MTN USSD codes let South African MTN customers check airtime, view data balances, buy bundles, recharge, send CallBack requests, transfer airtime, manage subscriptions, reach SIM services and contact support, all without mobile data. When you are not sure which code you need, start at *136#: it opens the main MTN menu for everyday account actions.
Last checked: 26 June 2026. Codes and menus change, so read the screen prompt before confirming any purchase, transfer, subscription change, SIM action or account request.
MTN USSD Codes Quick List
| What you need to do | MTN USSD code or route | What should happen next |
|---|---|---|
| Check MTN airtime balance | *136# | Your balance or self-service menu should display. |
| Check detailed balance / data balance | *136*1# | MTN should show a more detailed balance enquiry. |
| Buy data, voice, SMS or promotional bundles | *136*2# | A bundle purchase menu should open. |
| Recharge by debit or credit card | *136*10# | MTN’s Eazi Recharge route should open for card-based recharge. |
| Send a CallBack / Please Call Me | *121*number# | A CallBack request should be sent to the number entered. |
| Transfer airtime, SMS or data with Me2U | *136*3# | The MTN Me2U menu should open. |
| Instant Me2U airtime transfer | *136*6328*recipient number*amount# | A direct transfer request should be created. |
| Request airtime from an MTN sponsor | *136*6328*sponsor number# | An airtime request should be sent, where eligible. |
| Cancel content or WASP subscriptions | *155# | A subscription management menu should open. |
| SIM swap | *135#, then select the SIM swap option | MTN should ask for the number and reason for the SIM swap. |
| Unlock a SIM with PUK | **05*PUK number*new PIN*repeat new PIN# | The SIM should be reactivated if the PUK and PIN are correct. |
| Contact MTN customer care from MTN | 135 | You should reach MTN support. |
| Contact MTN from another network | 083 135 | You should reach MTN support from a non-MTN phone. |
MTN’s own help results list *136#, *136*1#, *136*2#, *121*number#, *136*10#, and the PUK reactivation format among its current USSD routes. MTN’s support and terms pages confirm *155# for subscription cancellation, *136*3# for Me2U, *135# for prepaid SIM swap steps, and 135 or 083 135 for customer support. (MTN South Africa)
Airtime, Data and Recharge Codes
*136# is the quick MTN balance check, and the simplest MTN airtime balance code for most people, because it opens on the account balance or the menu before anything costs money.
*136*1# goes deeper. Use it when you are checking data balances, bundle balances, SMS balances, expiry dates, or whether a bundle actually loaded after you paid for it. MTN lists it for detailed balance enquiries. (MTN South Africa)
*136*2# buys MTN data, voice, SMS and promotional bundles. MTN’s recharge page says it purchases bundles or sends a request for airtime, and MTN’s prepaid internet bundle terms list it as a USSD purchase channel too. (MTN South Africa)
Before you confirm a bundle, check the price, the size, the validity period, whether it is once-off or recurring, and whether it applies to your SIM type. MTN bundles can be promotional, personalised, regional, device-specific, time-limited, or offered only to selected customers, so the menu on your own phone is the version that counts.
Step-by-step: buy MTN data using USSD
- Dial
*136*2#from the MTN SIM you want to use. - Choose the bundle category on screen.
- Select the data bundle you want.
- Read the price, data amount, validity period and any recurring-bundle wording.
- Confirm only if the bundle and the cost are right.
- Wait for MTN’s confirmation SMS before trying the purchase again.
- Check the loaded bundle with
*136#or*136*1#.
Task guides go deeper: buy data USSD code, check airtime balance USSD code, check data balance USSD code, and load airtime voucher USSD code.
MTN recharge code
For card recharge, MTN’s USSD code page lists *136*10#, which recharges balances with a debit or credit card. MTN’s Eazi Recharge terms describe it as a way to buy airtime, SMS bundles and internet bundles from a mobile phone with a credit or debit card, registering through the phone prompts. (MTN South Africa)
For a physical voucher, follow what is printed on the voucher itself or the current recharge menu. An old voucher-loading code from a third-party page is not worth trusting unless MTN’s current support pages still list it.
