An E164 phone number format makes it easier to dial numbers internationally. This system keeps phone numbers consistent and simple, ensuring you can connect with people around the world without issues. In this guide, we’ll look at how the E164 format works and why it’s important for businesses and individuals.
What is an E164 Phone Number?
The E164 phone number format is a standardized system for representing phone numbers. Its main goal is to make phone numbers consistent and globally recognized, ensuring that they can be dialed from anywhere in the world. The format itself is simple but strict, which is why it’s used in telecommunications, databases, and software applications that require international contact information.
The E164 phone number format consists of a plus sign (+), followed by the country code, and then the national phone number. It’s essential that the number doesn't include spaces, dashes, or parentheses, which are often seen in local phone number formatting. Here's a quick breakdown of how the format looks:
+: Indicates the international dialing code
Country code: A 1-3 digit number specific to the country (e.g., the country code for the US is 1)
National number: The local phone number, which can range from 4 to 14 digits, depending on the country
E164 Format Example:
Notice how the number is plain and simple, without any formatting like dashes or parentheses.
Validate an E164 phone number using https://makeinfo.co/tools/e164-validator
Using the E164 phone number format has several advantages, especially when dealing with international communications and system integrations. Here's why it matters:
Global Compatibility: It ensures that a phone number can be dialed from any country in the world.
Simplicity: It removes local formatting that could confuse software or systems, making phone numbers cleaner and more predictable.
Standardization: It's the international standard for phone numbers, meaning it’s recognized and accepted globally.
E164 Phone Number Example
Let’s look at a real-world example of what an E164 phone number might look like from different countries:
USA: If you're dialing a number in the US, it would look something like this: +12345678901. This represents the country code (1 for the United States) followed by the local phone number.
UK: A phone number in the UK could be written as +442087654321. Here, the country code for the UK is 44, and the rest of the digits make up the national number.
India: In India, an E164 phone number might look like +919876543210, with the country code being 91.
E164 Phone Number Validation
If you’re dealing with phone numbers and want to ensure that they're formatted correctly in the E164 format, you’ll need a tool that can validate them. Validation is important because it ensures that the phone numbers are not only formatted properly but also belong to real phone numbers. After all, you don't want to mistakenly call an invalid number!
There are several ways to validate E164 phone numbers, and I personally love using an E164 phone number checker or converter tool. One of the most popular options out there is TextMagic's Phone Validator tool, which checks phone numbers against a database of known numbers to confirm if they’re valid. You can find it here: TextMagic Phone Validator.
To validate a number, just input it into the validator, and it will tell you if the number is valid, its country, and even if it's a mobile or landline number. This helps avoid errors in systems where accurate phone numbers are crucial, like CRMs, databases, or marketing tools.
Twilio is one of the biggest names in cloud communications, and they also use the E164 phone number format for phone numbers in their system. When you're working with Twilio for sending SMS messages or making voice calls, you’ll need to ensure that the phone numbers are in the correct E164 format. This means no local formatting, just the plus sign and country code with the national number.
If you're using Twilio's API, it's essential to convert any phone number you receive into E164 format before sending messages or making calls. This can be done through the Twilio API's helper libraries, or you can manually format the phone numbers by following the E164 rules.
You can send SMS to E164 phone numbers easily using the Twiliobox Google Sheets add-on. Plus, you can validate phone numbers with Twilio's validation API directly from your sheet!
Now, you may wonder how you can easily convert a phone number to E164 format. There are several ways to do this:
Manually: As I mentioned earlier, you can remove any local formatting and add the appropriate country code. So, for a phone number like (555) 123-4567 in the United States, the conversion to E164 format would look like this: +15551234567.
Using a Tool: There are many online tools that act as E164 phone number converters. These tools let you input a phone number and then they’ll return the correctly formatted E164 phone number. I often use tools like this to make my job easier when handling multiple numbers.
Here’s a great resource to convert numbers to E164 format automatically: Phone Number Converter.
- Google Sheets: If you're managing phone numbers in a Google Sheet, you can use Google Sheets' custom formatting options to display numbers in the E164 format. You can also use a script or an add-on to do this for you.
Working with phone numbers in Google Sheets? I’ve had plenty of experience organizing contact lists in Sheets, and trust me, formatting phone numbers in E164 format can save you a lot of time and hassle when you’re managing international contacts. Here’s how you can format your phone numbers to meet the E164 standard:
Create a Custom Format: In Google Sheets, you can use custom number formats to display your phone numbers in E164 format. For instance, you can create a custom formula to automatically add the + sign and country code.
Use a Script or Add-On: You can also automate the process by using a custom Google Apps Script. Google Sheets allows you to run scripts to process phone numbers, ensuring that they're properly formatted. You can find some scripts online or even build one yourself.
Use Add-Ons: There are several add-ons for Google Sheets that can help you manage phone number formatting and validation.
You can easily send text messages to E164 phone numbers using the Twiliobox Google Sheets add-on. With just a few clicks, you can integrate Twilio's SMS service directly into your Google Sheets and start sending messages to your contacts in E164 format. It’s a fast and convenient way to manage your communications without leaving your spreadsheet!
You can also find help for creating phone number formats for Sheets through Google's support page here.
I hope this guide on E164 phone numbers was helpful! Whether you’re using it for personal contact management, business communication, or software integration, the E164 format ensures that everything is standardized and easy to manage. And now that you know how to convert, validate, and format E164 numbers in Google Sheets, you’re all set!
If you have any questions or need further tips, feel free to reach out. Happy formatting!
