OkCupid’s sign-in and verification breaks in a few predictable ways. Most issues come from SMS verification (one number per account, carrier quirks), stale app sessions, temporary outages, or moderation.
Below, you’ll find the only guide to OkCupid errors (150, 1006, etc.) you’ll need in order to identify and solve your case…
How the OkCupid sign-in really works
To make an OKC account or simply sign in, you first need to provide an acceptable phone number on the front page, receive your code, and verify it. Sounds simple enough, right? Well…
OkCupid requires a real, SMS-capable mobile number, and it has to be linked to one account at a time. Internet/VoIP numbers and landlines often fail.
On iOS, Facebook login isn’t supported anymore, so you’ll need email + password and SMS. As you can tell, a phone number is obligatory.
When the back end or SMS provider hiccups, codes may not send, and generic errors appear even if everything on your device is fine. Keep that in mind as you troubleshoot.
Here are the most common OkCupid errors and their solutions:
1. “Unable to send code. Please make sure your country code and phone number are correct.”
This happens when OkCupid doesn’t hand your number to the SMS gateway. Typical causes include wrong country code/format, SMS blocks on your device or carrier, non-mobile number types, or temporary SMS provider issues.
How to fix it?
- Confirm the number with the correct country code and no extra characters.
- Make sure you can receive texts from unknown senders (turn off SMS filters, spam blockers, or “Filter Unknown Senders” while testing).
- Try requesting the code on okcupid.com (desktop or mobile browser) once, then return to the app.
- If the number is internet/VoIP or a landline, switch to a standard mobile number.
- If many people report the same problem, assume a provider hiccup and retry later.
2. “Phone number invalid or already in use” (Error Code 6)
What’s basically happening is that OkCupid Error 6 means recognizing your number but not accepting it for your account. Why, you might ask? The number is likely unverifiable or tied to another OkCupid account.
How to fix it?
- Log in to the old account that owns the number and delete it to free the number.
- If you can’t free it, use a different, SMS-capable mobile number.
3. “General Authentication Error” (Code 5 or Code 8)
Codes 5 or 8 are catch-all sign-in failure messages. The app or site can’t complete the session. Normally caused by stale cookies/app cache, app update bugs, flaky network, and temporary backend work.
How to fix it?
- Cross over once: sign in on okcupid.com, complete any SMS there, then reopen the app.
- Clear sessions: on web, log out and clear cookies/storage for okcupid.com; on phone, delete and reinstall the app.
- Change things around: switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, try a different device, or a clean browser profile.
- Reset your password and make sure you can log in with email + password.
4. “Something went wrong. Please try again later.”
Just a generic failure with no code. The culprit is the same as above, plus short service interruptions.
How to fix it?
- Do the same steps as Code 5/8, then give it some time if you’re stuck. Sometimes all you need is a break.
5. “Too many attempts” / rate-limit messages
This is what OkCupid shows you when you’ve hit a throttle on verification or login attempts. The only solution? Take a moment to pause: waiting is often the most effective solution.
6. “We couldn’t log you in” after an app update
If you’re seeing this message, it typically means the session format has changed and your stored session no longer works. Try deleting and reinstalling the app or clearing browser storage, then signing in fresh.
7. Message fails to send (you can reply, but can’t start new chats)
It’s a temporary messaging cooldown that behaves like a soft, automated anti-spam limit. Ease off activity for ~24 hours and retry and keep a slower pace afterward.
8. Code 1006 “General Authentication Error” or “Access Denied”
There are two Code 1006 issues: one is the in-app/login “General Authentication Error 1006”, which indicates a block, ban, or session that won’t re-validate.
To fix it, attempt to log in on okcupid.com. Clear cookies or site data and reinstall the app on a different network or device. If that doesn’t work, consider your account banned; either contact support or start anew.
The other issue is a web-based one, “Error 1006 – Access Denied”; what’s happening here is that your IP is being blocked by OKC’s firewall, not your account, so you should be seeing a Cloudflare page.
The solution is simple: switch to Wi-Fi or mobile data, reset your router, and disable VPN/proxy. If you’re still blocked, again, contact the OkCupid support from a different network and include the Ray ID.
9. Code 150/Suspension or TOS-violation bans
Oftentimes not fixable on your end because it’s an action taken by the OKC moderation team. You have likely been banned on OkCupid.
How to fix it?
- Submit one complete appeal. If you’re not reinstated, you’ll need to rebuild with a fresh setup (new mobile number from authentic sources like DatingZest, normal residential IP, normal pacing).
Need a quick fix for OKC? Try these out:
– Switch surfaces first. If the app fails, sign in on okcupid.com to complete the SMS challenge once, then return to the app.
– Purge stale sessions. Web: clear cookies/storage for okcupid.com and sign in clean. App: delete and reinstall to refresh cache and tokens.
– Change your environment. Try Wi-Fi and mobile data, a second device, or a clean browser profile. Temporarily disable VPN or custom DNS while testing.
– Reset credentials. Even if you remember your password, a reset forces a fresh session. On iOS, don’t rely on Facebook login; use email + password + SMS.
– Make SMS deliver. Correct country code, no SMS filters or blocks, default SMS app set, inbox not full. Use a standard mobile number. If your number belongs to another account, delete that account to free it.
– Sanity-check outages. If a lot of people are reporting trouble, stop tweaking and retry later. Check on DownDetector for additional info!
– If you hit 1006 or 150. File one thorough appeal. If it doesn’t land, rebuild your profile from scratch using new information. A phone number from DatingZest allows you to start fresh, anonymously and problem-free.
*Quick note regarding VPN usage and regional changes:
Rapid location changes, VPN or hosting IPs, and some regions can bug the app or trigger extra checks. To know for sure, test from a normal residential connection without a VPN. Expect to re-verify more often while traveling.
When to contact OkCupid support (and what to send)
Contact the OKC support team if you’re experiencing a ban or codes 1006/150, your number is locked to an account you can’t access, or SMS never arrives for days while others aren’t reporting issues.
Include: account email, device and OS, app version, country and carrier, exact error text/code, and everything you’ve already tried. One detailed ticket beats many short ones!
Always keep a calm and polite tone, even when sending follow-ups (it’s hard, I know), because it increases the chances of getting a productive reply. If that doesn’t work, file a complaint with BBB instead.
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