topic Re: 2 Factor verification not working in Email

2 Factor verification not working

Kelthammer — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:18:45 GMT

Three days ago (10th Feb) tried to login to my Sky Email (Yahoo) through a desktop web browser.

Process; (this is done on Edge and Chrome)

Logged in to My Sky Account and selected Yahoo Mail from the drop down.

Prompted for account details and password no error

Presented with the Sign in with two-step verification page.

Code is never received (over three day probably hit the resend button 100 times).

Talked to the helpdesk who sent codes to a gmail account both times codes entered returned as Expired!

Latest is that removing the two-step verification will take 21 days!

Tried to access Yahoo directly but get bounced back to the Sky pages same failing verification process.

I have a second Yahoo email account, directly with Yahoo, two-step fails to send to mobile but and alternative sending to a gmail account verification code works.

Any one else suffering the two step verification failure?

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

caesarome — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:24:17 GMT

@Kelthammer

Have you changed your phone number recently or since you set the 2FA up on your email account as this is working fine for me.

When it was setup you were asked to make a note of the recovery code so if you did do this then try using that to sign in with as it should allow you to both access your account and to turn this off so if needs be you can set it up again with a new number.

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

Mark39 — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:33:03 GMT

@Kelthammer wrote:

Talked to the helpdesk who sent codes to a gmail account both times codes entered returned as Expired!

Latest is that removing the two-step verification will take 21 days!

Tried to access Yahoo directly but get bounced back to the Sky pages same failing verification process.

I have a second Yahoo email account, directly with Yahoo, two-step fails to send to mobile but and alternative sending to a gmail account verification code works.

21 days used to be the time frame for turning off 2FA on your behalf. My understanding is that it has since been reduced to a few days. Previous posts suggest that front line advisers are generally not particularly well informed on Sky Yahoo Mail procedures.

Yahoo won't be able to help with issues around Sky Yahoo Mail.

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

jayach — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:14:05 GMT

@Kelthammer wrote:
I have a second Yahoo email account, directly with Yahoo, two-step fails to send to mobile but and alternative sending to a gmail account verification code works.

Why Sky do not allow a second method of verification I do not understand.

Is the phone number partially shown when Sky send the code the correct one?

As long as you still have access to your number, you should be able to turn it off yourself, but as that also relies on getting a text, it may not work either. Two-step verification for Sky Yahoo Mail | Sky Help | Sky.com | Sky Help | Sky.com

Sky Modify

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

Kelthammer — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:08:18 GMT

Hi All,

Thanks for the answers. Email was setup sometime ago 18+ years so recovery codes long lost in the mists of time and without a secondary system for recovery .....

Phone number has been the same for at least 15 years as well.

Agree with the comment on the front line operatives are limited on knowledge and experience; the back office do not engage with mere mortals ( aka the paying customer!)

My thoughts Sky needs to review the verification processes and provide a fail safe option if all else fails. By the way the verification system is also used when you need to modify your account information e.g. remove the 2-step verification and that is failing the same way.

Last advice from the customer help desk create a new skyid and email address! loosing all your current contacts, emails, etc. not exactly helpful!!

Rhetorical question; if the 2-step verification system is not broken (or is it?) what is wrong with the configuration of my Sky account or is the phone network gateway having issues?

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

Mark39 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:18:54 GMT

@Kelthammer the 2 step verification process was introduced only a couple of years ago, perhaps less.

I take it customer services have not worked which back office team they need to refer to inorder to turn off 2FA on your behalf.

Their suggestion of a new SkyID and email account is valueless as Sky haven't permitted new Sky Yahoo Mail accounts for a number of years.

This is not insoluble. If it were me, my next step would be to raise a formal

complaint using the webform option here:

https://www.sky.com/help/articles/how-to-make-a-complaint

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

caesarome — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:38:26 GMT

@Kelthammer

This is a long shot but as you said in your opening post the code has not been received, if it has previously have you checked in your message spam/deleted folder incase these verification emails have been misfiltered by the messaging app ?

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

jayach — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:56:22 GMT

@caesarome wrote:
@Kelthammer
This is a long shot but as you said in your opening post the code has not been received, if it has previously have you checked in your message spam/deleted folder incase these verification emails have been misfiltered by the messaging app ?

Verification codes are not sent by email, they go via SMS/RCS, and there is no spam filter on those.

Edit, Oops missed @Kelthammer said codes were sent to his gmail account, however I don't believe that is possible, so I'm sure Sky support are mistaken.

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

caesarome — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:46:48 GMT

@Kelthammer @jayach

Actually I meant text messages not email !

So have you checked that these texts are not in any sort of bin/trash folder on your messaging app ?

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

sharon+austin — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:16:51 GMT

I've have exactly the same issue. Spent 3 hours on the phone to customer service with no remedy. I don't recall ever having received a recovery code and have searched everywhere. I receive all other messages but not this one. The solution from customer service was to send me a replacement sim. That has not resolved the issue... 10 days now.

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

Mark39 — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 17:30:17 GMT

@sharon+austin the Recovery Code is displayed on screen. You can't complete setting up 2 factor verification without having acknowledged via a tick box thay you've made a note of it.

I'd raise a formal complaint as outlined in a previous reply here.

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

ionsd — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:15:16 GMT

We are also experiencing this problem. We keep getting passed on to different people as no one can answer the question

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

Mark39 — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 17:24:50 GMT

@ionsd see the previous replies. Raise a complaint.

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

ionsd — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:52:03 GMT

Does anyone know the number of digits required in the recovery code?

Is it a code that they gave or one I would have set myself?

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

Mark39 — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:04:25 GMT

@ionsd 8 characters (numbers and letters). It's a code provided on screen by Sky.

Re: 2 Factor verification not working

jayach — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:20:02 GMT

@ionsd

It would have been provided by Sky when you set 2FA up. You would also have had to tick a box to agree you have made a copy and saved it