Can’t use two-step verification or lost your phone?

For accounts with two-step verification turned on.

What you may see

• Sign-in asks for a code, but you lost or changed your phone, or deleted the authenticator app.
• The code you enter keeps being rejected.
• A backup recovery code is rejected or says it has already been used.
• Your account page says only backup recovery codes are left.

Check these first

• Whether your old phone, new phone or password manager still has codes for this account.
• Whether you saved the backup recovery codes created when you turned on two-step verification, such as the downloaded file or a password manager entry.
• Whether your phone’s clock is set to update automatically.
• Whether you’re signing in with the email of the account that has two-step verification turned on.

Common causes

• Your phone’s clock is off: codes are based on the time, so if your phone’s clock drifts, the codes won’t match.
• The authenticator wasn’t moved to the new phone: codes live only in the original authenticator app; unlink or transfer it before changing phones.
• The recovery code was already used: each recovery code works once; used codes are rejected.
• Only the authenticator was removed, leaving recovery codes: every sign-in then uses up one recovery code, and once they run out you can’t sign in.
• Other sign-in methods still need the second step: after signing in with a passkey or a third-party account, or recovering your account with “Forgot password”, accounts with two-step verification still need to complete the second step.

What to do

Codes rejected: fix your phone’s clock

Set your phone’s time to update automatically, then enter the latest code from the app.

Sign in with a backup recovery code

On the code screen, choose “Can’t use your authenticator? Use a backup code” and enter a code you haven’t used.

Set it up again right after signing in

No recovery codes either: contact support

If you can’t complete the second step yourself, contact support. Once we’ve confirmed it’s you, we’ll help; afterwards, please turn two-step verification back on as soon as possible.

When to contact support

• Neither codes nor recovery codes work, and you can’t sign in.
• You received “Two-step verification changed” or “New sign-in to your account” but it wasn’t you: first lock your account or change your password as the notification says, then contact support.

You can’t submit a ticket without signing in, so reach us through the support channels on the Contact us page and tell us the email you registered with.