Help with two-factor authentication
I lost my phone
- If you are enrolled in two-factor authentication (2FA) and you generated a backup code, enter the backup code to access your account and update your Mobile settings.
- If you are no longer logged in to your account and do not have access to an active backup code, please contact our support team for assistance.
Note: If your account has SMS text message two-factor authentication turned on (and when it is the only two-factor option turned on) and you're still logged in, you can remove your phone from your Mobile settings on X.com. Click Delete my phone and two-factor authentication will be automatically turned off for your account.
I bought a new phone
- We suggest backing up your old phone before you replace it. This will let you restore your app session on your new device, allowing you to continue to use two-factor authentication. (Note: If you're on X for iOS, we recommend you do an encrypted backup to preserve your app key. Typically, iCloud backups alone do not preserve the key and without an encrypted backup, you may be required to log back into your app using a temporary password generated on X.com)
- You can also unenroll from two-factor authentication on your old phone, or from X.com if you have an existing open web session. If you do not have an open web session and you do not have your old phone, you can still log back in to X.com using your backup code.
- Learn tips on how to keep your account secure.
I didn't receive the SMS code
- SMS text messages may experience delays in delivery. Please wait at least two minutes before trying to sign in again.
- If you're logged in, verify that your phone is turned on correctly in your Mobile settings.
- If you recently changed your phone number or mobile carrier, you will need to update your settings. You may do so through the web, iOS, or Android apps if you are still logged in. If not, you may use a backup code to log in and change your settings. More information about backup codes is below.
- If your mobile device is offline, or on flight mode, you may fail to receive two-factor authentication codes through SMS. Alternatively, you can generate a code through your X for iOS or X for Android app, or through a QR code via twitter.com (instructions listed below).
How to generate a code on the X for iOS and X for Android apps:
- Go to your Settings and privacy.
- On X for iOS: In the top menu, tap your profile icon and select Settings and privacy.
- On X for Android: In the top menu, you will either see a navigation menu icon or your profile icon. Tap whichever icon you have and select Settings and privacy.
- Tap Account, then tap Security.
- Tap Login code generator.
- Use the code shown to log in to your X account.
I can't log in on my phone
- Adjusting your mobile settings may help with this issue. Log in to X.com from a desktop or laptop computer.
- Alternatively, try signing out of your account from the device you used to enroll in two-factor authentication. This will turn it off, and you can then sign back in with your username and password. Visit these articles for sign-out instructions: X for iOS or X for Android.
I didn't receive the push notification
- Check that you have turned on mobile notifications. You will not receive a login push notification if you do not have mobile notifications turned on for your device.
- You can always check your recent login requests from within your app to see a list of all requests available to approve or deny. Pull down on the list to refresh the page to see most recent requests.
If using X for iOS:
- In the top menu, tap your profile icon and select Settings and privacy.
- Tap Account, then tap Security.
- Tap Login Requests to see a list of all requests.
- If you’re still stuck, you can also request a login code to be sent to your phone via text message. Click the link Request a code sent to your phone via SMS when you log in to your account on twitter.com.
If using X for Android:
- In the top menu, you will either see a navigation menu icon or your profile icon. Tap whichever icon you have.
- Tap Settings and privacy.
- Tap Account, and select Security.
- Tap the option for Login Requests.
- If you’re still stuck, you can also request a login code to be sent to your phone via text message. Click the link Request a code sent to your phone via SMS when you log in to your account on twitter.com.
I get an error when I try to use my backup codes
- If you try to login using an inactive backup code, or try to use a backup code out of order, you will see an error message. You will need to generate a new backup code to log in.
- Your backup codes will only work when logging in to twitter.com, mobile.twitter.com, X for iOS or Android, or another X client. If you're trying to access a third party application associated with your X account, you'll need to use a temporary password instead of your backup code.
Using backup codes
A backup code is automatically generated for you when you turn on two-factor authentication through your iOS or Android X app. You can also generate a backup code on twitter.com. Write down, print or take a screenshot of this backup code. In the event that you lose your mobile device or change your phone number, you can use this backup code to log in to your account. Backup codes are not the same as temporary passwords.
To generate a new backup code through your X app:
- Go to your Settings and privacy (on an iOS device, tap your profile icon; on an Android device, tap the navigation menu icon or your profile icon).
- Tap Account, then tap Security.
- Tap Backup code.
- To use your backup code, log in to X with your usual username and password combination. When you see that a two-factor authentication request has been sent, click the link to enter your backup code. Enter the backup code you've generated to log into the site.
Note: You can generate up to five active backup codes at any given time. Be sure to use the codes in the order in which you generated them; using a code out of order will invalidate all previously generated codes.
I’m a Verizon customer and I can’t log in to my account
If you’re a new or existing Verizon customer, you may not be able to log in to your account because you’re not receiving a two-factor authentication PIN via text messages. Try logging out of your X account and logging back in. You should then receive a verification PIN via SMS. If this doesn't resolve your issue, send a text message from your device with the message content, GO, to the X short code 40404. This will opt you in to receive SMS from X, which is consistent with your notification settings.