If Google says a phone number cannot be used for verification, distinguish that rejection from a text message that is merely delayed. The first concerns whether Google will accept the number for the request; the second concerns delivery of a code that Google has already offered to send.
Record the exact message
Google documents both “This phone number cannot be used for verification” and a message that the number has been used too many times. It limits the use of numbers for account creation or verification to reduce abuse. Its public guidance does not give every user a fixed number of permitted attempts or a guaranteed reset time.
Check the country selection and number you entered. Correct an obvious typing mistake, but do not repeatedly resubmit the same rejected number while expecting an SMS-delivery fix to change Google’s acceptance decision.
If the number is rejected
Google’s documented next step is to use a different number. Prefer one you control and can maintain. If you use a trusted person’s number with their permission, understand that receiving a setup code is not the same thing as safely establishing your long-term recovery settings.
After account creation, review which numbers are actually associated with the account and for what purpose. Do not leave another person’s number as an unintended recovery or authentication method. Never buy access to a public SMS inbox or give a stranger your sign-in code.
If a code was offered but never arrived
Wait briefly for delivery and check that the phone can receive ordinary messages. Google notes that carrier issues can delay verification messages. If the form offers a call option, consider that supported alternative; its availability is determined by the flow you are using.
A call option is not a workaround for a number that Google has already rejected. Likewise, changing browsers does not guarantee that a number-use restriction will disappear.
Keep creation and recovery separate
This diagnosis concerns phone verification. If you already own the account but cannot sign in, use the recovery choices offered for that account. Creating another account with a new number will not restore the original mailbox.
For a managed account, contact the organization’s administrator about enrollment requirements. Keep the error wording and the stage at which it appears, but do not include your full phone number or verification code in a public support post.
Official references
Reviewed against Google’s official guidance on October 27, 2026. Available options and screen labels can vary by account, device, region, and organization policy.