MTN Subscription and Service Codes
*155# is the code to know when airtime keeps disappearing and you suspect a content subscription, WASP service, competition, ringtone, game, video service, adult content service or other value-added service. MTN says customers can view and cancel content and subscription services there. (MTN South Africa)
Once the menu opens, choose the option to view or manage subscriptions, read the whole list, and cancel only what you no longer want. If something keeps billing after you cancelled it, call MTN and ask for the active content services and the recent charge history on your number.
*136*3# opens MTN Me2U. Under MTN’s Me2U terms, PayAsYouGo, Anytime TopUp and Off Peak TopUp customers can transfer airtime, SMS or internet bundles to eligible MTN customers, while contract customers may need to register first. (MTN South Africa)
There is also an instant transfer format that skips the menu:
*136*6328*recipient number*rand amount#
Use it only when you are certain of both the number and the amount. MTN’s Me2U terms state that no airtime transfer reversals or airtime credits can be made if the wrong cellphone number or amount is entered. There is no undo. (MTN South Africa)
Step-by-step: transfer airtime with MTN Me2U
- Dial
*136*3#from your MTN cellphone. - Choose the airtime, SMS or data transfer option on screen.
- Enter or select the recipient number.
- Choose the amount or bundle.
- Check the recipient number and the transfer amount.
- Confirm only when both are correct.
- Wait for the confirmation SMS.
The transfer itself is free under MTN’s Me2U terms, though the transferred amount is charged. Those terms also set transfer limits and eligibility rules across PayAsYouGo, TopUp, contract and roaming, so check the live prompt and the current terms before you depend on a transfer going through. (MTN South Africa)
Related pages: transfer airtime USSD code, please call me USSD code, and mobile self-service codes South Africa.
SIM, PUK and Customer Support Codes
Anything touching your SIM can cost you access to your number, so stay on official MTN routes. Never enter your ID number, PUK, OTP, SIM swap details or banking information into a third-party link, a social media inbox, or an unofficial form.
For a prepaid SIM swap, MTN’s current help result says you need a new SIM card already registered with RICA, then dial *135#, select option 5, and enter the cellphone number and the reason for the swap. (MTN South Africa)
A SIM locks itself automatically when the wrong PIN is entered three times, and only the PUK, or PIN Unblocking Key, unlocks it. (MTN South Africa)
With the correct PUK in hand, MTN’s USSD listing gives this reactivation format:
**05*PUK number*new PIN code*repeat new PIN code#
Not sure the PUK is right? Stop. Get it from an official MTN route rather than working through guesses, because repeated wrong entries can block the SIM for good.
What to have ready before contacting MTN
Your MTN number, SIM type, ID or account details, the code you dialled, the exact error message, the date and time of the failed attempt, any confirmation SMS, and whether airtime was deducted. MTN’s public contact information lists 083 135 for non-MTN phones, and MTN’s customer service charter gives 135 as the call centre number from a cellphone, free from an MTN number. (MTN South Africa)
Go straight to MTN when a SIM swap fails, a SIM is blocked, a PUK is unknown, a number has been suspended, airtime was deducted without the service loading, a Me2U transfer went to the wrong number, or a subscription is still running after you cancelled it.
MTN Troubleshooting and Last-Verified Notes
When an MTN USSD code fails, work through the cheap checks before repeating anything that costs money:
- Make sure you are on an MTN SIM.
- Check the phone has signal.
- Turn flight mode off.
- Restart the phone.
- Dial the code exactly as shown, with no spaces.
- Make sure it ends with
#. - Try the main menu,
*136#, before a deeper direct code. - Wait for an SMS confirmation before repeating a purchase, transfer or cancellation.
- Check your airtime and data balance before trying again.
- Move to the MTN App, MTN Chat, an MTN store or customer care if the menu keeps failing.
