Facebook login codes allow users to securely access their Facebook accounts. There are a few common reasons why Facebook may not be sending the login code to your phone or email:
You don’t have access to the phone number or email on file
Facebook will only send login codes to the phone number or email that you have on file in your Facebook account settings. If you no longer have access to that phone number or email address, Facebook will not be able to send you a code.
For example, if you originally signed up with an old phone number or email address that you no longer use, Facebook will still have that contact information on file. You will need to update your account with your new phone number or email in order to receive login codes.
Your phone number or email is incorrectly entered
Double check that the phone number or email you are entering when prompted for the login code matches exactly what is on file in your Facebook account. It’s easy to accidentally enter an incorrect digit in your phone number or misspell your email address.
Go to your Facebook account settings and make sure you are requesting the login code be sent to the precise phone number or email listed there. If you notice it is incorrect, update it with your current information.
You have reached the code request limit
Facebook will limit the number of login code requests that can be made over a certain time period. This is done to protect accounts from brute force hacking attempts.
If you have requested too many codes in a short time span, you may not receive any new codes until the limit resets. This could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on how many failed requests were made.
Be patient and wait a while before trying to request another login code. And avoid rapid-fire code requests, as that may trigger the request limit.
Your account was temporarily locked
If there have been too many failed login attempts or suspicious activity detected, Facebook may temporarily lock your account. This is done for security reasons to prevent unauthorized access.
You will need to go through Facebook’s account lock recovery process. This involves confirming your identity by providing documents or information only the real account owner would know.
Once your account is restored, you will be able to request new login codes again. Take steps to improve account security going forward.
Two-factor authentication is enabled
If you have two-factor authentication enabled for increased account security, you will need to enter both your password and a code generated from an authenticator app or security key.
The login code sent via text or email acts as the first authentication factor. You will then need to input your authenticator app code or insert your security key as the second factor to fully login.
Check that you are correctly entering both your login code and your authenticator code when prompted.
There are connectivity issues
Problems with your internet connection, phone service, or Facebook’s servers could prevent the login code from being delivered. Check your device’s connectivity and try requesting the code again once issues are resolved.
Make sure you have a strong internet or cellular data connection on the device you are using to login. If connectivity problems persist, try connecting on a different network or using another device entirely.
Your account was hacked
If your Facebook account has been hacked, the hacker may have removed your phone number and email or enabled higher security settings to lock you out. In this case, you will need to go through Facebook’s hacked account process.
You will need to prove you are the rightful owner by providing documents, account history details, and answers to security questions. Facebook should then restore full access once confirmed.
Be sure to reset your password, enable two-factor authentication, and check security settings after regaining access to your account.
You have an IP block
Too many login attempts coming from the same IP address can result in Facebook temporarily blocking logins from that IP. This most often happens with public Wi-Fi networks or shared computers.
Try accessing Facebook from a different network to obtain a login code. The IP block usually lasts a few hours before being lifted automatically.
Cookies or cache need to be cleared
Occasionally the browser’s cookies and cached data can become corrupted and interfere with receiving a Facebook login code. Try clearly your browser’s cookies and cache related to Facebook and then request a new code.
On most major browsers you can clear cookies and site data specifically for facebook.com in your settings panel. After doing this, reload Facebook in the browser and try logging in again.
Your number is not verified on Facebook
In some cases, Facebook requires you to have your phone number verified on your account before allowing login via text code. Check in your Facebook account settings whether your phone number has been confirmed.
If not, go through the verification process by entering the confirmation code Facebook sends via text. Once verified, you should be able to request login codes.
You entered the wrong Facebook password
Double check that you are correctly entering your Facebook password when prompted upon choosing to login via text or email code. Entering an incorrect password will result in not receiving the code.
Make sure to enter the precise password associated with your Facebook account. If needed, use the password reset option to set a new password you can easily recall.
Your text messaging is disabled
You will not receive a Facebook login code via text if you have text messaging disabled on your phone number. Check your phone carrier account settings to ensure texting is enabled.
Make sure your cellular plan includes texting packages. Contact your carrier if you need to adjust your account configurations to re-enable texts.
You are entering the code incorrectly
When you request the Facebook login code, make sure to carefully enter it exactly as received without any typos. The code will only work if matched precisely.
It’s easy to confuse certain numbers/letters like 0 and O or 1 and I. Triple checking can help avoid entering the wrong code and having your login fail as a result.
The code expired
Facebook login codes expire after a fairly short amount of time – usually 10-15 minutes. If too much time goes by after requesting the code, it will no longer be valid.
When you request a new code, be ready to enter it into Facebook right away. If the code expires before you use it, you will need to request a fresh one.
If you are having trouble receiving the code due to connectivity issues, try resetting your router or switching cellular networks.
You are logging in from a suspicious location
If Facebook detects you are attempting to login from an unknown or suspicious location far from your usual sign-in locations, it may require enhanced security checks before allowing access.
You may need to provide additional verification of your identity or confirm it is actually you attempting to login and not someone else accessing your account.
