More often than not, Google sends special codes to either your phone or email address for verification reasons. The Google verification code is of great importance to your Google account, and it’s essential you know what it’s about.
This article answers 15 questions on what you need to know about Google verification codes.
1. What is a Google verification code?
A Google verification code is a set of numbers sent to you directly, either through your phone or email address.
The numbers are unique and can’t be used by any other person for verification on a different phone number or email address.
2. What does it mean when you receive a Google verification code?
Google sends verification codes for identification and security purposes.
So, you receive the code to ascertain Google that you are the rightful owner and user of the account.
You also receive the code for security reasons, whereby the verification code protects your account and information from cybercriminals and hackers. Note that you’ll only get the code after undertaking a few actions.
3. When and how do you receive a Google verification code?
The Google verification code is not just sent anyhow. There are specific situations that need you to use the code. They include:
- When creating a new Google account
- When resetting your password
- During the two-step authentication process
- When signing in to your Google account on a new device or computer
Additionally, there are other situations when you can receive the verification code from Google. They include:
- Sending a text message on your phone
- Through the Google Authenticator for iPhone or Google Authenticator for Android
- Activating the two-step authentication process on Google
4. Does a verification code expire?
Google verification codes are valid for a short period; given that they are used for security purposes. Once the time lapses, the code expires and can’t be used for verification.
At this point, the option you have is requesting for the code to be resent. You will receive a new code which will also expire after 30 seconds.
You, therefore, have to be fast in entering the code to avoid it being invalid.
5. Why would I get an unsolicited Google verification code?
When you receive a random Google verification code, and you are sure as day that you did not request for one, it can only mean that there is somebody somewhere trying to access your Google account and is probably having trouble signing in.
Since Google is very vigilant with its users’ account and information security, it will send a verification code to ensure the rightful owner is signing into the account. This is why you’ll receive the unsolicited verification code.
If it happens, ensure you report it to Google so that the matter is looked into and your account is made more secure. You should also change your password.
Here is a detailed guide on dealing with an unsolicited Google verification code.
6. What to do if you accidentally gave out your Google verification code
It is dangerous and not recommended to give out your verification code. You’ll be endangering your account.
Scammers can use the code to change the details on your account, including your password, and lock you out of it permanently. Unfortunately, this happens often if you use Google Voice.
You can fix this by adding/re-adding your phone number to your existing Google Voice account. If you don’t have a Google Voice account, create one, then add your phone number to it as the forwarding phone number.
From this point, you will be receiving the Google verification codes on your phone number.
7. What can someone do with a Google verification code
There is a lot that one can do with a Google verification code.
Someone can steal your Google account, personal information or gain access to your other social media platforms. This is especially true if you have passwords saved on your Google account.
But in most cases, hackers use a verification code for is getting a Google Voice number. Once the verification code is obtained, they create a Google Voice number then link it to your phone number.
If the person is a scammer, they will use the Google Voice number to make calls or send text messages to scam people with a hidden identity.
The person can also use your identity to commit cybercrimes which can unknowingly land you into trouble.
8. Where do I enter my verification code?
Receiving a Google verification code means you need to enter the code somewhere to validate your identity successfully.
So where should you enter it? Depending on the situation that requires verification, you will be prompted by Google to enter the code.
You will be led to a screen display that instructs you that a verification code has been sent to your phone or email, and it will provide a space where the code should be filled.
You will enter the code accurately on the space provided, and Google will automatically validate the code.
9. What if someone gets your verification code?
If someone else receives the Google verification code, then it means you can’t go through with the verification process.
It can only go through if you know the person, and they can quickly send you the code before it expires. But, if you have no way of accessing the person or the code, it will be a dead-end for you.
Ensure that the phone number or email that you’ve entered on your Google account is correct. This way, your code won’t be sent to someone else and you wouldn’t be locked from accessing your Google account.
If it’s a different phone number that’s not particularly yours, you need to know the person and have access to them. This way you can also access the verification code when it is sent.
