How to Restore GitHub Access Without SMS Verification

GitHub has stopped sending SMS to Russian numbers due to two-factor authentication restrictions for certain countries, but there are several ways to recover account access, including using recovery codes, linked email, or contacting GitHub Support. If you have saved recovery codes, you can bypass SMS authentication, and if you don’t have them, you’ll need to provide detailed information to recover your account through GitHub Support.

Table of Contents

• Reasons for SMS blocking for Russian numbers
• Recovery through recovery codes
• Recovery through linked email and social media
• Contacting GitHub Support
• Alternative solutions for Russian users
• Prevention for the future

Reasons for SMS blocking for Russian numbers

GitHub restricts SMS authentication for certain countries due to delivery success rates. According to GitHub’s official documentation, the company supports two-factor authentication via SMS only for countries with high message delivery reliability. Russian numbers fall under these restrictions for several reasons:

Due to delivery success rates, GitHub only supports two-factor authentication via SMS for certain countries.

This means that even if you previously used SMS authentication for your Russian number, GitHub may suddenly stop sending confirmation codes. Many users report receiving messages that GitHub is “not authorized to communicate with this number” after several failed SMS delivery attempts.

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Recovery through recovery codes

If you have previously saved two-factor authentication recovery codes, this is the simplest way to regain access:

1. On the GitHub login page, click the “Forgot password?” link
2. Enter your username or email
3. When the system requests 2FA verification, select the “Recovery codes” option
4. Enter one of the saved 10-digit recovery codes
5. Create a new password for your account

Important: Recovery codes must be saved in a secure place in advance. If you didn’t save them, this method is not available.

Under “More options”, click 2FA recovery code.

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Recovery through linked email and social media

If you have access to a linked email address or connected social media accounts, you can use alternative login methods:

Through email authentication

1. Try to log in through the standard login form
2. Select the “Sign in with email” option instead of password
3. GitHub will send a confirmation code to your primary email
4. Enter this code to access your account

Through social media

If you have linked Google, Facebook, or other social media accounts to GitHub:

1. Click “Sign in with Google” (or another social network)
2. Complete authentication in the social media system
3. You will gain access to GitHub without needing 2FA

If you have linked a Google account to your GitHub account, you can sign-in with your social login instead of using your password.

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Contacting GitHub Support

When recovery codes and available alternative methods are not available, contacting GitHub Support remains the only option. To do this:

1. Go to the GitHub account recovery page
2. Fill out the form with as much detail as possible
3. Provide as much proof of account ownership as possible:

Information to provide:

• GitHub username
• All email addresses associated with the account
• Repository creation dates
• Recent commits and their content
• Payment information (if applicable)
• IP addresses you typically log in from
• Credit card data (if used)

Submit a request here · Provide as much information as possible (username, linked emails, repositories you own, …

Important: GitHub does not recover accounts based on ID cards or other documents. This is strictly a technical verification.

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Alternative solutions for Russian users

Virtual numbers

There are services providing virtual numbers for receiving SMS codes:

• GrizzlySMS provides temporary numbers for GitHub
• Other virtual number services may work for receiving confirmation codes

Get a temp number for GitHub to receive OTP codes online. Use a virtual phone number for GitHub verification without a personal SIM.

Changing profile country

Some users report successful recovery after changing their profile country to a supported one (such as Kazakhstan or other CIS countries). However, this method is not guaranteed to succeed.

Using alternative 2FA methods

For the future, it is recommended to set up:

• Authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Authy)
• Security keys (YubiKey, Titan Security Key)
• Passkeys (WebAuthn)

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Prevention for the future

To avoid similar situations in the future, it is recommended to:

Setting up multiple 2FA methods

1. Use a combination of SMS + authenticator app
2. Save recovery codes in multiple secure locations
3. Regularly update backup codes

Regular security settings check

1. Check linked email addresses
2. Ensure social accounts are connected
3. Periodically check login history

Creating backup copies of important repositories

1. Connect repositories to your local machine via Git
2. Use automatic backup
3. Store important data in multiple locations

Save the recovery codes or set up a phone number!

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Conclusion

Recovering access to GitHub when there are problems with SMS authentication for Russian numbers is possible, but requires prepared solutions in advance. Key points:

1. Recovery codes - the best method if they are saved
2. Alternative login methods via email or social media
3. Contacting support with detailed account information
4. Future planning using multiple 2FA methods

For Russian users, it is especially important to set up alternative authentication methods besides SMS, as restrictions may continue or tighten. Regular checking and updating of security settings will help avoid account blocking in the future.

Sources

1. Countries where SMS authentication is supported - GitHub Documentation
2. Recovering your account if you lose your 2FA credentials - GitHub Documentation
3. Lost access to my Github account and no access to 2FA methods or recovery codes - GitHub Community Discussion
4. Help Locked out of GitHub – Lost 2FA access, still have email - Reddit
5. Buy a virtual phone number for GitHub – Receive SMS for GitHub verification
6. Lost access to 2FA—how can I recover my account? - Reddit
7. Is there a way to restore Github and Bitbucket 2FA without recovery codes or backup phone number? - Stack Overflow
8. Lost 2FA, any change to reset it? - Reddit
9. GitHub - Authy
10. My country does not appear in the options · community · Discussion #22814