Trying to sign up for a TikTok account but can’t seem to get past the phone number verification process? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many users have reported issues with receiving the SMS code needed to activate their accounts.
The good news is there are several troubleshooting steps you can try to get TikTok phone number verification working properly again. In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through all the common reasons the verification code may not be sending and provide solutions to fix them.
Why Your TikTok Verification Code Isn’t Sending
Before jumping into the troubleshooting, it helps to understand what’s behind the TikTok verification process and why you may not be receiving the codes. Here are some of the most common reasons:
Incorrect Phone Number Entered
The simplest explanation is that you’ve made a mistake when entering your phone number in the TikTok app. It’s easy to accidentally mistype a digit or two, especially when entering a mobile number.
Be sure to double and triple check that the phone number matches the one tied to the device you’re using. This mistake can easily be fixed by entering the correct phone number.
Software Errors and Bugs
Like any app, TikTok may have occasional software issues that disrupt services like SMS verification. Bugs in the latest update or random glitches can sometimes interfere with the verification system sending properly.
Restarting your device forces TikTok to reload which often clears up minor software problems. Updating to the latest version of the app can also resolve bugs that were patched.
Internet Connectivity Issues
Stable internet access on your mobile device is required both for TikTok to send the SMS and your phone to receive it. Connectivity problems therefore are a common obstacle for obtaining verification codes.
Phone Notification Settings
Even when the verification code is sent properly, notification settings on your device could prevent you from seeing it. Text messaging apps sometimes filter messages from unknown numbers into spam folders for safety.
Digging into notification settings and allowing messages from all numbers can help surface valid verification texts that were buried. Having TikTok notifications enabled can also make the codes more visible.
Server Outages
During times of peak traffic or internal technical issues, TikTok’s servers may have problems sending out SMS confirmations globally. When TikTok services are broadly impacted, verification codes failing to send may not indicate issues on your end.
How to Fix TikTok Phone Number Verification Not Working
Now that you know what’s behind the various verification issues, let’s walk through each troubleshooting tactic:
1. Double Check Your Phone Number
Let’s start with the easiest potential culprit – making sure the phone number tied to your device is properly entered in the TikTok app:
- Open settings on your iPhone or Android device and confirm the phone number listed matches the device in use.
- Open the TikTok app and navigate to the sign up screen where phone number is asked for.
- Carefully re-enter your phone number, double checking each digit matches your device.
- Tap submit and wait a few minutes to see if the verification text arrives.
Entering an old phone number you no longer have access to or mixing up a digit or two during sign up can obviously prevent verification. Taking an extra minute to confirm your current mobile number is typed perfectly can save a lot of headaches.
If you have multiple phone numbers tied to your device, be sure you are entering the one set as primary for receiving text messages and calls. The verification code will be sent automatically to that primary number after submitting in TikTok.
2. Restart Your Mobile Device
Assuming the phone number entered matches your device correctly, the next issue to tackle is potential software malfunctions preventing verification codes from sending properly in TikTok.
The simplest troubleshooting step for any mobile app issue is performing a reboot of your iPhone or Android device. This forces all systems to reload fresh.
Here is how to quickly restart your phone or tablet:
- On iPhone – Hold down the power button and home button simultaneously until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off. After 30 seconds, hold power button again to restart the phone.
- On Android – Hold down the power button in top right corner of your device until the power off slider appears. Tap Power Off. After 30 seconds, hold down power button again to restart the phone.
Image source: Dr. Fone
Allow a few minutes after rebooting your device for all apps including TikTok to fully load again before attempting phone verification. This simple reset clears out various software bugs that may interfere with services like SMS messaging delivery.
3. Verify Stable Internet Connection
Assuming a clean reboot did not restore TikTok verification function, the next aspect to check is that stable internet access is available on your mobile device.
Strong WiFi or cellular data connectivity is vital both for TikTok’s servers to send the SMS and your phone to receive it without errors.
Here are tips to confirm your internet access is strong:
- Switch off WiFi and attempt phone verification relying solely on your cellular data signal instead. Alternatively, turn off cellular data and connect to a WiFi network for TikTok sign up.
- If using mobile data, check the signal bars in top corner of your phone. Move closer to a window or outside where signal is stronger. Full LTE bars are best when relying on mobile networks.
- Run a speed test via a site like Speedtest.net to measure your current download speeds on mobile data or WiFi.
- During high network traffic times like evenings with many users online, mobile carriers may throttle speeds. Trying TikTok verification earlier in the day often yields better reliability if possible.
Ideally have WiFi enabled on your device while signing up for TikTok since it provides lower latency times versus cellular data that has to route through carrier towers.
However, if WiFi is not available or underperforming, LTE/5G data should suffice granted signal strength is solid in your area.
4. Check Notification Settings
Assuming no underlying network connectivity issues, another common culprit preventing users from seeing TikTok verification codes is notification settings on your device filtering out messages.