10. What is auto verification in a Google account?
It’s a feature by Google in which Site owners will find it easy to authenticate their sites in Google Search Console now.
Users who have been validated as the owners of a Google Analytics property will be automatically verified in Google Search Console for the same website.
Previously, people who were also the owner of a Google Analytics site could speed up the verification process in Search Console.
After the entire automation process was implemented, users now have a validated property in Search Console without ever logging in.
Auto verification is great because Google uses Search Console to convey important notifications, such as notices about indexing difficulties.
So even if a site owner does not want to access reports in the Search Console dashboard, they will still receive alerts from Google in their email inbox.
You can manage the Google verification status from your Google account. This is so that Google can re-verify your phone number from time to time to make sure it’s still yours.
You may receive text messages from Google or see outgoing texts to Google when you re-verify. The notification might read, “Google is verifying the phone number of this device.”
11. Can you bypass a Google verification code?
Getting to bypass a Google verification code isn’t a walk in the park as you would want to imagine. Finding your way past it is almost impossible because it’s a measure that Google depends on to maintain security and privacy.
However, there is an alternative way that you can implement to avoid the Google verification code. It involves turning off the two-step verification process on your computer, Android, or iPhone/iPad.
Unfortunately, doing this will make your account less secure as you will only need a password to sign in to your account. It will also be easy for someone else to access your account and information.
In a case where you are using a phone or device that has another Google account signed in you and requires the use of a verification code to continue operating it, you can try and contact the account owner for assistance.
You can’t just disable the account because Google will need verification for you to proceed.
In short, you can’t bypass a Google verification code because it is a security feature that’s essential for Google.
12. How to get a Google verification code without a phone
There is no need to worry if you don’t have a phone to receive the Google verification code. Google has a feature that supports verification without a phone.
You can receive your verification code when your phone is unavailable through a Google 2-step verification. It generates one-time use backup codes, which you can download or print.
All you need to do to generate the backup codes are:
- Log in to your Google account
- Go to the Settings page
- Select My Account followed by Signing into Google
- Enter your password, then choose 2-step verification.
- Create and print the backup codes. Alternatively, you can choose to have the codes delivered to another phone or landline.
13. How do I change my Google verification number if I lost my phone?
Here is where the recovery information you entered while setting up the Google account comes in handy.
As usual, you will log in to your account but will have to use either the recovery phone number or email you put in the account.
The Google code will be sent to either of them, and you will be back to access your account. You can then change the contact details in the account and remove the Google verification number linked to the lost phone.
Enter your current phone number, and don’t fail to update it in case you switch numbers. You can also use the 2-step verification to sign in to the account and change your contact details.
14. What to do if Google is not sending a verification code to your phone
It may get you by surprise if you’re expecting a Google verification code to verify your account, but you’re receiving nothing at your end.
There are several issues that could be preventing Google from sending the verification code to your phone.
If you’re receiving an error message when requesting the code, then it means you’ve probably exceeded the code requests in a day and have to wait at least 24 hours to try again.
Google can also fail to send a code to your phone if you requested one when the services were unavailable. With this, you’ll have to be patient for the services to get back online.
Your phone may fail to receive a verification code if you’ve ported your phone number by switching mobile providers.
Text messaging may take a while to function, so you may have to wait to try again. It’s also possible that your mobile provider may have blocked your number from receiving texts with shortcodes.
Follow up with your phone provider to ensure messages from Google are unblocked.
15. How to sign in to Gmail without a phone verification
Gmail works similarly to how a Google account works. This means you can also sign in to your Gmail account without verifying with a phone. You will need to turn on the two-step verification process for this to be possible.
Once it’s active, you can generate backup codes that you will use for verification. Then, follow the steps listed under How to get a Google verification code without a phone to get the backup codes and finally sign in to your Gmail account.
There is a lot more to verification codes and what you can know about them. The article has explained 15 things about them.
Now you know what a verification code is, what it means to receive one and when and how you receive it.
You also know what to do when you give someone else your Google verification code and how to receive it without a phone.
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