If you want a Facebook account but would rather not give Facebook your personal phone number, or your number is already tied to another account, you have two realistic options: sign up with an email address, or, when Facebook insists on SMS verification, receive the code on a private temporary number. This guide covers both, step by step, plus the usual reasons Facebook verification fails.
Get a private number and receive your Facebook code →
Does Facebook require phone verification?
Not at the sign-up step. Facebook's help center describes creating an account as entering your name, a mobile number or email, a password, your date of birth and gender, then confirming whichever contact you gave. A mobile number gets an SMS code; an email gets a confirmation link. The same help page notes that you may not be able to use the account until that confirmation is done.
So an email-only sign-up works on the form. The catch comes later:
- New accounts are often asked to add a phone. After signing up with email, Facebook may show a "confirm it's you" style security check on first login, when you add friends or post, or when you sign in from a new device, and ask you to add a mobile number and enter an SMS code. Facebook does not publish what triggers this, and it varies from person to person.
- Security checks are not always about the phone. Some users report being asked to upload an ID, identify friends in photos, or record a video selfie. Those have nothing to do with phone numbers, and a temporary number will not help with them.
- Your own number may be blocked. If your number is already linked to another Facebook account, sign-up may tell you an account exists for it, or simply not accept it.
In short: try email first, it is the simplest route. Reach for a temporary number when Facebook asks for SMS verification and you do not want to use your own.
Two rules apply regardless of the number: you must be at least 13 to create a Facebook account, and Facebook expects the name you use in everyday life. Accounts that break these can be disabled even after verification succeeds.
How to do Facebook SMS verification with a temporary number
You rent a number for a single order, Facebook texts the code to it, and you read the code in your account on our site. The number is private, so nobody else sees that message while the order is active. The steps are the same whether you are signing up with a phone number or adding one during a security check.
- Create an account on our site and add credits. Registration is free. Credits are spent only when you request a number. See the pricing page to top up.
- Open the Facebook screen first. Get to the step that asks for a mobile number, then come back for the number. The 15-minute countdown starts the moment you take the number, so do not start it while you are still filling in the form.
- Pick the service and country. Go to the Facebook services page, select Facebook, then choose a country that shows numbers available. The price in credits is visible before you request anything.
- Request the number. It appears on your order page with the countdown.
- Enter it on Facebook. Choose the matching country code and type the number exactly as shown on the order page, without adding or dropping a leading zero.
- Request the code once and wait. Keep the order page open. The code usually appears within a minute or two, though timing varies. Do not keep pressing resend.
- Enter the code on Facebook. That finishes the verification. If nothing arrives, cancel before the countdown ends or let it expire, and the credits go back to your account balance.
Three things to do right after
The weak point of a temporary number is that it stops being yours when the order ends. Facebook may later send a code to the number on the account when you log in from a new device, reset your password or hit another security check, and you will not receive it. So as soon as the account is set up:
- Confirm an email you control. Add it in your contact info and confirm it, so account recovery does not depend on the number.
- Use an authenticator app for two-factor authentication. Facebook lets you choose text message codes, an authentication app (such as Google Authenticator or Duo Mobile) or a security key. Pick the app, not SMS, because SMS would go to a number you no longer have. While you are there, generate recovery codes. Facebook gives you ten, each usable once. Write them down somewhere safe.
- Consider replacing or removing the temporary number. If this is an account you plan to keep, you can manage the phone number in your account settings once the security setup is done. Check the settings page for the options available to you.
What a temporary number is for
A temporary number is a good way to keep your personal number away from a platform. It is a poor choice as the only recovery method for an account you depend on for years, for example one that runs a Page or an ad account.
Facebook's rules also matter here. One person, using their real name, on their own account. Fake accounts, impersonation, or re-creating accounts to get around a ban all break Facebook's terms, and we do not help with any of that.
Facebook code not received or number rejected: causes and fixes
These are the cases we see most. Facebook does not publish the rules behind them, so the fixes are practical habits, not guarantees.
"This number cannot be used" or a similar rejection. Facebook declined that specific number. It may have been used on other accounts, be a type Facebook does not accept, or come from a country that has seen heavy recent use. Cancel the order and take another number, preferably from a different country. Retrying the same number rarely helps, because the rejection usually happens before any SMS is sent.
The Facebook code never arrives. Check the country code and digits against the order page. Facebook's resend option usually needs a short wait before you can use it, so press it once when it becomes available. After two or three minutes with nothing, cancel and switch country. The credits go back to your account balance. More general checks are in the OTP troubleshooting guide.
Too many requests, try again later. Facebook's help center advises that if you have already requested several codes, you should wait before trying again, possibly until the next day. Switching numbers during that cooldown usually does not help, so stop for a while.
The page asks for something else. You may be offered a phone call, a CAPTCHA, an ID upload or a video selfie instead. Complete what the page asks. Temporary numbers generally cannot take voice calls, so look for an option to switch back to SMS.
SMS keeps failing but email works. During sign-up, Facebook lets you confirm the account with an email address instead. If the phone step keeps stalling, going back and using email is often faster than trying more numbers.
Country mismatch. Browsing from one country with a number from a very different one sometimes triggers extra checks. If a country keeps failing, try one that is more plausible for where you are.
Verified, then locked a few days later. New accounts being asked to verify again is common. That is the reason to confirm an email and switch to an authenticator app straight away, and to use the account like a normal person: do not leave it idle, and do not start by mass-adding friends or posting ads.
Which country should you pick
Number supply and Facebook's acceptance differ by country and change over time. We do not publish success rates, because they depend on the service, the country and the moment. What we can say:
- Every country on the Facebook services page shows its price in credits and whether numbers are available before you spend anything.
- Start with a country that has numbers, and compare a few.
- If the first number is rejected, switch country instead of requesting the same one again.
- To understand why some numbers pass more easily than others, read VoIP vs non-VoIP numbers explained.
For how other social platforms handle verification, see our social media verification guide.
FAQ
Do I need a phone number to create a Facebook account?
Not at sign-up. The "mobile number or email" field accepts an email, which you confirm through a link. New accounts are often asked to add a phone later during a security check, so "no phone" usually only covers the first step.
Can I use a temporary number for Facebook SMS verification?
Yes, if the number can receive a normal SMS and Facebook accepts it. Rent a private number for one order, enter it on Facebook, and read the code in your account on our site. Keep a second country in mind.
Why does Facebook say my phone number cannot be used?
Facebook does not explain. Typical causes are a number already linked to another account, an unaccepted number type, or too many attempts. Cancel and try another number or country.
What should I do if the Facebook code is not received?
Resend once when Facebook allows it, then cancel if nothing arrives. The credits go back to your account balance. If you have requested many codes already, wait before trying again.
Can a temporary number get me through a Facebook security check?
If the check asks for a mobile number and an SMS code, yes, the steps are the same. If it asks for an ID or a video selfie, a number will not help. It depends on what the page shows.
Is the number mine after the order ends?
No. Confirm an email and switch two-factor authentication to an authenticator app right away, and do not rely on the temporary number for recovery.
Can I use this to create several Facebook accounts?
We do not recommend it. Facebook expects real names and does not allow fake accounts. A temporary number is for privacy, not for getting around platform rules.
How much does it cost?
Prices are shown in credits per service and country before you request a number. Signing up here is free, and cancelled or expired orders return the credits to your account balance.
