New StudyStream accounts confirm a phone number once, by text message. On the web the check comes up after your first focus session; in the mobile app it comes up right after you sign up or log in. It takes about a minute, and you only do it once. You're asked only after your email address is confirmed; if you're still on the email step, finish that first.
Why do you ask for my phone number?
Focus rooms are live video with real people, and one verified phone number per account is the simplest way to keep out bots and repeat-offender accounts. That is all it is used for.
- Your number is never shown to other users, on your tile, or on your profile.
- We do not use it for marketing, and we do not send anything to it apart from the verification code.
- Accounts created before phone verification was introduced are not asked.
How to verify
On the web
- When the "Phone number verification" window appears (it also opens from the "Verify phone" button after your first session), select your country code from the dropdown.
- Type your mobile number without the leading zero (for example, a UK number starting 07… is entered as 7…).
- Click "Send an SMS to +…".
- Copy the six-digit code from the text message into "Enter code". The code is valid for 15 minutes.
On the mobile app (iOS & Android)
- On the "Verify your phone number" screen, pick your country code.
- Enter your mobile number without the leading zero.
- Tap "Send SMS". On the "Check your phone" screen, type the six-digit code from the text message (your phone may fill it in for you). The code is valid for 15 minutes.
- Typed the wrong number? Tap "Change phone" and start again. "Resend" becomes available 5 minutes after the last SMS.
The login only shows a phone number screen
If you logged in with your email, Google or Apple and landed on a "Verify your phone number" screen instead of the app, that is this verification step, not a different login method. Your login worked. Enter your mobile number and the code as described above and you will be taken into the app. There is no email-based alternative to this screen; if the code cannot reach you, see Support can verify you another way below.
The code hasn't arrived
Most missing codes turn up within a couple of minutes. In the meantime:
- Check that the country code matches your SIM and that you left out the leading zero.
- Check your phone's spam or blocked-messages folder if it has one.
- Make sure the phone has signal and can receive texts from unknown numbers.
- You can request a new code 5 minutes after the previous one. Two or three tries a few minutes apart are normal, some mobile carriers are slow to deliver.
If the code still hasn't arrived after that, see Support can verify you another way below.
"Too many attempts" or "Too many verification attempts were made"
After several sends or wrong codes in a row, the SMS service pauses new attempts for a while: "Too many attempts. Please wait a while before trying again." Wait a few minutes, then try once. On the web, "Send SMS again" shows a 5-minute countdown after each send, so you can't accidentally spam it.
If this message comes straight after a refused send, the page points you to support — use that link rather than retrying.
"The SMS service is temporarily unavailable"
This is a short hiccup at the SMS provider, not a problem with your number. Wait a few minutes and try again. On the web, after the third refusal in a row the message changes to "Google's SMS service keeps refusing to send a text to this number" with a contact-support link; at that point stop retrying and contact us (below).
"SMS verification is not supported for some regions and carriers"
A small number of countries and mobile carriers cannot receive our verification texts at all. If you see this message after a couple of tries, you don't need to keep retrying. Contact us and we will verify your account another way.
"We couldn't confirm you're not a robot"
This comes from the bot check that protects the SMS service, not from your country or your number: "We couldn't confirm you're not a robot. Please try again. If it keeps happening, disable ad blockers or VPN for this page, or contact support and we'll verify your account another way." Turn off your VPN or ad blocker for the page, reload and try once more; if it keeps failing, contact us (below).
"This number is already verified on another account"
A phone number can only be verified on one StudyStream account. A number from an account its owner deleted is free to use again; a number on a deactivated or blocked account is not. If you see this message, you already verified this number on another account of yours. On the web, click "Log in to that account" in the message to switch to it (in the app, log out and log in with the other account's email), or verify with a different number. If you don't recognise the other account, contact us (below) and we'll look into it.
Support can verify you another way
If the code cannot reach you, start a chat with us at app.studystream.live or in the StudyStream app (no login needed). To confirm the account is yours we will ask for two photos:
- a close-up photo of a government-issued photo ID that shows your name, and
- a photo of you holding that same document.
Once we've checked them, we mark your account as verified and you can carry on without entering a number: in the app tap "Check verification status" if the screen shows it (otherwise close and reopen the app), on the web reload the page. We delete the photos from the conversation afterwards.
I'd rather not give my phone number
The step can't be skipped, but it is a one-time check and the number stays private. If you still prefer not to enter it, the photo-ID route above works for you too.
Is my number visible to anyone?
No. Other users only ever see your display name, your tile and whatever you choose to put on your profile. Your phone number and email address stay private to your account.