When *136# will not open at all, the usual causes are weak signal, temporary network congestion, an inactive SIM, a blocked or suspended service, an old SIM, a menu timeout, a device fault, or a product that simply is not available to your account type.
If airtime left your balance but the bundle or service never arrived, stop retrying. Check with *136# or *136*1#, wait for the confirmation SMS, and contact MTN if the value is still gone.
Last-verified publishing note
This page was last checked on 26 June 2026 against MTN’s own help, recharge, customer care, subscription, SIM, PUK and Me2U information. Product names, menus, limits, bundle prices, subscription options and support routes all change. Before publishing updates, recheck MTN’s current pages and the live phone menu from an MTN SIM.
All 16 MTN USSD code pages
Every page in this section, listed A to Z.
- How To Check MTN Airtime Usage With USSD Code
- How To Check MTN Number USSD Code
- How To Recharge MTN Airtime USSD Code
- How To RICA MTN SIM Card Using USSD Code
- MTN Airtime Advance USSD Code
- MTN Airtime Transfer USSD Code
- MTN Callback USSD Code
- MTN Data Balance USSD Code
- MTN Data Transfer USSD Code
- MTN Internet Settings USSD Code
- MTN Loyalty Points USSD Code
- MTN MoMo USSD Code
- MTN Recharge USSD Code
- MTN USSD Code Not Working
- MTN USSD Code To Check Balance
- USSD Code For Private Number MTN
Related MTN and Mobile Network USSD Guides
Pick the guide that matches your task:
- Check airtime balance USSD code: balance-checking steps.
- Check data balance USSD code: data and bundle balance help.
- Buy data USSD code: buying mobile data without an app.
- Load airtime voucher USSD code: airtime recharge guidance.
- Transfer airtime USSD code: Me2U and airtime-transfer checks.
- Please call me USSD code: CallBack and Please Call Me routes.
- Mobile self-service codes South Africa: provider self-service menus.
- Mobile network USSD codes South Africa: Vodacom, MTN, Telkom and Cell C compared.
FAQ
What are MTN USSD codes used for?
MTN USSD codes open MTN self-service menus from the phone dialler: balance checks, data purchases, airtime recharge, CallBack requests, Me2U transfers, subscription cancellation, SIM services and support routes.
How do I open the main MTN menu?
Dial *136#. That is the MTN menu to start from whenever you are not sure which direct code fits your task, because it branches to balances, bundles and the rest of self service.
What is the MTN airtime balance code?
*136# from an active MTN SIM. For more detail, use *136*1#.
What is the MTN data balance code?
*136*1#, which gives a detailed balance enquiry including bundle and data-balance information where it applies.
What is the MTN buy data USSD code?
*136*2# opens the bundle purchase route. Check size, price, validity and recurring status before confirming.
What is the MTN recharge code?
MTN’s USSD page lists *136*10# for recharging with a debit or credit card. For physical vouchers, follow the instruction printed on the voucher or MTN’s live recharge menu. (MTN South Africa)
What is the MTN Me2U code?
*136*3# for the menu, or *136*6328*recipient number*amount# for an instant transfer. Check the number and amount carefully: MTN says incorrect Me2U transfers are not reversed. (MTN South Africa)
What is the MTN subscription cancellation code?
*155# views and cancels MTN content or WASP subscriptions. Contact MTN if a cancelled service keeps billing.
Does MTN USSD need airtime or data?
USSD does not need mobile data, but the SIM must be active and connected to the MTN network. Purchases, transfers, recharge services and some account actions may need airtime, eligibility, a valid payment method, or an on-screen confirmation.
What should I do if an MTN USSD code does not work?
Check signal, restart the phone, confirm the SIM is active, dial without spaces, and try the main *136# menu. If it continues, or airtime was deducted, call MTN customer care on 135 from an MTN phone or 083 135 from another network.
Where can I find related USSD codes?
Start at mobile network USSD codes South Africa for the provider directory, or go task-first: buy data USSD code, check airtime balance USSD code, check data balance USSD code, load airtime voucher USSD code, transfer airtime USSD code, and please call me USSD code.
