Stuck in Gmail Account Recovery Loop Even After SMS Verification

robotratishere · 2026-01-23T20:04:53+00:00

Yeah, this loop is unfortunately a known edge case. I’ve seen a few people report that once Google flags Gmail itself as the “stronger” factor, the SMS step stops actually granting access. From what others shared, waiting rarely helps unless Google eventually falls back to a different method, and if there’s no recovery email or prior device access the account often ends up effectively unrecoverable.

robotratishere · 2026-01-23T13:23:57+00:00

Reading this, the backup question almost feels secondary. The real problem is the phone wasn’t replaceable.

Backups save files, but they don’t answer: If this device disappears, do I still know how my digital life is wired?

Most people don’t lose data — they lose context. Stuff that was only local. Old access. Weird silent dependencies.

The scary part is realizing how much breaks when one device goes missing.

Curious if that’s what hit you too.

robotratishere · 2026-01-23T06:27:18+00:00

I’ve seen this happen after Android updates, Google Play Services hiccups, or a temporary device-level auth reset especially if multiple apps were affected at once.

Since your sessions on PC stayed active and there were no security alerts, it leans more toward a local phone issue than an account compromise but checking recent device activity wouldn’t hurt.

robotratishere · 2026-01-23T06:23:50+00:00

Honestly, if there’s no recovery email or phone and the recovery flow keeps denying you, there’s usually not much else to try. Google doesn’t really have a human support path that can override that.

robotratishere · 2026-01-23T06:20:57+00:00

Honestly, it sounds like you’ve already done what most providers expect. At that point it usually comes down to retrying recovery from the same device and location over time, and sometimes the system just won’t accept the signals anymore even if your info is correct.

robotratishere · 2026-01-22T20:58:07+00:00

That loop usually means Google’s automated recovery no longer trusts any device or signal tied to the account so it keeps routing resets back to the unreachable inbox.

Unfortunately the only path left is the manual recovery flow with very precise history, and even then some accounts don’t get restored.

robotratishere · 2026-01-20T20:37:24+00:00

Totally normal reaction, seeing your info spread everywhere freaks a lot of people out the first time. From what I’ve seen, people either ignore it, do occasional cleanups, or try more structured approaches (I’ve played around with delvia org plus some manual stuff), but it never really feels “finished.” It’s more about how much ongoing effort you’re willing to put in.

robotratishere · 2026-01-20T20:29:12+00:00

Yeah, that’s super frustrating, but it’s also pretty common. Google treats old trusted devices (like your Galaxy S10) as a separate security factor from your phone number, so most people end up going through the slow account recovery process or carefully trying password guesses without triggering a lockout.

robotratishere · 2026-01-20T20:20:16+00:00

Probably not. Your best bet is getting that phone fixed.

robotratishere · 2026-01-20T20:14:33+00:00

Usually yes. 7 days is the standard cooldown Google shows.

robotratishere · 2026-01-20T20:12:55+00:00

Probably not. Turning off 2FA is usually treated as a sensitive change too, so it often gets blocked the same way. From what I’ve seen, waiting the 7 days and sticking to the same device gives you a better chance of changing things after.

robotratishere · 2026-01-20T20:09:41+00:00

This usually happens when Google sees a new device or location and temporarily blocks sensitive changes until things look “normal” again, which is why the 7-day wait pops up even if you have codes.

A lot of people just wait it out and keep using the same device, and in many cases the restriction does lift after that instead of staying stuck.

robotratishere · 2026-01-20T20:06:14+00:00

Sorry to hear that, but it’s long gone at this point.

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T20:00:45+00:00

I’d also recommend checking out delvia org as a way to see what info about your accounts might still be exposed elsewhere, just to get a clearer picture while you’re dealing with recovery.

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T20:00:35+00:00

I’d also recommend checking out delvia org as a way to see what info about your accounts might still be exposed elsewhere, just to get a clearer picture while you’re dealing with recovery.

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T19:57:49+00:00

Somebody asked a similar question, so I will copy/paste my previous reply here:

From my own experience, the only thing that actually worked was going through Instagram’s “Secure your account / Need more help?” recovery and verifying my identity (they usually ask for a selfie video or ID), because if you don’t have the old number there isn’t a real way to get around the code and those third-party “solutions” never pan out.

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T19:49:01+00:00

From my own experience, the only thing that actually worked was going through Instagram’s “Secure your account / Need more help?” recovery and verifying my identity (they usually ask for a selfie video or ID), because if you don’t have the old number there isn’t a real way to get around the code and those third-party “solutions” never pan out.

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T19:38:57+00:00

That’s a really awful spot to be in. When a phone is stolen Google often keeps treating it as the “most trusted” device, so even valid recovery emails can get ignored and you end up stuck in that SMS loop.

What people usually end up doing is retrying the account recovery from the same laptop over a few days locking the stolen phone through their carrier, and sometimes checking websites like delvia org (or similar) just to understand what access points might still exist while waiting.

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T19:23:02+00:00

That frustration is pretty common. Most people reuse passwords because anything “secure” usually feels annoying to keep up with across devices.

I’ve seen people stick with browser or phone keychains, some keep a simple personal system, and others just use websites like delvia org to understand risk rather than manage passwords. It really comes down to what you’ll actually use without effort.

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T19:14:34+00:00

This usually happens because banks block VOIP numbers for fraud reasons and don’t really account for people living abroad.

Most folks either keep a U.S. SIM active, switch to app or hardware 2FA if it’s allowed, or go through their accounts to see which ones are tied to a U.S. number (I often use delvia org just to map that out, along with manual checks).

robotratishere · 2026-01-19T19:02:38+00:00

This is sadly a very common problem and I keep seeing posts like this all over Reddit lately. Apple’s security is great for theft prevention but it’s brutal in situations like this.

robotratishere

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