Not receiving verification code on my phone

Question

I’m trying to update my profile within my Hotmail account, but it wants to send me a verification code to my phone number. The code is not coming through.

Answer 1

Hi Ashleigh Harding

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I know how disruptive it is when you’re trying to update your Hotmail profile and the verification code isn't arriving.

Could you confirm whether you’ve tried the steps mentioned in the Q&A Assist reply above? If yes, did you face any difficulties with those steps? And when the verification screen appears, do you see any option besides SMS?

In the meantime, please try the following:

1. Use a different verification method if offered

If you see Other ways to verify, choose an alternate option (e.g., email / Authenticator). This is often the quickest workaround when SMS delivery is delayed

2. Wait a bit if you requested codes multiple times

If you’ve requested several codes in a short time, pause and try again later. If you’re still not receiving codes, you may need to wait and try again.

3. Check if the SMS was filtered into a separate Messages folder

On iPhone, texts from unknown senders can be routed to Unknown Senders (and sometimes Spam), which can make it look like nothing arrived. 

• On your iPhone, open Messages app > tap the menu/filters on the top-right > review Unknown Senders and Spam

4. Make sure Messages notifications aren’t being silenced by Focus/notification settings

If Focus is configured to silence Messages (or notifications are disabled), the code may arrive but you won’t see the alerts.

• Review phone's Settings > Focus to ensure Messages is allowed (or not silenced).
• Also check Settings > Notifications > Messages to confirm notifications are enabled.

For more details, you can see this official guide: Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues - Microsoft Support

Please feel free to let me know how it goes. Thank you so much for your precious time and understanding.

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Answer 2

If you're not receiving the verification code on your phone for your Hotmail account, here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check Phone Number: Ensure that the phone number linked to your account is correct. You can verify this in the security settings of your Microsoft account.
2. Multiple Attempts: Try requesting the verification code multiple times (up to five times in five minutes) to see if it eventually comes through.
3. Third-Party Apps: If you're using any third-party security apps, they may block the verification code. Try disabling those apps and request the code again.
4. Alternative Verification Methods: If you have set up other options for security verification, select Other verification options during the sign-in process and try again using a different method.
5. Network Issues: Sometimes, network issues can prevent the code from being delivered. Try switching to a different network, such as your mobile data instead of Wi-Fi.
6. Contact Support: If none of these steps work, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue and receive your verification code.