If you’ve tried logging into Instagram and found yourself stuck because the security code isn’t arriving in your email inbox, you’re not alone. This issue has affected many users, leaving them frustrated and unsure of how to proceed. In the past, I made a few videos explaining how to fix the problem, but unfortunately, some of the methods I shared before no longer work. However, there is still hope, and I’ll walk you through the updated solution.
Why Don’t You Receive the Code?
Before diving into the fix, let’s first take a look at why the code might not be arriving in your inbox. The main reason behind this problem is usually linked to your email provider. Some email services, like iCloud and Yahoo, are notorious for causing issues when it comes to receiving important emails from services like Instagram.
These email providers have a tendency to freeze your account if it’s not used for a while, which results in incoming messages being rejected and sent back to the sender. So, when Instagram or Facebook sends you an email—whether it’s about new followers, messages, or security codes—it might fail to deliver. As a result, Meta (which owns both Instagram and Facebook) might blacklist your email address, preventing any further notifications from reaching you.
How to Fix the Problem
Now that you understand the issue, here’s how to fix it and ensure that you start receiving your Instagram codes again.
1. Unfreeze Your Email Account
The first step is to make sure that your email account is not frozen. If you’re using services like Yahoo or iCloud, you need to log into your account and unfreeze it. This will allow you to start receiving emails again. You can check whether your email account is working properly by sending yourself a test message to confirm it’s receiving emails.
2. Force Instagram to Send Emails
Once your email is unfrozen, the next task is to force Instagram (or Facebook, since they use the same email service) to send something to your email. Here are a few ways to do this:
Register a Facebook Account: Register a Facebook account using the same email address that’s linked to your Instagram. You don’t need to complete the registration; you just need to get a confirmation email from Facebook.
Add Your Email in Meta Account Center: Go to Meta’s Account Center and add your email as a security email for login notifications.
Request Instagram or Facebook Data: Go to the Help Center on Facebook or Instagram and request data policy materials. In the past, all you had to do was enter your email and solve a CAPTCHA. However, the process has been updated, and now they send you a security code, which often doesn’t arrive either.
These methods may help get Instagram to send you an email, but if they don’t work, there’s still another solution you can try.
3. Use WhatsApp to Confirm Your Email
Here’s an interesting workaround: Since Meta owns WhatsApp and it also uses the same email service, you can leverage WhatsApp to confirm your email. This method has helped many users solve the problem of not receiving the Instagram code.
To do this, follow these steps:
Open WhatsApp on your phone (it can be your account or anyone’s account that you have access to, such as a family member’s).
Go to Settings, then Account Settings, and tap on the Email Address section.
If your email is already there, you can either add your email as a second one or update the current email address to the one linked with your Instagram.
WhatsApp will then send you a six-digit code to confirm the email address.
After receiving the email with the code, you don’t necessarily have to finish the process of confirming the email. You can remove it if you wish, but completing the process may help solidify the fix.
In most cases, after receiving the WhatsApp code, you will start getting the Instagram security code in your email. If that doesn’t happen, it’s worth trying the password reset option on Instagram, which also sends an email confirmation.
What to Avoid: Scammers Offering to Fix Your Issue
A quick warning: You might come across spam comments under videos or blog posts offering to “fix” your Instagram login issues for a fee. These scammers usually demand ridiculous amounts of money (sometimes up to $300) to solve a problem that you can fix for free with the methods I’ve outlined here. Once they get your money, they’ll either disappear or provide the same solutions that are available to you without paying anyone.
I try my best to remove these spam comments, but sometimes they slip through the filters. So, stay vigilant and don’t fall for these scams!
Final Thoughts
Dealing with the “Instagram code not received” issue can be frustrating, but following these steps should help resolve the problem. The key is ensuring that your email is active and unfrozen, and using Meta’s services like WhatsApp to trigger the email delivery.
Remember, patience is key, and always be cautious when dealing with third-party services that promise to fix your Instagram issues for a fee. Stay safe and happy Instagramming!