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Help Center›Admin Setup (For Admins)›Channels›How to set up the SMS channel
Table of contents
  • Overview
  • Key Features
  • How to set up the SMS channel
  • Choose how to get your number
  • Decide what happens after a ticket is closed
  • FAQs & Troubleshooting
  • Do I need Twilio to use SMS?
  • Which channel needs an SMS number?
  • Where do I see how a number is used?

    • How to set up the SMS channel

    Last updated October 21, 2026

    Who can use this feature?
    Admins only.

    Overview

    Talk to your customers by text message. Customers text your Atlas number, and each conversation becomes a ticket in your Inbox. You can buy a new number in Atlas or bring an existing number from Twilio.

    Related articles:
    •  How to set up WhatsApp: WhatsApp needs a working SMS number, so set up this channel first.
    •  How to manage tickets in the inbox: Work SMS tickets alongside your other channels.

    Key Features

    • Two ways to get a number: Purchase a new number or port an existing number from Twilio.
    • Country validation: Choose a preferred country so phone numbers are validated with the right country code.
    • Control follow-up messages: Decide what happens when a customer texts after their last ticket was closed.
    • Number overview: See the messages sent and received by each number.

    How to set up the SMS channel

    Requirements:
    You are an Admin. To port a number, you also need your Twilio "Account SID", "API Key SID" and "API Key Secret".
    1. Go to  "App Configuration > Channels > SMS" .
    2. Turn on "Use SMS".
    3. Under "Preferred Country", select the country code Atlas uses to validate phone numbers.
    4. Under "New message after their last ticket is closed", choose what happens when a customer texts after their last ticket was closed (see the table below).
    5. Under "Phone Numbers", click "Add number".
    6. In "Number source", select "Purchase new number" or "Port existing number from Twilio" and fill in the form (see the tabs below).
    7. Click "Add number".

    Choose how to get your number

    Purchase new numberPort existing number from Twilio

    Enter a "Name" your team will recognize, such as "Support line", then select the country and the "Phone number".

    Enter a "Name", the "Phone number", and your Twilio "Account SID", "API Key SID" and "API Key Secret". Click "Where to find?" in the form if you need help finding them in Twilio.

    Important:
    Treat the "API Key Secret" like a password. Only enter it in Atlas, and never share it in a ticket or a chat.

    Decide what happens after a ticket is closed

    In "New message after their last ticket is closed", select one of these actions:

    OptionWhat Atlas does when the customer texts again
    Create a new ticketOpens a new ticket. This is the default.
    Re-open the last ticketRe-opens the customer's last ticket.
    Re-open if the last ticket is X days oldRe-opens the last ticket only if it's recent enough. Otherwise Atlas opens a new ticket.

    FAQs & Troubleshooting

    Do I need Twilio to use SMS?

    No. You can purchase a number directly in Atlas. Twilio is only needed if you want to bring a number you already have.

    Which channel needs an SMS number?

    WhatsApp. Atlas asks for a working SMS number before you can enable it.

    Where do I see how a number is used?

    In the "Phone Numbers" table. It shows each number's "Name", "Phone Number", "Default", "Messages sent" and "Messages received".

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