What do you do if you've lost both your phone AND your back-up codes?
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I’m in the middle of moving from WP.com to WP.org. I lost my printed sheet of back-up codes some time ago, but didn’t reprint them, thinking it wouldn’t be relevant. Then sure enough, this weekend I lost my phone and can’t use my authenticator either.
Unless I’m doing the transfer wrong, you can’t move your blog content from WP.com to WP.org without signing in with the authenticator to get your back-up file. I can’t use the authenticator since I’ve now got a new phone, and I can’t set up the authenticator without the back-up codes, which I lost.
I’m still logged in to my blog on my PC since I haven’t refreshed my browser or anything. I can post and everything, just can’t access Tools or Settings. Is there any way I can get my back-up codes without using the authenticator? Or any other fix?
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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Hi there,
You complete the form for account recovery at this link https://en.wordpress.com/wp-login.php?action=recovery and submit it to the Account Recovery Staff so they can contact you by email ie. not on these public support forums which are available to everyone with internet access. -
Thank you SO much. I was looking for some sort of link like that and couldn’t find it anywhere.
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Actually, no. That isn’t working. That appears to be the page you use when you’ve lost your username and/or password. It won’t let me use that form for this purpose.
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I started here: Two step authentication – If You Lose Your Device
http://en.support.wordpress.com/security/two-step-authentication/#if-you-lose-your-deviceWe have only one means of account recovery and I provided the link to the form you need to use. I’ll tag this thread for a Staff follow-up. Please subscribe to the thread so you are notified when they respond and please be patient while waiting.
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Okay, thank you. I might just have to pretend like I don’t know my username and do it that way, but I worry that them thinking I don’t know my user and pass would just make it seem more questionable.
I tell you, when I mess stuff up, I mess it up good! :(
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Log all the way out of WordPress.COM then use the link @TT gave you – some of the forms work better if you are logged out – that is the only option you have – that goes to the account recovery group – they should be able to help you – you are not the first person to not have their phone or codes
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I know I’m not the only person to ever do that. I’m not normally an anomaly. ;)
It isn’t that the form isn’t working, it’s that if you fill out that first blank (where you put your username or email address) it pops up a message telling you that if you know one of those two pieces of info, you can use the password recovery instead. I don’t need password recovery. I know my password. In fact, I think that if I did what that form wants me to do, I’d make it even worse.
I’m hesitant to log out because if I do, at that point i lose access to everything. Right now I’ve at least got the ability to access my dashboard, post, edit posts, etc. If I log out, I’ll lose my account completely until Account Recovery can help.
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If you have access to a different computer try it – leave the fields blank – if my memory is correct there is some sort of a comments section you can fill in later with your email and user name and explain what happened – the people at account recovery are used to all sorts of problems
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Hi Meli!
Please go ahead and fill out the form again:
The first time you submit it, it will suggest that you fill out the lost password form. Ignore the message and submit the form a second time. That should submit the form eventually. Someone from our team will be in touch with you shortly to assist you.
Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns. Best of luck!
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I also lost my device that hosted google authenticator and I had not generated the back up code. I really wish the continue using wordpress. I tried to fill out the form twice but it appeared not allowing me to submit the form. Are there any options I could do to recover my account?
Thank you in advance.
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Hi there virie02!
Please go back and try to fill up the form again:
The first time you submit the form, you’ll be asked to make a lost password request. Just ignore the message and submit it again. Good luck!
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This is the direct link to the account recovery form https://wordpress.com/wp-login.php?action=recovery and I provided it when I first responded to this thread.
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