Account recovery request – Lost 2FA, recovery codes, and email access

[jonahfitia]

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I lost access to my GitHub account due to two-factor authentication issues.
Unfortunately:

I no longer have access to my 2FA application,

I don’t have any recovery codes,

And the email address linked to the account has recently been deleted.

[abuzar-alvi]

Hi Jonah,

Unfortunately, if you've lost access to your two-factor authentication (2FA) app, don't have recovery codes, and your account’s email is no longer active, GitHub’s self-service recovery options won’t work.

Here’s what you should do:

1️⃣ Contact GitHub Support Directly:
Go to the following link:
👉 GitHub Account Recovery Form

2️⃣ Select the following options on the form:

What do you need help with? → "I can't access my account"

Account Recovery → Provide as many details as possible including:

Your GitHub username

Associated (now inactive) email address

Any repositories or activity tied to the account

Payment receipts (if you had a paid plan)

3️⃣ Be Honest and Patient:
For security reasons, GitHub may take some time to verify your identity. Without recovery codes or email, their process will involve stricter checks.

4️⃣ Consider Adding Proof:
If your account is linked to public work, sharing links to that can help establish ownership.

⚠️ Important Reminder: Always save recovery codes in a secure place, and link an active backup email to avoid losing access in the future.

[queenofcorgis]

Hi @jonahfitia , 👋

If you’ve lost access to your two-factor authentication (2FA) credentials, you can regain access to your account by using your recovery codes or another recovery option. Please visit GitHub’s Virtual Assistant to explore your available options.

If GitHub doesn’t support 2FA via text message in your country, you’ll need to set up authentication using a TOTP application. For more information on configuring 2FA with a TOTP app, here is the documentation.

Please visit our FAQ or explore similar discussions in case you have additional questions.

If you’re unable to resolve your issue with the resources above, please open a ticket in our Support Portal, as no other Community Discussions team members will be able to assist with account-related questions.
We appreciate your understanding!