SMS verification code not received? Nine things to check

Check these first

• Number format: enter the number exactly as shown, with the country code, and without extra zeros or spaces the form does not expect.
• Request only once: many services send one text and then enforce a wait before the next. Tapping repeatedly can delay things.
• Wait a little: some services take a minute or two, especially at busy times.
• Right service: the number must be bought for the service you are verifying; a number bought for another service will not receive this code.
• Expiry: each number is valid for a limited time. Once it expires, the number is cancelled.

If those are fine

The service may be refusing the number. Services keep their own lists of numbers they distrust, for example numbers used many times before. This is the service's decision and it can vary by country, so try a number from another country.

Some services send a voice call instead of a text for certain numbers. A number bought for SMS cannot take that call, so use the text option where the service offers a choice.

What about my money?

If no code arrives, the number is cancelled and the full price is refunded to your wallet automatically; you do not need to ask. You only keep the cost of activations whose code arrived.

Why codes go missing: a closer look

A verification text crosses several hands: the service, its SMS gateway, one or more carriers, and the receiving platform. A delay or refusal at any step can stop it. The service may decline to send to a number that has requested many codes recently; the gateway may queue messages during busy periods; and a carrier may filter messages that look like bulk traffic. Most of these are invisible to you, which is why the practical fixes below focus on what you control.

A practical order to try things in

• Wait for the full time window on the activation page before assuming nothing will arrive.
• Check that the country selected in the service's form matches the number's country.
• Make sure you chose the SMS option and not a voice call.
• Do not request again immediately. Wait for the service's resend timer.
• If the time runs out, take the automatic refund and buy again from a different country.
• Try a different time: some services are slower at busy hours.

Patterns worth knowing

If several numbers from the same country fail with one service, try another country. If numbers work for some services but not others, the problem is the service's rules rather than the number. If every attempt fails everywhere, check that you are entering the number with the correct country code.

Each failed attempt that gets no code is refunded, so trying again costs you only the cost of the attempts that actually work.

When to contact support

If a code arrived on the activation page but the service says it is wrong, or if an order looks stuck after its time ran out, open a support ticket from your dashboard with the order details. Include the service and the time, and we will look at what happened.