To help keep you and others safe online, you may need to complete additional steps to access certain features or services. This extra confirmation helps us verify that the account owner is a real person and wasn't created or used by computer programs or bots for the purpose of abuse, like spamming. This also allows us to protect against fraud and can be used to improve our verification options.
If you choose not to verify, you can continue to use your account without access to certain features or services that are likely to be used for abuse. Over time, you may get access to these features or services without verifying.
Unlock your access
Important:
- Not all verification options are available for all accounts, devices, and regions.
- If you find a message that there are no verification options available for this account or region, you might not be the primary owner of the account you're signed in to. This can happen, for example, if you're signed in to an account supervised by a parent.
- Make sure to turn off any pop-up blockers on your browser.
When you try to access certain features or services, you'll be asked for some verification info:
- When a pop-up appears, to proceed, click Continue.
- Follow the instructions on your screen.
Unlocking your access may take a few seconds. When the loading page closes, or the loading bar stops, your access is unlocked. If you’re not automatically redirected, you’ll need to return to the feature or service to access it.
If after successfully completing the verification steps, you’re still having trouble accessing the feature or service, wait for a few minutes, and try using the feature or service again.
Here are some tips for different verification options:
SMS verificationTips:
- The phone number you use doesn’t have to be associated with your account. If you get an error message that your phone number can't be used for verification, enter another phone number that you have access to.
- To protect you and others from abuse, we limit the number of accounts each phone number can create and we limit some carriers that are often used for abuse. You can use a family member's or friend’s phone number instead. It may also help if you attempt to use a number from a different carrier.
- The cost of your verification depends on your plan and provider, but will likely be your standard text message rate. For more details, contact your mobile phone provider.
The QR code option is available only for Android phones and tablets.
Tips:
- If you receive a message that your device isn't supported, check that Google Play services are up to date and that you have a stable network connection. Then, try to scan the QR code again. Learn how to keep your device & apps working with Google Play services.
- If you get a message that your device has been used too many times for verification, you can use another Android device, or try the SMS verification option. If you don’t have another Android device, you can use a friend's or family member's Android device instead.
Selfie video verification uses a short video of your face to verify that you're a real person and that you haven’t violated Google's policies.
To take a selfie, you'll need a mobile device with a Camera app.
Tips:
- Check that you're connected to a WiFi network.
- Follow the prompts to perform an action. After following the prompts, you’ll need to bring your face back to the center.
- If we can’t verify you after 2 completed attempts, you’ll need to wait 30 days to try again.
If you try to access a feature or a service, and you receive a message that you’ve violated Google’s policies using a different account:
- Sign in to your account where you received the policy violation email.
- Open the email with details about your policy violation.
- If you believe you didn’t violate our policies, appeal the violation. You’ll need a successful appeal to continue.
- If your appeal is successful, sign in to the account that you were using before.
- Try to use the feature or service again.
Manage your selfie video
You can manage your selfie video in your Google Account. If you delete your selfie video, you may lose access to some advanced features. Learn how to manage your selfie video in your Google Account.