[Updated] PSA: Do not logout your Twitter account if you have 2FA SMS enabled, here's how to restore if you did

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on November 15, 2022) follows:

Two-factor authentication or 2FA is a popular and convenient way of adding an extra layer of protection to your social media accounts. However, this security feature could become a nightmare if you’re a Twitter user.

If you have 2FA SMS enabled on your Twitter account, we recommend you do not log out of it at least for the time being.

In case you’re unaware, Twitter has been going through major changes (1,2) after Elon Musk’s acquisition. This has led to many leaving the platform and looking for alternatives.

Do not logout your Twitter account

One of those changes includes the removal of bloat or unnecessary features that do not contribute to the overall usability. Musk recently announced that they’ll significantly reduce the number of microservices that Twitter uses.

This allegedly affects the service that sends the 2FA SMS when you try to log into your Twitter account. This means that anyone who has 2FA turned on may not receive the required code.

Don’t log out of Twitter if you have 2FA. The microservice for it has been shut down. You won’t be able to log back in.
Source

so don’t logout of twitter bc if you have 2FA on you won’t be able to log back in anymore
Source

Those who unknowingly logged out of their accounts are now stuck at the ‘We sent you a code’ screen endlessly waiting for their code to arrive.

Twitter users are currently waiting for the verification code just like GTA fans are waiting for the next sequel.

Potential workaround

Fortunately, we have come across a workaround that can temporarily help you log back into your account. Some were able to resolve the problem by using Email verification instead of relying on SMS.

You can even try using TOTP/app-based mode of verification for a potential resolution.

Note on apparently broken #2fa on twitter: afaik, only sms function is broken. verification code over emails and TOTP(app-based 2fa) works just fine.
Source

We hope Twitter is able to identify the problem with the microservices, re-enable the essential ones and fix the verification issue.

We’ll keep an eye on this matter and update this story to reflect noteworthy information.

06:00 pm (IST): Elon Musk has said that due to 1200 ‘microservices’ on the server side, Twitter is very slow in India, Indonesia & many other countries.

Only, 40 are critical to Twitter working. So, trimming down that 1200 number, reducing data usage, and simplifying the app will help in improving the speed of use.

He clarified that the reason why it’s ’40’ is because the server control team knows the exact number as they stop working from time to time.

01:50 pm (IST): As suggested by a user, those affected can use third-party apps such as Google Authenticator for 2FA on Twitter.

Side note: SMS-based 2-factor authentication is hopelessly broken (bc SMS is broken). Whenever possible, download a 2FA app like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or others. One of the most common NFT twitter hacks has been through SMS 2FA takeover (Source)

02:34 pm (IST): Some users are now reporting (1, 2, 3) that they aren’t receiving OTP for 2FA via SMS.

01:56 pm (IST): Twitter has reportedly dropped support for two factor authentication or 2FA verification using Google Voice numbers.

And if you’ve been locked-out of your account due to 2FA, then here’s how to recover and protect it.

01:19 pm (IST): Users who are still using SMS 2FA with legacy verified accounts should remove it by March 19. Otherwise, they might end up losing the accounts.

Note: You can also check our Twitter section to find more such content.

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