# WhatsApp Business verification code not received: what to check

By HeyMark · Updated November 2, 2026

Are you trying to register WhatsApp Business but the code has not arrived? Check your number, SMS reception, and timer before trying again.

## Before requesting another code

Keep the phone with the number you want to register nearby. In WhatsApp Business, enter the full international number, including the country code, without a leading zero or exit code. The right format helps prevent entry errors, but it does not guarantee that your carrier will deliver the message. [WhatsApp’s help explains the format and registration requirements](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1369114327051380/?cms_platform=android&locale=en_US).

The registration code has six digits and WhatsApp sends it by SMS or phone call. If you are re-registering the number and had already added and verified your email address, WhatsApp may also offer to send it by email. Use that option if it appears in the app. Two-step verification appears on a later screen; its PIN, which WhatsApp is upgrading to a password, is not the registration code. If the app asks for it after you enter the code, follow [WhatsApp’s registration and two-step verification help](https://faq.whatsapp.com/506595211487528/?locale=en_US). For a new number whose previous owner enabled this feature, WhatsApp says you may need to wait a few days before resetting access. That case does not change the SMS timer.

## Let the timer finish

If WhatsApp shows a timer, wait until it reaches zero before requesting another code. Do not guess the code or repeatedly request one. Incorrect attempts can prevent another request for the period shown in the app, and WhatsApp says there is no way to make that wait faster.

When the timer ends, a **Call me** option may appear. If you see it, tap it and answer the phone. An automated voice will tell you the six-digit code. The option depends on what the app shows; if it does not appear, follow the available on-screen instructions. [Read WhatsApp’s SMS and call steps](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1369114327051380/?cms_platform=android&locale=en_US).

## Check whether your phone line receives messages

Ask someone to send a regular SMS from another phone to the number you entered in WhatsApp, including the country code. Check that it reached the same phone and line. This test only checks whether a regular SMS arrives; it does not confirm that WhatsApp sent a code or identify the cause of a delay by itself.

If the regular SMS arrives, check that you have the latest version of WhatsApp and restart your phone. Then return to the app and request a code only when the timer allows it. If the regular SMS does not arrive either, ask your carrier about receiving messages on that line.

If the earlier checks do not resolve registration, [WhatsApp’s help includes reinstalling the latest version](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1369114327051380/?cms_platform=android&locale=en_US) as a last resort. Back up your chats before deleting the app. If chat history you expected to keep is missing, check the [chat restoration diagnosis](https://heymark.ai/en/solutions/whatsapp-business-backup-missing-chats/) before creating another backup or reinstalling.

## Check what happens next

Check that the test SMS reaches the correct line. If **Call me** appears after the timer ends, listen for the automated code and enter it in the app. If WhatsApp shows a different message, follow [WhatsApp’s official phone number registration help](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1369114327051380/?cms_platform=android&locale=en_US).

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