Google 2-Step Verification is very common with Gmail accounts and while it can be so annoying at times, it’s very important to enable 2-Step Verification on their Gmail because it can really save one’s emails from unauthorized access.
These days Google recommends 2-Step Verification which is also known as 2FA. And while you might have made an attempt to set up one for yourself, I’m sure you must have come across errors like “Invalid number, try again”, well you’ll be learning how to fix that here on NaijaKnowHow.
In today’s article, you’ll learn how to fix Google 2-Step Verification Error on your Android device, iOS and even on your PC. Google 2-Step Verification Error like “Invalid number, try again” is very common to all Nigerians mostly when we attempt to link our phone numbers and without a 2-Step Verification, your Gmail is prone to get hacked by hackers, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to go through the stress of recovering your hacked Gmail which is quite similar to when you want to recover a hacked Facebook account.
What Is 2-Step Verification / Two Factor Authentication (2FA)?
2FA which we all know and might have seen online is an authentication process that grants a user access into a website or an app after he or she has provided one or two pieces of evidence that clarifies them to be the person in possession of the account or profile they want to gain access to in a website or an app.
2-Step Verification or 2FA is a security protocol issued by most websites and applications, they offer more security protection to one’s online accounts and platforms like Facebook, Google, Microsoft and even Apple recommends 2FA to their users. A 2FA enabled account will require an extra confirmation from either an SMS sent to the registered phone number, email or even the 2FA App linked to the account.
Why Is It Important To Activate 2-Step Verification on Your Google Account?
2-Step Verification can be very annoying at times but it’s very important to have it linked to your Google Account, and below are some of the importance of activating 2-Step Verification on your Google Account.
- Extra Security – You might be thinking you have the strongest password combination that no hacker can guess but sometimes it takes a Phishing Link to get your password stolen. But when you have 2FA enabled on your Google Account, even someone with your password won’t be able to access your Gmail unless they provide the code sent to your 2-Step Verification linked email or phone number.
- No Need for Complicated Passwords – In as much as Google recommends using a strong password combination which is often good, but sometimes people go too far by using passwords they can’t remember. But with a 2-Step Verification, you can easily set a non-complex password and use the 2FA as a backup for it.
Why Can’t Google Recognise My Nigerian Phone Number?
The reason why Google can’t recognize a Nigerian number is that Nigeria wasn’t listed among countries that can use the 2-Step Verification. But that was a long time ago because even now Nigerians still can’t use the 2-Step Verification.
But the reason behind the “Invalid number, try again” error is still unknown but there’s a theory backing this “Invalid number, try again” and that is (“Invalid number, try again” mostly occur on a Google Account that is less than 6 months or 1 year). However, this theory was long nullified because the Google 2-Step Verification still won’t work on my personal account that’s more than a year old.
From a more personal perspective, I suspect that the inability of Nigerians to link their phone number to Google 2FA has a connection with the high rate of fraudulent activities emanating from Nigeria, nevertheless, do let me know if you have a contrary opinion using the comment box below.
Now back to the reason for this article, there’s a solution here and you’ll get to know how to resolve Google 2-Step Verification through the steps below.
How To Fix Google 2-Step Verification Error “Invalid number, try again” Error Message
In order to fix the Google 2-Step Verification problem in Nigeria, you’ll need the UK or US phone number, and to do that you should read two of our articles on How To Create USA Number in Nigeria and How To Get A Free UK Number in Nigeria or a good Virtual Phone Number App. Once you’ve created your USA or UK number successfully, you can now follow the steps below to know how you can Fix Google 2-Step Verification Error.
- To get started, the first thing you need to do is visit Google 2-Step Verification Page on your mobile browser or your PC browser.
- Once the page has opened successfully, now scroll down and click on the button that says Get Started.
- After clicking on Get Started, sign in with your Gmail account, then you’ll see a place that says 2-Step Verification is OFF (click on the Turn On button)
- You might be logged out from your Google Account, therefore make sure you log in again and then set your 2FA option to receive notification on your Phone Number.
- You’ll now see a box to enter your phone number, click on the country flag icon and change your country from Nigeria to the USA. Then enter the USA number you created, then get your codes via Text Message or Phone Call.
- Once you get your code, insert it in the box provided and you’ve successfully fixed Google 2-Step Verification Error.
Note: You have to make sure you don’t lose the USA number you created because anytime you want to log in to your Googe account from an unrecognized device, the 2FA might block your access.
Conclusion
With the solution we’ve provided on how to fix the Google 2-Step verification error, I expect that you now know how to set up 2-step verification on your Google Account in Nigeria. If you experience any issues or can’t get this sorted, kindly leave a comment and you’ll get a response as soon as possible.
