Common Issues for Users Changing Phone Numbers When Opening an OKX Account
For users preparing to change their phone number when opening an OKX account, the core issue is not registration itself, but whether the old number can still receive verification codes. If the old number is no longer in use, changing the phone number after registration will trigger a complex face recognition verification process, and withdrawals will be frozen for 24 hours after the change.
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The following breaks down possible problems and solutions in three stages: before registration, during registration, and after registration.
1. Before Registration: Check the Status of Your Old Number
First, confirm a key piece of information: whether the "old phone number" you will use to receive verification codes can still be used normally. This directly determines your subsequent steps.
Scenario A: The old number can still receive SMS normally
The smoothest process. Complete registration with the old number, receive the verification code, and later change to the new number normally through security settings.
Scenario B: The old number is deactivated or cannot receive SMS
This is the most error-prone situation. Phone number verification is mandatory during OKX registration – you must enter a verification code to complete registration. If the old number cannot receive codes, there are two ways to handle it:
Register directly with an email address: On the OKX registration page, when selecting your country/region, you can use either a phone number or an email as the login name. If the old number is deactivated, register directly with an email, skip phone number verification, and bind a new phone number later.
Register with the old number but cannot receive codes: Contact your carrier to confirm whether receiving international SMS is enabled. The verification code sent by OKX is an international SMS. Some plans disable this feature by default.
Completion standard: Successfully registered and at least one available login method (email or phone number) is bound to the account.
2. During Registration: Phone Number Cannot Receive Verification Code
This is the most common point of failure during registration.
Prerequisites: The phone number format is entered correctly (country/region code + area code + number).
Steps:
Check if there is a leading 0 in the phone number (e.g., Vietnamese numbers need the leading 0 removed).
Confirm that the area code matches the selected country/region.
After clicking "Get Verification Code", wait 60 seconds. If not received, click "Resend". You can request a voice verification code call up to 5 times within 1 hour.
If you still do not receive it, switch networks (Wi-Fi to 4G/5G) and try again.
Common reasons for failure:
The phone number has international SMS blocked by the carrier
SMS interception software is installed on the phone
Incorrect format (e.g., entering the country code prefix twice)
3. After Registration: Two Paths for Changing the Phone Number
After registration is complete, if you wish to bind the account to a new phone number, OKX provides two operating paths, depending on whether you are still logged into the account.
Scenario A: Logged in and old number still works (simplest)
Open the OKX App, click the avatar in the upper left corner to enter [Security Settings].
Click [Phone Verification] → [Change Phone Number].
Complete face recognition verification as required.
Enter the new phone number, then enter the SMS verification codes for both the old and new numbers, and the Google Authenticator code (if bound), and click confirm to finish.
Completion standard: Receive an email or SMS confirmation. The phone verification field displays the new number.
Scenario B: Logged in, old number deactivated (needs reset)
Open the OKX App, go to [Security Settings] → [Phone Verification] → [Change Phone Number].
Perform face recognition verification.
At the verification code input step, click [Verification method unavailable] or [Security verification item unavailable].
Follow the on-page instructions to complete the reset via email verification and Google Authenticator (if available), and bind the new phone number.
Completion standard: The new phone number is successfully bound.
Scenario C: Not logged in, old number deactivated
Enter your account credentials on the login page.
On the two-factor authentication page, click [I need help] or [Use another verification method] → [Reset Phone].
Complete identity verification as required (usually includes face recognition), and bind the new phone number.
Prerequisites
Have your identity document (ID card or passport) ready for face recognition verification.
If you choose to reset your phone number, ensure that email verification is available because the system will send a verification code to the bound email address.
Common Reasons for Failure
Face recognition fails multiple times: Changing or resetting a phone number is a sensitive operation, and OKX requires face recognition. If face recognition fails more than 5 times, you need to contact customer support for assistance.
Email verification code cannot be received either: If the old phone number is deactivated and email verification is also unavailable, you need to contact customer support for manual processing. The OKX Help Center provides a chatbot; entering "change phone number" can get guidance.
Risk Notice
24-hour withdrawal freeze: After resetting or changing the phone number, withdrawals and C2C selling will be frozen for 24 hours. If you have fund transfer needs soon, it is recommended to perform the operation in advance.
Account merging risk: If the new phone number is already bound to another OKX account, you cannot directly bind it. You need to use the "Merge Accounts" feature, which will close one of the accounts, and assets must be transferred out in advance.
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FAQ
Q: The old number I used for registration is already deactivated. Can I still complete registration?A: Yes. Simply select "Register with Email" during registration; a phone number is not required. After successful registration, follow the corresponding steps to reset and bind a new phone number while logged in.
Q: After changing the phone number, does Google Authenticator need to be rebound?A: No. The phone number and Google Authenticator are two independent security settings. Changing the phone number does not affect the already bound Google Authenticator.
Q: After changing the phone number, do previously bound devices need to be reauthorized?A: When logging in from a new device, if phone verification is enabled, the system will send a verification code to the new phone number. Old devices are not affected unless you actively remove device authorization in the security settings.
Final Confirmation Step:
After completing the phone number binding, open the OKX App's security settings page and confirm that the number displayed in the "Phone Verification" field is the new number. Then try logging out and logging back in with the new phone number – if you successfully receive the login verification code and log in, the change is complete. Note: If the change was just completed, the withdrawal function will be locked for 24 hours. This is a normal security mechanism.
