Got your verification code, but it says it’s invalid?
Receiving an email doesn’t mean its code is still valid. First, make sure you’re using the latest code, then check when you requested and entered it.
Email expiry and code expiry are different
Your temporary inbox shows how long the address can receive email. Verification codes sent by a website usually have a much shorter expiry, set by that site. Extending your inbox’s lifespan won’t make an old code valid again.
If the code has expired, request a new one from the website. Keep your inbox open, wait for the new email, and enter only the code in the latest message—not one you copied earlier.
Find the latest email, not the one you recognise
Clicking “send” more than once can result in several emails with similar subject lines. Some systems invalidate old codes as soon as a new one is issued. Check the sender, arrival time, and code in each email so you don’t enter the first message’s code on the form for your latest request.
The Airbnb and Reddit emails shown on this page are examples of the inbox layout. Their sample codes won’t work for signups on other websites. A valid code from the website will appear only when its real email arrives.
Check the page and characters
Enter the code on the website that sent the email, not on the BuryMail login page. When pasting, check for spaces, line breaks, and easily confused digits. If the site says you’ve made too many attempts, wait as instructed instead of repeatedly submitting an old code.
After switching devices or browsers, the website may no longer recognise your verification session. It’s usually more reliable to request, receive, and submit a new code on the same page than to forward the email to another device.
| Message | Check first | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Incorrect code | Is it from the latest email, and does it contain any spaces? | Copy the full code again |
| Code expired | When it was sent and the sender’s expiry rules | Request a new code on the original website |
| No new code received | Check the address spelling and time left on your temporary inbox | See the guide to checking for confirmation emails for troubleshooting |
Never share your verification code
A verification code is a one-time credential for a specific account action. Never send it to anyone claiming to be platform support, and don’t share the full code in chats, public screenshots, or feedback forms.
If you receive a code you didn’t request, don’t click suspicious links in the email. Check the security settings for the account in question. Temporary email is useful for short-term signups, but use an email address you control long-term for accounts you may need to recover.