If you have SMS 2FA activated in your Instagram account, and for some reason, you can’t receive SMS (changed phone numbers, traveling internationally, etc.) I have a potential solution for you.
To describe the problem a bit better. Last week, I accidentally logged out of my Instagram account. When I tried logging back in, they sent me an SMS that I couldn’t receive because I was traveling outside of the country. I read these posts: https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-verify-Instagram-if-it-wont-send-me-code, https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-login-to-Instagram-if-I-lost-my-phone-with-two-factor-authentication but I found another solution that might work for you too.
If this occurs to you, you can use the backup codes in lieu of the SMS. The backup codes are 8-digit codes that you download when activating 2FA in your account. But what if you, like me, don’t have those either?
Head down to your phone, and open the Instagram app, you should see something like this.
Here, you are going to tap in “Log In with Facebook“. And you should see a page like this.
Fill out your Facebook credentials, and then onto Facebook’s 2FA.
Since we don’t have an SMS to receive, login into your Facebook account, and head to settings. There click on Edit on the two-factor authentication.
We should be presented with the 2FA options. Since we can’t receive SMS, let’s download the recovery codes
The codes should look like this.
Copy one of these codes that haven’t been used yet, you can tell that from the icon on the right, and use it on your phone login screen instead of the SMS.
With that, I hope you regain access to your Instagram account. This time, make sure you enable a 2FA method that can be used if your SMSs are not working, such as an authenticator app, and download and keep your backup codes in a safe place.
Comment if this helped you, or if you are stilled locked out.
Not working in my case 🙁
Which part is not working? Are you able to log in to Facebook?
The recovery codes for facebook does not work for Instagram. I tried with all of the Security codes but it didn’t work 🙁
This method is not working. The recovery codes for facebook does not work for Instagram even the Instagram is linked to my Facebook account. This is just crazy and frustrating.
Are you logging in with the “Log In with Facebook”.
I have tested it, and it works if you log in into Instagram using your facebook credentials and security codes.
Please let me know otherwise and I will dig further.
I logged in via facebook it said the new Recovery Codes were “wrong” – is there a way to double check that my instagram account (the one I’m locked out of) is linked with my Facebook? Thank you!
i tried this method but it still brings me back to the security code page. instagram support is useless.
I have been trying this method and everything works up until I put in the verification code and then it just sends me to a blank white page. Any tips?
I found another solution !!
TLDR: Use a VPN with a server on another continent. Log in with instagram.com, the website.
The story :
So we have an instagram business account for our company in France. We activated the Two Factor Authentication via text message.
Three days ago, we decided to change the password. Everything went fine until we tried to log back in.
The password worked but when it came to the two step authentication, we never received the text message.
We tried everything, login on different phones, computers, filled out form to instagram etc but nothing worked.
Then I had the idea to use a VPN.
On my iPhone I used a vpn app (Flyvpn if that matters but I think you can use the one you want). I chose a server in Bangkok. I then went to Safari and opened instagram.com (not the app, the website).
When I tried, I received the text !
I entered the code and Instagram then asked for another code and asked me if I wanted to receive it by text or email. I chose email, received the email within seconds, entered the second code and Tadaa ! I was in !
I hope it will help some of the people scrolling through tis website because I was one of yours a few hours ago and I know the feeling !
Regards.
Hey i tried tis method but it is still asking for the codes, which i dont have. Which text did you get & how please tell me. My business page locked due to this same reason
I still can’t login either. I have tried all the suggestions above, incl vpn, and instagram keeps taking me to the 6-digit code that I don’t have access to. My phone was repaired and wiped, and I don’t have the backup codes.
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