# Phone Number Formatter > Paste messy phone numbers, format to international E.164, local, or display format. Supports all country codes. **Category:** Utility **Keywords:** calculator, tool **URL:** https://complete.tools/phone-number-formatter ## Phone number formats explained **E.164 (International Standard)** E.164 is the international standard format defined by the ITU-T. It starts with a plus sign, followed by the country code and the subscriber number, with no spaces or punctuation. Example: `+12025551234`. This format is required by most telephony APIs, SMS gateways, SMS services like Twilio and AWS SNS, and VoIP systems. It's unambiguous — any system anywhere in the world can parse it correctly. **National Format** National format uses local conventions for displaying phone numbers, typically with the area code and subscriber number separated by dashes, spaces, or parentheses. In the US, this looks like `(202) 555-1234`. In the UK, a London number appears as `020 7946 0958`. National format is best for displaying numbers to users in the same country — it's familiar and easy to read. **International Display Format** International format combines the E.164 country code prefix with the national format for readability. Example: `+1 (202) 555-1234` for a US number, or `+44 20 7946 0958` for a UK number. Use this when showing numbers to an international audience or in documentation where origin country matters. **RFC3966 (URI Format)** RFC3966 is the `tel:` URI scheme used in HTML links and web applications. Clicking a `tel:` link on a mobile device opens the phone dialer. Format: `tel:+1-202-555-1234`. Use RFC3966 when embedding phone numbers in HTML, email templates, or anywhere you want tap-to-call functionality. ## How to use 1. Paste one or more phone numbers into the input box — one number per line for bulk formatting 2. Select the country that the numbers belong to (sets the expected digit count and formatting rules) 3. Choose your desired output format: E.164, National, International, or RFC3966 4. Formatted results appear instantly — copy individual numbers or copy all at once The tool accepts numbers in virtually any format: `(202) 555-1234`, `202-555-1234`, `202.555.1234`, `202 555 1234`, `+1 202 555 1234`, or just `2025551234`. Numbers with extensions like `202-555-1234 ext 456` are supported — the extension will be stripped and noted in the result. ## Supported countries The following countries are supported, with their expected local digit counts: - **United States (+1)** — 10 digits (area code + 7-digit number) - **Canada (+1)** — 10 digits (same North American Numbering Plan as the US) - **United Kingdom (+44)** — 10–11 digits (national format includes a leading 0) - **Australia (+61)** — 9 digits (local number after country code) - **Germany (+49)** — 10–12 digits (varies by area and mobile) - **France (+33)** — 10 digits (national format starts with 0) - **India (+91)** — 10 digits (mobile and landline) - **Brazil (+55)** — 10–11 digits (11 digits for mobile with 9-digit prefix) - **Japan (+81)** — 10–11 digits - **Mexico (+52)** — 10 digits - **China (+86)** — 11 digits (mobile numbers) The tool validates that each number has the correct digit count for the selected country and shows an error if the count doesn't match. ## FAQs ** **Q:** What is E.164 format?** **A:** E.164 is the international standard for phone numbers defined by the ITU-T. It begins with a `+` followed by the country code and subscriber number, no spaces or punctuation. For example, a US number in E.164 is `+12025551234`. Most SMS APIs, telephony platforms, and contact databases expect numbers in this format. ** **Q:** Why do I need to format phone numbers consistently?** **A:** Inconsistent phone number formatting causes problems in CRMs, SMS campaigns, and contact databases. A number stored as `(202) 555-1234` in one record and `+12025551234` in another creates duplicates and delivery failures. Standardizing to E.164 or another consistent format eliminates these issues. ** **Q:** Can I format multiple numbers at once?** **A:** Yes. Paste one phone number per line in the input box. The tool formats each line independently and shows results in a list with individual copy buttons and a "Copy All" button for the entire batch. ** **Q:** What if my number includes an extension?** **A:** Extensions (like `ext 456` or `x 789`) are automatically stripped before formatting. The result will indicate that an extension was present. Extensions are not part of any standard phone number format, so they must be stored separately. ** **Q:** What if the tool shows an error for my number?** **A:** The most common cause is a digit count mismatch — for example, formatting a UK number while "United States" is selected. Switch to the correct country. Also check that the number isn't truncated or has extra digits from copying. ** **Q:** Is the formatting done locally in my browser?** **A:** Yes. All formatting happens entirely in your browser. Your phone numbers are never sent to any server. This makes the tool safe to use with sensitive contact data. ** **Q:** What is the RFC3966 tel: format used for?** **A:** RFC3966 defines the `tel:` URI scheme, which lets you create clickable phone number links in HTML: `Call us`. On mobile devices, tapping this link opens the phone dialer with the number pre-filled. It's standard practice for phone numbers in web pages and email templates. --- *Generated from [complete.tools/phone-number-formatter](https://complete.tools/phone-number-formatter)*