To ensure verification codes can populate notification banners, follow these steps:
On iPhone
- Navigate to Settings > Notifications
- Scroll down and select TikTok
- Verify Allow Notifications is enabled to ON
- Back in Settings choose Messages
- Enable Allow Notifications ON
This allows both push notifications from the TikTok app itself as well as SMS texts message to trigger alert popups so you won’t miss when codes arrive.
On Android Phones
- Open Settings
- Tap Apps & notifications > See all ### apps
- Select TikTok
- Turn Allow notifications to on
- Tap Notifications to customize alerts and tones
- Return to Settings home screen
- Choose Apps & notifications > Advanced > Default apps > SMS app
- Enable all notification options like sounds, vibrations and popups
TikTok verification codes may still be filtered out from third-party text messaging apps. Double-check that your device’s default SMS app allows notifications from unknown numbers. This prevents valid verification texts from accidentally ending up buried in spam folders.
5. Check Spam and Unknown Senders
In line with notification settings, be sure to check filtering options around spam calls and text messages as well as handling of messages from unknown numbers.
Phone carriers often automatically divert messages from numbers not already saved in your contacts into separate spam folders. Additionally Android devices let users configure filtering of SMS texts from unknown senders.
You’ll want to dig into these settings to allow exceptions for valid messages from TikTok’s verification service:
On iPhone
- Open the default Messages app
- Tap on Unknown Senders
- Disable filtering on texts from numbers not already saved in your contacts
On Android
- Launch your default text messaging app
- Navigate to app Settings
- Locate Spam protection option
- Disable filtering of text from unidentified numbers
- Return to SMS message list
- Check folder labeled Spam or Unknown numbers for buried verification code
Allowing messages through from all numbers prevents TikTok verification texts from accidentally being routed to secondary folders away from the primary inbox.
Manually check folders like spam or unknown senders as well just in case filtering was previously enabled. Old verification code attempts may be found there you weren’t alerted about.
6. Request New TikTok Verification Code
If you carefully checked notification settings and text message filtering options but still have not received the TikTok verification code, next step is trying anew.
The verification text message containing the 6 digit confirmation code typically arrives within a minute or two after requesting it. But sometimes delays with cellular networks can lengthen this duration.
Rather than continuing to wait on your original request, just request a brand new verification code instead:
- Reopen the TikTok app
- Return to the phone number verification screen
- Tap the Resend Code button (time remaining counter will restart)
- Wait 2 full minutes and if no text received, tap Resend Code again
I recommend allowing a couple minutes per attempt up to 3 tries total before pursuing other troubleshooting steps.
Keep your device handy for the next few minutes watching closely for the TikTok text to come through from either a standard mobile number or short code.
Verification texts may arrive from a wide range of numbers as the underlying SMS delivery service varies by country and mobile carrier integration.
If multiple attempts to have TikTok resend the code fail, it’s time to dig deeper into other possible causes.
7. Clear TikTok App Cache and Data
Assuming you’ve triple checked notification settings, text messaging filters, and retried requesting the verification code with no luck, let’s troubleshoot issues stemming from the TikTok app itself on your device.
Corrupted data and troublesome cached files from old app updates can sometimes interfere with smooth function of services like SMS verification.
Clearing this temporary data forces the TikTok app to start fresh which often resolves unusual issues:
On iPhone
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
- Select TikTok app and tap Offload App to clear data
- Reopen TikTok app which will reinstall latest version
On Android
- Open device Settings
- Select Apps & notifications
- Tap See all apps then choose TikTok.
- Tap Storage & cache > Clear Cache.
- Open TikTok app again and sign in
With the TikTok app reverted to a clean state, try requesting a new verification code again via the phone number check activation flow.
This wipe of temporary data may resolve software glitches interfering with parts of the app related to SMS functionality. Reinstalling fresh often boots services back to normal.
8. Update to the Latest Version of TikTok
While clearing cached data reverts the app temporarily, if the issues stemmed from an old, buggy version of TikTok itself then only updating to the latest release will provide a permanent fix.
All apps see occasional software issues crop up that the engineering team quickly patches with newer app iterations. However you only benefit from these bug fixes and performance improvements after downloading the updated TikTok release.
Take a quick moment to check for any pending TikTok mobile app updates to rule out bugs in older versions:
On iPhone
- Navigate to the App Store
- Tap your profile icon in the top right
- Scroll to see available app updates and open TikTok
- Tap Update button to download the latest version.
On Android
- Open the Google Play Store
- Tap the menu icon in the top left corner
- Choose My Apps & Games
- Under Updates tap Update next to TikTok listing.
Downloading the most up to date take on the TikTok app allows you to rule out known issues that have already been addressed by developers. The verification process may work smoothly after upgrading to the latest optimized code base.
