Are you trying to log into a secure online platform, like a bank account website, waiting for that verification code that never comes? I have been dealing with it a few times during the last few months.
If your iPhone is not receiving a verification code text, the issue may be caused by your iPhone’s settings. Restarting or resetting your iPhone can fix the problem. Ensure the verification code number is not blocked, or reach out to your cell signal carrier for additional help.
While resetting your iPhone will sometimes work to get verification code texts, ensure you have your phone fully backed up before performing a factory reset. Backing up your phone’s information and settings to iCloud can ensure a fast restart with your preferences and data saved.
In some cases, toggling the Airplane Mode on and off can fix the glitch in an iPhone preventing verification code texts from reaching your phone. In rare cases, a faulty SIM card is to blame for an iPhone not receiving verification code texts. In these cases, your cell provider will send you a replacement card.
What are Verification Code Texts?
Account security is improving every day, and the most recent safeguard is a verification code text. A verification code text is a special message sent to your iPhone.
Usually, the message contains a number, around 6-digits long, that is used as a password for accounts. The verification text usually arrives when you are logging into an account or attempting to change a password for an account.
Often, online banking and checking accounts or PayPal accounts will prompt you to enter a cell phone number. The cell phone number will stay stored on file, so the company has a destination location for a verification code text. The verification code is an extra security layer that helps verify your information.
If an unwanted person attempts to log into your account, they will not receive the verification text, and your information will stay protected. Verification texts are essential when protecting against potential computer hackers.
What If I Can’t Receive Verification Code Texts?
It could be incredibly problematic if you aren’t receiving or can’t receive a verification code text. Your accounts are susceptible to hackers, and you may be inadvertently locked out of important banking or checking accounts.
A few quick fixes may enable your iPhone to receive verification code texts. If your iPhone is not receiving verification code texts, you can try to:
Restart Your iPhone
Sometimes, a simple restart is all you need to receive verification code texts again. The steps to restart an iPhone are different, depending on the model and style of the iPhone you have.
iPhone 7 models and older will have a central home button. If you have this phone style, you will need to restart your phone using the side button. To restart your older iPhone, you simply want to press and hold the Sleep/Wake button on the phone’s top right side. Next, your iPhone will prompt you to drag the slider displayed on the screen to restart.
For newer devices, like the iPhone X, you will have a full-screen display without a center home button. For these style phones, you need to press and hold the button on the side that controls the volume. While you press and hold the volume button, drag the slider displayed on the screen to the right.
After you turn off your iPhone, power your phone back on. Now, check to see if your phone can receive verification texts again. Usually, this quick fix will help enable verification code texts from going through to your phone again.
Related Read: What Does No Location Found Mean in Find My on iPhone?
Airplane Mode
Sometimes, Apple iPhone will experience a glitch where certain functions, like receiving verification code texts, are disabled. Toggling the Airplane Mode on and off can sometimes correct this glitch.
From your Settings, select Airplane Mode. Turn the Airplane Mode on and off, back and forth, for a few seconds. After a few switches between the two, try to log into your secure account again and see if your verification code text arrives.
iPhone Reset
If restarting your iPhone doesn’t allow you to receive verification code texts, you may want to try hard resetting your phone. While this isn’t always recommended, it could be a quick fix to help you get into your protected online account.
It is very important always to ensure your data is fully backed up before attempting an iPhone reset.
For an iPhone 6s, press and hold the side Sleep button while simultaneously pressing the center home button. After a few seconds, the Apple logo will appear in the center of the screen. Allow the phone to reboot and check if the verification code texts come in after the reset.
For an iPhone 7, you’ll want to hold the Sleep button and the volume button at the same time. Eventually, the Apple logo will appear in the center of the screen after a few seconds. After the phone has fully rebooted and loaded, check to see if you can receive verification code texts.
For an iPhone 8 or newer model, you’ll need to press the Volume Up, then Volume Down buttons. Then, press and hold the side button. This sequence will trigger the hard reset. After your phone starts up again, try to log into your account and check to see if you receive the verification code text.
Factory Reset
You may have to perform a factory reset on your phone if you can still not receive verification code texts. To do this, first, go to Settings and then General. Scroll down through the menu and select “Reset.”
Next, select “Erase All Content and Settings.” You may have to enter your passcode at this point to confirm you would like to reset your phone to the factory settings.
After the reset, you can restore your iPhone settings from iCloud. Once the reset is complete, check if you can receive verification code texts.
Are You Blocking Verification Code Texts?
An easy solution to the problem may be that you are simply blocking the phone number from which the verification code text is sent. Blocking a number would prevent a message from getting through to your phone.
Often, people are completely unaware they have inadvertently blocked the texts. Luckily, the fix is easy. To check if you have blocked the verification code text number, you should:
1. Go to Settings
From the Home Screen, Select Settings, and then Select Messages.
2. Blocked
Look under the SMS/MMS heading and tap the selection for “Blocked.” This selection will display a list of blocked numbers.
3. Edit
Next, in the top right corner of the display, select “Edit.” You’ll see a little (-) appear next to several phone numbers. If you see the verification code number (usually a 5-digit number), click the (-) to unblock the number.
After following these steps to unblock the verification code number, you should be able to receive verification code texts when you try to log into your secure account again.
Related Read: Can You Text Someone You Blocked on Your iPhone?
Can My Cell Signal Carrier Help?
Sometimes, even after performing the above troubleshooting steps, it is not enough to fix an iPhone that isn’t receiving verification code texts. It turns out that the issue is not always sometimes on the user’s end.
If you have tried the above steps and still aren’t having any luck, it may be time to reach out to your cell signal carrier for help. Reaching out to the customer service line should allow a technician to troubleshoot with you to fix the problem.
Sometimes, a technician will gain remote access to your phone and search the deeper iPhone settings to ensure a preference isn’t blocking the verification texts from reaching your iPhone.
If even a technician cannot solve the problem, the issue may be with a faulty SIM card. Often, simply replacing the SIM card will fix the problem.
Related Read: Texts Not Going Through? (Here’s Why & How to FIX!)
What If These Steps Don’t Work?
In some extremely rare cases, an iPhone will not receive verification code texts because of settings and preferences surrounding the individual text data plan. Some plans may block the verification code texts from reaching your phone entirely.
If you have tried the above steps and still don’t have any luck, be sure to check with your cell phone provider regarding the type of message and data plan you have for your account. Sometimes a simple change or plan upgrade is enough to allow the verification code texts to reach your phone and allow you to log into your secure accounts.
