&T prepaid (Cricket, AT&T Prepaid) has no financing and no ETF, just stop renewing.

Equipment return

Most AT&T Wireless phones are owned by the customer (paid in full or financed) and do not need to be returned. Leased devices (AT&T Next Every Year was a lease program, now discontinued) are rare on current plans. If you have a leased device, AT&T emails a return label after cancel; return within 30 days or face full-retail charges. Your phone and any paid-off financed devices stay with you and can be used on other carriers once unlocked. AT&T unlocks phones after the full device-financing balance is paid and the line has been active 60+ days.

Timing tips

  • Port out rather than cancel directly if you want to keep your number. The port auto-cancels, no retention call required.
  • Time the port or cancel for the last 1-2 days of your AT&T billing cycle to minimize the final prorated month.
  • Don't cancel before paying off or calculating device-financing balances. A promo-credit forfeiture on a 'free phone' deal can mean hundreds of dollars in accelerated charges.
  • Unlock your phone before canceling. AT&T unlocks automatically once the device balance is zero and the line has 60 days of good-standing, confirm status in myAT&T.
  • If you have AT&T Fiber with a wireless bundle discount, canceling wireless first increases the Fiber bill by the discount amount starting the next Fiber cycle.

Frequently asked questions

Does AT&T Wireless have an ETF?
No ETF on the service plan itself. However, financed-device balances accelerate on cancel and become due on the final bill, and promotional trade-in credits stop, effectively raising the cost to leave if you're mid-way through a 36-month device installment plan.
Can I cancel AT&T Wireless online?
No, AT&T requires a phone call to 1-800-331-0500 for account closures. If you're porting to another carrier, you don't need to call AT&T at all; the port at the new carrier auto-cancels your AT&T line.
How do I get my AT&T port-out PIN?
In the myAT&T app or at att.com, go to your profile and select 'Get your Number Transfer PIN'. The 6-8 digit PIN expires in 7 days. You can regenerate as many times as needed.
What happens to my financed iPhone if I cancel AT&T?
The remaining balance accelerates and is due on your final bill. You keep the phone, it's yours. Any remaining promotional trade-in credits (e.g., 'free phone with trade-in' billed and credited over 36 months) stop, forfeiting the unused portion.
Will AT&T prorate my final wireless bill?
Yes, AT&T Wireless prorates the final month. Unused days in the current cycle are credited. Add-ons, insurance, and premium services terminate on the cancel date or the next cycle.
Can I keep AT&T Fiber if I cancel AT&T Wireless?
Yes. The services bill separately even when bundled. Any AT&T Fiber + Wireless bundle discount ends, raising the Fiber bill by $10-20/line per month.
Will my AT&T phone work on T-Mobile or Verizon?
Yes, once unlocked. AT&T phones are unlocked automatically after the device balance is fully paid and the line has been active 60+ days. Confirm unlock status in myAT&T before canceling.
What if I have AT&T Protect Advantage (phone insurance)?
AT&T Protect Advantage terminates with wireless service. Confirm on the cancel call. If you had an active claim, finish it before canceling, claims may be denied after the line is closed.

Thinking of switching instead?

Before you cancel, it's usually worth checking what else is available at your address.