Problem
You cannot log into your CircleCI account because you've lost access to your multi-factor authentication (MFA) authenticator app or your recovery code. Multi-factor authentication is a security feature that requires you to verify your identity using a second method, in addition to your password. If you lose both your authenticator app and recovery code, you'll be locked out of your account.
Solutions
Solution 1: Reset MFA If You Still Have Account Access
If you can still log into CircleCI and want to set up a new authenticator app or get a new recovery code:
Log in to your CircleCI account
Click your profile icon in the top right corner
Select User Settings
In the left sidebar, click Password & authentication
Under the Multi-factor authentication section, select Add/edit authenticator app
Enter your password and enter the one-time password (OTP) from your current authenticator app
Scan the QR code with your authenticator app (such as Google Authenticator, Authy, or 1Password)
Enter the new OTP code generated by your app
Click Regenerate recovery code to create a new backup code
Copy and securely save your new recovery code in a safe location—you'll only see it this one time
Important: Save your recovery code immediately. The previous code will no longer work after you generate a new one.
Solution 2: Use Your Recovery Code to Regain Access
If you lost your authenticator app but still have your recovery code:
Go to the CircleCI login page
Enter your email address and password
When prompted for your authenticator code, enter your recovery code instead
Once you're logged in, follow the steps in Solution 1 to set up a new authenticator app and recovery code
Important: Recovery codes are one-time use only. After you use it to log in, set up a new recovery code immediately.
Solution 3: Contact Support to Verify Your Identity and Reset MFA
If you've lost both your authenticator app and recovery code, you're locked out of your account. CircleCI support can help, but only if you can verify your identity.
Use an alternative email address or contact method to submit a new support ticket (since you can't log in to your account)
Include as much account information as possible, such as:
Your CircleCI login email address
Your CircleCI account name or username
Geographic location, or the country where you typically log in
IP address
Any other account details you can verify
CircleCI support will review your information and verify your identity
If verification is successful, support will reset your MFA and send you a temporary access method
Once you regain access, immediately set up a new authenticator app and recovery code following Solution 1
Note: This process may take 24-48 hours, depending on the volume of support. For security reasons, CircleCI cannot bypass MFA verification without proper identity confirmation.
Outcome
After completing one of the solutions above, you should be able to log in to your CircleCI account. If you successfully reset your MFA through User Settings (Solutions 1 or 2), you'll see "Enabled" next to your Multi-factor authentication status. If you had to contact support (Solution 3), they'll confirm when your account access has been restored.
If you still cannot access your account, double-check that you're entering the correct email address and password, and verify that you entered your recovery code correctly.
Please feel free to contact support again with any additional account details you need.
Additional Notes
Recovery codes are critical: they're the last way to access your account if you lose your authenticator app. Store it in a secure location, such as a password manager or an encrypted storage device.
Only one recovery code at a time: CircleCI only allows one active recovery code per account. When you generate a new one, the old one becomes invalid.
VCS logins are different: If you log in using GitHub or Bitbucket, MFA is managed by those providers, not CircleCI. You'll need to reset MFA with GitHub or Bitbucket instead.
Additional Resources