---
title: Activating Test Mode
description: "Let's switch your TEST mode to ON. At the bottom of the left side panel you will see a Switch that says "Test mode OFF": Go ahead and switch it ON. The left side panel with turn to aqua green color an"
---

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# Activating Test Mode

Dashboard · Sandbox

# Take Sandbox mode for a spin before going live

Learn how to switch your Reloadly account into Sandbox mode to test top-ups, gift cards, and payments without spending real money.

Estimated time

30 seconds

Level

Basic

You'll need

A Reloadly account

**Sandbox mode** is a safe, isolated test environment that lets you simulate top-ups, Digital Gift Cards transactions, and payments exactly as they work in production — without touching your real wallet balance or sending an actual recharge to anyone. To enable it, click the Sandbox toggle in the top-right corner of your dashboard. Use it to validate a new flow, debug an integration, or prepare your team before going live.

In this article

1. [Find the Sandbox toggle](https://support.reloadly.com/activating-test-mode#step1)
2. [Turn it on](https://support.reloadly.com/activating-test-mode#step2)
3. [What changes in Sandbox mode](https://support.reloadly.com/activating-test-mode#step3)
4. [Frequently asked questions](https://support.reloadly.com/activating-test-mode#faq)

1

## Find the Sandbox toggle

The **Sandbox** switch lives in the top-right corner of your dashboard, right next to **Developers**. It's visible from any tab — Dashboard, Wallet, Top-up, Gift Cards, and so on.

 

Dashboard Wallet Top-up Gift-cards

Security Developers

Sandbox

Balance

$1,245.81

Last activity

77.243.87.209

Sales · Last week

$13,628.65

 

 ℹ️ **Good to know:** when the toggle is off (as shown above), you're in **Live mode** — every action uses real wallet balance and real recipients.

2

## Turn it on

Click the toggle next to **Sandbox**. It switches from gray to highlighted, and your whole dashboard now reflects the Sandbox environment — the change applies instantly, with no page reload or confirmation needed.

Sandbox

 💡 **Tip:** the toggle's state is per account, not per page, so it stays on as you navigate between Wallet, Top-up, and Gift Cards until you switch it back off.

## 🧪 What changes in Sandbox mode

Once Sandbox is on, the whole platform behaves like a test environment:

- **Top-ups and gift cards** simulate a successful (or failed) transaction without charging your wallet or sending real airtime or credit to anyone.
- **Card payments** only accept test card numbers, never real ones.
- **API requests** made with your Sandbox credentials hit the same test environment, so you can validate an integration end-to-end before switching to production keys.
- **Reports and balances** shown while Sandbox is on reflect test data only — they don't mix with your live numbers.

**Important:** Sandbox and Live mode are completely separate. Nothing you do in Sandbox affects your real wallet, customers, or transaction history — and nothing in Live mode shows up while Sandbox is on. Always check the toggle before testing or going live.

## ❓ Frequently asked questions

Does turning on Sandbox affect my real wallet balance?

No. Sandbox runs on a fully separate test balance and test data — your real wallet is never touched while it's on.

Can I use real card numbers in Sandbox?

No. Sandbox only accepts designated test card numbers — real cards will be rejected. You can find the full list of accepted test card numbers in the Test Card Numbers reference in the Developers section.

Does Sandbox stay on if I navigate to a different tab?

Yes. The toggle applies to your whole account, so it remains active across Wallet, Top-up, Digital Gift Cards, and every other section until you manually switch it off. See the Tip in the "How do I turn Sandbox mode on?" section above for more detail.

How do I know which mode I'm currently in?

Check the toggle in the top-right corner at any time — if it's highlighted/on, you're in Sandbox; if it's off, you're in Live mode.

Still not sure which mode you're in?

Our support team can help you double-check before you go live.

[Contact support →](mailto:tickets@reloadly.com)

 

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