Any Verizon customer can access their phone records for the past three months using their My Verizon account via the app or online. Bill usage summaries go back even further.
I have been a long time Verizon customer, and am an avid phone user with plenty of technological knowhow. Both of those aspects enabled me to effectively break down Verizon’s phone record recovery process.
This article delves further into that procedure by looking at the ways users can access their call history, the steps behind each way, as well as how long Verizon holds onto such records.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Talking to a Verizon representative is one of the quickest ways to get phone records, but you can go online through your My Verizon account as well.
- Logging into your online account allows you to access or print out any personal phone records you might need in both spreadsheet and PDF forms.
- Verizon holds onto their phone records for 12 months and text messages for 90 days. Billings statements are on record for 18 months.
Contacting Verizon for Call History
There are a few ways Verizon customers can access their call records. The first is by directly contacting the company’s customer service line and asking for the required information. That process may not be the most efficient, but it’s effective.
Once you talk to a representative, you’re able to request calling records, message details, or any bill copies you might need. There’s a lengthy verification process, but once that’s over you’ll have full access to your information. Representatives can help you online too.
Contacting someone on the phone is typically the best way to get help from Verizon, but you’re able to get in touch with customer support through their website as well. Searching through FAQs can help answer questions, and you can find a representative too.
How to Access Phone Records Online
If you don’t want to talk to customer service, you’re also able to get any phone records you might need online through the My Verizon account. This process is different for what you want, as there are restrictions on what Verizon holds onto.
If you need to access the current billing cycle, follow the below steps.
1. Open the Verizon Wireless homepage in your browser, then go to the “My Verizon” tab on the far right and click “My Personal Account” from the drop-down menu.
2. Log in with your user ID (or set up an account if you don’t have one) with your user ID/cell phone number and password.
3. Pick the phone line you want to inspect by choosing the “Line” drop down menu next to the phone icon.
4. Click “View Usage” under the “Minutes Usage” tab.
5. Scroll down and click the “view details” link for any messaging or call data.
6. Print the details onto your computer by selecting “download details to spreadsheet.”
How to Access Past Verizon Bills
As Verizon only holds onto your call information for certain periods of time, you can’t go too far back. However, if you need some call logs from previous bills rather than the current one, there are a few steps you’re able to take.
1. Log into your “My Verizon” account.
2. Choose “bill” under the “account” tab.
3. Click on the billing period you want to see from the drop-down menu.
4.Click on the “bill details” and then choose “data, talk, and text activity.”
5. Choose the “talk or call details” option.
6. Print the details from the screen or choose “view and print bill.”
You also have the option of getting your information in PDF format as opposed to spreadsheet form. To do that, navigate to account and bill options and select bill details. Then, choose the “view or save printable bill” option.
How Long Verizon Keeps Phone Records
Getting phone data from Verizon isn’t too tough, as long as they have it. The above methods are relatively easy, but it’s important to note that you can’t access records that no longer exist. Unfortunately, Verizon doesn’t keep information for that long.
They hold onto network usage, calls, data, and text messages for a fixed amount of time. They only keep system logs, including main log details, notifications, and transaction reports, for 12 months at a time. Usage reports are only around for a year as well.
They also keep phone detail records for 12 months, but text message conversations only stick around for five days at a time. For billing statements, you can go back 18 months. However, those documents won’t give you that many details.
If you need billing statements, Verizon does have them for the past seven years. That method does cost money, however, which can be a bit of a bummer.
FAQs
Here, I cover and answer a few of the biggest questions surrounding Verizon’s phone record recovery process.
Can I Request My Phone Records Directly from Verizon?
Yes. There are two ways customers can get their records from the company. They have the option to go to Verizon’s website online, or they can call customer service.
Can I See Someone Else’s Text Messages on Verizon?
No. Though there is some leniency when it comes to family plans, there is no way a user on a Verizon service can use their position to see someone else’s information without special circumstances like court documents.
How Long Does Verizon Keep Phone Call Records?
The company stores all of their phone call records. Users are able to access their old call logs for up to a year in the past by going to their account. For text messages, however, they only have access to the past 90 days.
Final Words
There are many reasons a user might need past phone records. No matter what your reason, Verizon makes the process relatively simple. While access is not always easy, anything that’s still on file is just a few clicks (or calls) away.
Have you ever needed to access your phone records in the past? How was the process? Let us know below!