Unable to Sign In to ChatGPT Desktop on macOS Because SMS Verification Is the Only Login Option

ChatGPT Bugs
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1

Hello OpenAI Team,

Case Number: 11516286

I’m experiencing a serious issue with signing in to the ChatGPT desktop app on macOS.

I have successfully signed in to the same ChatGPT account on:

  • ChatGPT Web
  • ChatGPT Mobile App

I have also enabled Advanced Account Security for my account. According to the information provided in the security settings, SMS verification should not be the only method required to verify my identity. These facts should already be sufficient to demonstrate that I am the legitimate owner of this account.

However, when I try to sign in to the ChatGPT desktop app on my Mac, I am forced to complete SMS verification.

The problem is that I no longer have access to the phone number associated with my account, so I cannot receive the SMS verification code. Because I cannot receive the verification code, I cannot complete the verification process. Since SMS verification is the only available login method presented to me, I have no way to sign in to the desktop application.

In other words, I am caught in a deadlock:

  • I must receive an SMS verification code to log in.
  • I cannot receive the SMS verification code because I no longer have access to the registered phone number.
  • Because I cannot receive the code, I cannot complete verification.
  • Because I cannot complete verification, I cannot access the ChatGPT desktop application.

This means I am permanently locked out of the desktop app despite already being authenticated on other trusted devices and having Advanced Account Security enabled.

I have tried every workaround I could find online, but none of them resolved the issue.

As a paid ChatGPT subscriber, this effectively prevents me from accessing a product included with my subscription and significantly impacts my ability to use the service.

I already have an active support case (Case Number: 11516286), but I am posting here in the hope that this issue can receive additional attention from the engineering or product team, as it appears to be an account authentication design issue rather than a simple support request.

I would greatly appreciate it if OpenAI could consider one of the following solutions:

  • Allow an alternative verification method instead of making SMS verification the only way to sign in.
  • Verify my identity using my existing authenticated sessions and trusted devices, then remove the restriction preventing desktop login.
  • Allow me to update the phone number associated with my account after completing identity verification through other secure methods.

I believe I have already provided sufficient evidence that I am the legitimate owner of this account by remaining signed in on my trusted devices and enabling Advanced Account Security. I sincerely hope there is an account recovery process that does not rely exclusively on SMS verification.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I would sincerely appreciate any assistance or guidance from the OpenAI team.

@OpenAI Support Team

2

This is affecting all new developers in my company. Anyone that did not already authenticate before this phone number required process is not locked out of chat gpt. We are paying $100 per seat for people that cannot work. Solve this! @OpenAI_Support
All employees have MFA enabled with authenticator APP , passkey enabled.
Members are attempting to authenticate Codex CLI 0.144.4 using codex login --device-auth.

Google authentication, passkey, and MFA succeed. Before the device-code entry page appears, redirects employees to https://auth.openai.com/add-phone and displays “Phone number required.” My organization has not issued a corporate phones, and OpenAI documentation says phone verification is not required for ChatGPT usage. Linking personal phone numbers and accounts is not allowed by corporate policy.

Please remove or correct the phone-verification gate on my corporate workspace identity, or confirm the supported administrator-controlled authentication method for Codex CLI.

@OpenAI_Support

3

Same issue here - can’t use my $200 Pro sub because of a phone number I allocated to my account back in the GPT 3.5 days. I honestly had no idea it had my old number as there is no where to view the accounts phone number until you get blocked by this message.

UPDATE: I had to just give up - automated support was just sending the same response. I refunded my sub and created a new account - downside is I lost my four banked resets, very unfortunate. I was saving them for GPT 5.6.