If your Relay verification code isn't arriving, the most common causes are a mistyped phone number, poor cellular signal, blocked or filtered SMS, or a recent phone number change.
Relay uses SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your account when you log in or make sensitive changes. When that code doesn't come through, work through the checks below before calling support.
What to try first
Before treating this as a support issue, run through these quick fixes in order:
Confirm the phone number on your Relay account matches the SIM in the device you're holding.
Move to an area with stronger cellular coverage and request a new code.
Restart your phone to reset the network connection.
Check your SMS blocklist and any spam-filter apps for messages from Relay's short code.
Ask your carrier whether short-code messaging is enabled on your line.
If you still don't receive a code after these steps, one of the causes below is likely the reason.
How to tell if the phone number on file is wrong
Log in to Relay and open Settings, then Profile, to see the mobile number currently on file. If that number doesn't match the SIM in the device you're holding, the code is being sent somewhere you can't reach.
To fix it, update your mobile phone number for 2FA. Relay will send a verification code to your previous number as an added security step. If you no longer have access to that previous number, call Relay Customer Experience at 1-888-205-9304, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST, to verify your identity by phone.
How to tell if your device or carrier is blocking SMS
If you can send and receive personal messages but no verification code arrives, the issue is usually short-code delivery. Some carriers block short-code SMS by default, and some third-party spam filters treat verification codes as promotional.
Check three things:
Your phone's blocklist for Relay's SMS sender
Any third-party SMS filter or spam app on your device
Your carrier's short-code messaging setting (call them if you're not sure)
If short-code messaging is disabled, ask your carrier to enable it. Codes typically arrive within seconds once that setting is on.
What to do if you recently changed your phone number
When you update the phone number on your Relay account, Relay sends a one-time verification code to your previous number to confirm the change. This is an intentional security step, not a bug.
If you still have your previous device or SIM, retrieve the code there and complete the update. If you no longer have access, this change cannot be made through email. Call Relay Customer Experience at 1-888-205-9304, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST, so an agent can verify your identity and update your number.
How to switch to app-based 2FA instead
If SMS delivery is unreliable on your line, switch to app-based 2FA using an authenticator app like Google Authenticator, Authy, or 1Password. App-based codes generate on your device and don't depend on cellular delivery.
To switch, follow the steps in the guide on switching to app-based two-factor authentication. You'll scan a QR code in the Relay app and enter the six-digit code your authenticator generates.
Still not receiving codes?
If none of the fixes above resolve it, call Relay Customer Experience at 1-888-205-9304, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST. For security reasons, Relay cannot make changes to your login information, including your mobile phone number, over email. A phone call is the only channel where an agent can verify your identity and help you regain access to your Relay account.
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