Google account recovery page verify identity verification code

Security info confirms your identity

Security info is an alternate contact email address or phone number that you add to your account. If you forget your password, or if someone else is trying to take over your account, we send a verification code to that alternate email or phone number. When you give the code back to us, we know that you’re really you so we can help get you back into your Microsoft account.

We use your security info only to verify your identity if you're accessing personal information or if we detect a problem with your account. 

Before we start into how to manage your security info, let's make sure we’ve successfully sent your verification code.

• If you’d like to reset your password but the verification code didn’t arrive, see When you can’t sign in to your Microsoft account.

• For tips about receiving and using verification codes, please see Troubleshooting verification code issues.

Manage your security info

On your Advanced security options page, you can review existing sign-in methods or add a new way to sign in or verify. 

Manage your security info

Expand a section to learn how to add or remove a way to sign in.

1. Sign in to your Advanced security options page using your Microsoft Account.

2. Select Add a new way to sign in or verify then choose how you would like to receive security codes.

   Tip: The email or phone number does not have to be yours - you just need to have access to it if you want to use it to verify your account.

3. We'll send a security code to confirm. Enter that code when prompted and then select Next. 

4. That's it. Next time you need a sign-in verification code, you will see the new option listed.

Make sure the list of phone numbers or email you use to sign in to your account is up to date. Open your Sign-in options to turn off sign-in preferences for any phone number or email you don't use often

Important: 

• You don't need to remove old security info unless there is an account security risk (e.g. someone else has access to your old mailbox).

• If you do need to replace your security info, make sure you add new info first.

• If you request removal of all security info in your account, the info doesn’t actually change for 30 days. During this time, we cannot accept further changes or additions to security settings or billing info. Your account is still open and active, and you can still use your email, Skype, OneDrive and devices as usual. We’ll let you know when it's time to enter new security info. Learn more.

1. On the Security basics page, select the Update info button. If you're not already signed in to your Microsoft account, you'll be prompted to sign in.

2. You may be asked to enter a verification code to continue. If you don't have access to your alternate email or phone number, choose I don't have any of these and follow the instructions to replace your security info.

3. You'll see your security info under Security settings. Choose Remove for any you want to remove. You may be asked to add new security info before you can remove the old info.

Troubleshooting verification code issues

There are a number of possible explanations for why verification codes don't always arrive. Read through the list of the most common causes, and see if any of them apply to you.

Does your phone block texts from unknown numbers?
If so, change your phone settings then choose I don't have a code. We'll send another verification code.

Did your email send your verification code to your junk folder? 

Check your junk email folder for a message from a Microsoft account, and use the code sent to you. Valid verification codes come from an @accountprotection.microsoft.com email address.

Mark @accountprotection.microsoft.com as a trusted sender to receive your verification code in your inbox.

Is your phone number or email address entered correctly?
To keep your information safe when you're signing in, we only show you the last two digits of your phone number or the first two characters of your email address.

To see if your security info is correct:

1. Sign in to your Security basics page with your Microsoft account.

2. Select Update info.

3. Choose a method that you know works, or choose I don't have any of these to replace your security info.

Does your alternate email address end in @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com?
If so, you're using one Microsoft account to verify another Microsoft account. This can make it tricky to keep track of which one you're signed in to. When you sign in to the second account (to get the code sent to that email), most browsers automatically sign you out of the first account (the one that's actually requesting the code).

To get your verification code:

1. Using a browser in privacy mode, sign in with the first account. This lets you stay signed in to both accounts at the same time.

2. When you're prompted to enter the verification code that was sent to your alternate email address, don't close the browser window.

3. Open a new window in privacy mode. Ctrl + Shift + P is the shortcut for InPrivate Browsing in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer. If you're using a different browser, check that browser's help for info about privacy mode.

4. In the new window, sign in to your alternate email account and look for the message from the Microsoft account team. Copy or write down the verification code from the message.

5. Return to the window that is asking you for the verification code. Enter the code and follow the instructions.

When you see a message asking you to make sure you can receive a verification code, verify or add new security info. You can skip it for 24 hours at a time, but after seven days from the first notice you'll have to verify or add new security info before you can sign in again.

We won't ask you to verify your security info every time you sign in. Occasionally, we might ask you to check it again—for example, if you haven't signed in for a long while. This is our way to make sure your info is current.

No. A verification code doesn't replace your password, so it won't work to enter a verification code in the password box. We use verification codes in addition to passwords as an extra layer of security in case someone else learns your password.

Security verification messages are sent in the language of your account when the security info email/phone number was added.

To change the language, you need to remove it and re-add the security info to your account using the steps above.