Snapchat Can't Verify Phone Number? Fixes for Missing Codes

A phone number that won't verify is annoying because it usually blocks something you need: logging in, locking down your account, or getting back in after a password slip. If you run Snapchat for a small business or a creator profile, a verified number is also your safety net if you ever get locked out.

I've read Snapchat's help pages on verifying a number and on login codes, and the advice is more specific than most people expect. I'll go through it in the order that tends to save the most time, and I'll flag the one place where Snapchat's own articles give different waiting times.

How verifying your phone number on Snapchat is meant to work

Here's the normal route, from Snapchat's help page on changing or verifying a mobile number:

1. Open Settings by tapping the gear icon on your profile.
2. Open My Account.
3. Under the section for changing your info, choose Mobile Number.
4. Enter your number and tap the verify button.
5. In the pop-up, choose to get your code by text. If you'd rather have a phone call, tap Call me instead.
6. Enter the code you receive and tap Continue.

Snapchat also says that on some Android phones a Google prompt may appear instead. It checks your number with your carrier, so no code is sent. Follow the on-screen steps, and if the prompt doesn't show up, use the text or call option.

What to try when the Snapchat verification text doesn't arrive

Snapchat's article on verifying an email or mobile number gives this advice for a missing text:

1. Wait a few minutes, then request a new code.
2. Check that your phone has signal.
3. Make sure SMS from unknown senders isn't being blocked on your phone.

That last one catches a lot of people. Some phones and mobile networks filter messages from short codes or unknown senders. Look in your messaging app's settings for filters or blocked senders, and check any spam or junk folder inside it.

If you keep waiting for a text that never turns up, switch method. Tapping Call me instead on the verification pop-up gives you the code by voice call, which sidesteps a blocked text. Snapchat also notes that your network's standard messaging terms may apply, so check your plan if you're on a limited one.

The Snapchat Too many requests message on phone verification

If you see Too many requests after asking for a code, you've asked for too many in a short time. Snapchat's login-code article describes it as usually a temporary block from too many SMS requests or several login attempts in a short window. It says to wait a few minutes, make sure your network connection is stable, and try again.

Snapchat's verification article is more cautious and says to wait 24 hours before trying again. Because the two pages differ, I'd treat the longer wait as the safer choice. Hammering the resend button is what causes the block in the first place, so each extra tap makes it worse.

Snapchat rules that stop a number from verifying

Some verification problems aren't glitches. They come from rules in Snapchat's help pages:

• Only one email address and one mobile number can be verified per Snapchat account.
• The same contact information can't be used on multiple accounts.
• If another account is verified with the same number, Snapchat says it's removed from the older account.
• You can't remove a verified phone number from an account, but you can change it to a different one.

So if you're trying to verify a number you've used on an old account, the number may already be tied to that account. Think about which account should hold it before you go further.

If you can't verify your Snapchat number because you can't get a code

This one is the hardest. Snapchat's article on login codes says that if you've lost your phone and can't reach any verification method, you can try a recovery code, if you created one when you set up two-factor authentication. You enter your username and password, tap Log In, then enter the recovery code when prompted. Snapchat says using it also turns off two-factor authentication.

Snapchat also says you need at least one verified contact method, which is how you reset a forgotten password. If neither option works, the help pages point you to the Snapchat Support Bot. Please only use Snapchat's own support route, and never trust a stranger who promises to get you back into an account.

Why Snapchat asks for a code when you log in

Sometimes the code isn't about verifying a new number at all. Snapchat's login-code article gives two reasons you might be asked for one:

• Two-factor authentication is on, so you'll always be asked for a Login Code.
• Snapchat's extra security check, which usually happens on a new or unrecognised device. Snapchat sends a code to your phone number or email, and you can't always choose which.

Snapchat suggests trying a device or Wi-Fi network you've used with the account before. If you're signing in on a work laptop or a borrowed phone, expect the extra check.

A quick checklist when Snapchat can't verify your phone number

1. Wait a few minutes and request one new code, not five.
2. Check signal and your text-blocking settings.
3. Try Call me instead.
4. If you see Too many requests, stop and wait. Longer is safer.
5. Check the number isn't already verified on another account of yours.
6. Use a recovery code if you have one.
7. Contact Snapchat through its Support Bot if nothing works.

If you're locked out of other services at the same time, my guide to changing your Instagram email follows the same idea of keeping your contact details current. And once your account is back, my guide to going live on Snapchat is a good next stop if you use the app to reach your audience.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't Snapchat verify my phone number?

The usual reasons in Snapchat's help pages are a code that hasn't arrived, a phone that is blocking texts from unknown senders, too many code requests in a short time, or a number that is already verified on another account.

How long should I wait for a Snapchat verification code?

Snapchat says to wait a few minutes, then request a new code. For a Too many requests error, its verification article says to wait 24 hours, while its login-code article says a few minutes, so the longer wait is safer.

Can Snapchat call me with the code instead?

Yes. When you add a number, the pop-up lets you tap Call me instead to get the code by phone call instead of a text.

Can I use the same phone number on two Snapchat accounts?

No. Snapchat says the same contact information can't be used on multiple accounts, and if another account is verified with your number it's removed from the older account.

What if I can't get any code at all?

Try a recovery code if you created one. Otherwise use the Snapchat Support Bot. Snapchat says it can't send a password reset if you can't reach the phone number or email on the account.