Be prepared to go through extra prompts to prove you are the account owner when logging in from unfamiliar places.
Facebook Messenger is linked to your account
If you have the Facebook Messenger app connected to your Facebook account, it can inadvertently interfere with receiving login codes.
Try logging out of Messenger or uninstalling it temporarily to remove any conflicts while getting your login code.
Also ensure you don’t have multiple devices simultaneously logged into your Facebook account via Messenger, as this can sometimes create issues.
Your Facebook app needs updating
Out-of-date versions of the Facebook mobile app can cause problems receiving login codes. Make sure you have installed the latest updates to the app.
On your phone, open the App Store or Google Play Store, go to the Facebook app page, and check if any updates are available. Install them and then try getting a login code again.
You recently changed your Facebook password
If you reset your Facebook password very recently, the change may not have fully propagated through Facebook’s systems yet.
Give it an hour or two for the new password to take effect across all of Facebook’s servers. The login code should come through normally after a short waiting period.
You have an ad blocker enabled
Some ad blockers and firewall software can interfere with Facebook’s ability to send login codes. Try disabling any ad blockers you have enabled in your browser or on your network.
You may need to add an exception for Facebook to get login texts and emails to come through properly when an ad blocker is turned on.
Your time settings are inaccurate
Having incorrect date and time settings on your device can prevent receiving Facebook login codes. Check that you have the right time zone configured.
Go into your device’s Date & Time settings menu and enable “Set automatically” to sync your clock with network standards. Facebook codes require accurate time to function.
You have login approvals enabled
With login approvals, you need to recognize and approve the browser or device attempting to access your Facebook account each time. You may not get a code until after taking this extra security step.
When prompted, be sure to confirm that the device requesting the login code matches what you are currently using to access Facebook.
You recently changed your primary email
If you altered the primary email on your Facebook account, it can disrupt receipt of login codes for a short time until the change fully propagates.
Give it a few hours after modifying your account’s main email address before attempting to get a new login code. Facebook needs time to process email changes.
You are not entering the confirmation code
When logging into Facebook via text or email code, make sure to complete the two-step process. You need to enter both your password and the code you receive.
Some users forget to actually enter the confirmation code after requesting it. Both your password and latest code are required to gain access.
There was recently suspicious activity on your account
If Facebook detects suspicious or abnormal behavior such as strange logins or password changes, it may revoke access to your account temporarily pending identity confirmation.
You will need to go through Facebook’s suspicious activity process, which involves steps like confirming your identity and improving security settings.
This is done to protect your account in the event unauthorized changes were made by an outside party. Regain full access by proving the account is yours.
Phone number verification is not immediate
When going through Facebook’s phone number verification process, it may take a little time before your number is fully confirmed and able to receive login codes.
Complete the verification steps and then wait a few minutes before attempting to get a text code. Give Facebook a short period to process the verification and activate codes.
There is a temporary Facebook server error
In rare cases, login codes may fail due to a temporary technical glitch or error on Facebook’s servers. The issue will usually clear up quickly as Facebook resolves problems.
If the issue persists more than a few hours, it is likely some other factor beyond a basic server error. Monitor Facebook’s public status pages for any acknowledged service disruptions.
You have unused Facebook logins
Open Facebook sessions you remain logged into on other browsers or devices can interfere with sending new login codes.
Make sure to fully logout of Facebook on all browsers across all of your linked devices before attempting to login and get a new code.
Close unused Facebook tabs and clear remembered sessions to eliminate conflicts associated with remaining simultaneously logged in.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a variety of potential reasons why Facebook may not be sending you a login code to access your account. The most common issues involve having an outdated phone number or email on file, connectivity problems, security limits due to suspicious activity, or user errors entering codes incorrectly.
Carefully go through the verified phone number or email, double check your connectivity, clear any unused sessions, and ensure you enter the code precisely. In rarer cases, you may need to go through an account recovery process if your account was hacked or disabled.
Allow a little time after major account changes as well. Getting login codes is typically quick and seamless, but occasionally extra troubleshooting is needed – so be patient and try the steps outlined here if Facebook is not sending your code.
Now that we have covered the major reasons why you may not be receiving a Facebook login code to your phone number or email, hopefully you have a better understanding of how to resolve the issue.
With billions of users, Facebook has very robust systems in place for security and authentication. But problems can still happen on occasion that block the delivery of codes. By methodically checking the potential points of failure, you can identify the specific reason impacting you.
Common fixes involve updating your contact points on file, giving Facebook time after major account changes, clearing browser data, reviewing security settings, restarting your networking equipment, and ensuring you have no secondary logins active. Having accurate phone service and time settings are also key.
In most cases, relatively simple corrective actions like these will get your Facebook login codes flowing once again. But for situations involving account theft or validation issues, you may need to commit time for the recovery process. The key is approaching the problem calmly and systematically.
With Facebook being so integral to modern social networking and communication, it is certainly frustrating to be locked out and not receive the code needed to regain access. But don’t worry – armed with the troubleshooting tips outlined here, you should be able to determine why Facebook is not sending your login code and resolve the matter appropriately.