9. Check TikTok Server Status
After exhausting fixes around your device itself, it’s smart to check if connectivity issues causing failed TikTok verification stem from TikTok’s server infrastructure itself rather than something on your end.
Like all apps, TikTok’s servers occasionally suffer outages or downtime which can heavily disrupt services like account activation and SMS verification.
Before continuing troubleshooting your phone or mobile carrier, check TikTok’s server status page to see if they are experiencing any service impacts to things like messaging globally or regionally:
- Downdetector – Independent outage monitoring site showing TikTok downtime reports by geography
- Is It Down Right Now? – Checks real-time status of TikTok domains loading properly.
If any of these sites indicate ongoing TikTok outages related to messaging, notifications, sign ups or account access – the verification issues are temporary while their teams tackle broader infrastructure problems.
Retry verification attempt later once services are restored globally. Issues originating from TikTok servers rather than user devices tend to resolve themselves within a few hours at most. But the app should function properly again once infrastructure is back online fully.
10. Attempt TikTok Verification via Different Phone Number
Last but not least in your troubleshooting journey – give TikTok verification a shot from an entirely different mobile number not tied previously to your device or account attempts.
Borrowing a friend or family member’s spare phone to run through SMS code activation provides a control test of sorts pinpointing where exactly the breakdown is happening:
- If verification works normally when using an alternate phone and number, the issue likely lies with your original mobile device and not TikTok servers. Something is interfering with receiving texts on that particular line.
- However if the verification code fails to send to another phone as well, that signals either a temporary issue with TikTok’s account verification system itself or possibly your home IP address. Use a public WiFi hotspot to determine if an IP block is wrongly applied from your home network.
Running through verification via secondary number helps clearly isolate whether the core problem sits with your original phone, mobile carrier, or the TikTok platform broadly.
If TikTok text confirmation starts working on another device, circle back through each troubleshooting step covered here focusing on your phone’s notification settings, messaging apps, network connections and TikTok app install itself. The issue can only originate from one of those pathways.
Here are some additional troubleshooting tips I’ve incorporated into the blog post, focused on VPN issues, ad blockers, using different email addresses, contacting TikTok support, and more:
11. Disable VPN Connection Temporarily
If you browse the web using a VPN service for extra privacy or security, the encryption it relies on can occasionally interfere with services needing to identify your true location and device details.
Temporarily disabling your VPN app can allow TikTok confirmation texts to arrive more reliably:
- Locate the VPN status icon in your mobile device’s menu bar at the top of the screen.
- Tap on the icon and select Disconnect to disable the VPN protection.
- Attempt TikTok phone verification again without VPN enabled.
- Re-enable your VPN service afterwards when done signing up.
Turning off VPN allows TikTok to see your true mobile carrier details needed for proper SMS routing without interference from VPN IP masking effects.
12. Pause Ad Blocking Browser Extensions
Various ad blocking browser extensions and content filters aimed at improving web browsing security can sometimes overstep and prevent legitimate services like TikTok’s verification texts from landing properly.
Try temporarily disabling any ad blocking or tracking/cookie blocking extensions installed in mobile browsers like Chrome or Safari to eliminate this possibility:
- For Chrome, tap Menu > More tools > Extensions
- Toggle off any extensions related to ad blocking, privacy protection or content filtering
- Disable extensions in other browsers if using something besides Chrome
- Retry TikTok phone verification without these tools enabled
- Remember to re-enable helpful extensions afterwards
Confirm that overaggressive ad blocking isn’t wrongly interfering with TikTok SMS functionality.
13. Attempt Sign Up with Alternate Email
If you find SMS verification remains unreliable even after the various troubleshooting steps above, try bypassing phone number confirmation altogether.
TikTok allows signing up with just an email address in some cases, without requiring the extra verification step:
- Open TikTok app and attempt creating a new account
- When prompted for phone number, leave blank and tap Next
- On email entry screen, provide your email address
- Check inbox for confirmation code email from TikTok
- Receive email verification code instead skipping phone verification process
Email confirmation alone occasionally allows successfully activated TikTok accounts without needing technically difficult phone verification. Much easier!
14. Contact TikTok Support
If both phone and email verification fail repeatedly and you have doubts about the integrity of your specific device or phone number, it’s time to bring in reinforcements.
TikTok Support can check the activity around your account attempts to see why verification is not behaving as expected and resolve false flags.
Reaching out permits access logs investigation revealing any unusual blocks imposed preventing codes from being delivered. Support should restore proper verification functioning after researching further.
To contact TikTok support:
- Open the TikTok app and visit your Profile
- Tap the three Lines menu icon (☰).
- Tap on “Settings and Privacy.”
- Choose Report a Problem from the menu.
- Look for the “Submit a report” link at the bottom of the TikTok help page and tap on it.
- Complete the support request form with details on the problem with your TikTok phone number verification not working.
