Modern Warfare 2 phone number bug: How to fix the Warzone 2 "Mobile Phone Number Required" Steam issue
Here's what to do if you can't get past the Call Of Duty phone verification step on Steam
Stuck trying to verify your phone number in Warzone 2 or Modern Warfare 2? As an added layer of security against cheaters in Warzone 2 and Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward asks every player to verify their identity by linking their phone number before they can play. This shouldn't be too much of an issue for most players, but a portion of users on Steam appear to be running into the same issue where they are asked to verify their number despite already doing so previously, and cannot proceed because Steam won't let them verify their phone numbers too often in a short space of time.
It's a cruel issue for players who just want to get stuck into the latest Call Of Duty action. Thankfully, there's a fairly straightforward fix, which we'll detail in this guide. Follow the steps below and you'll be back to playing TDM and Prisoner Rescue in no time.
How to fix the mobile phone verification issue in Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2
If you're one of the many Steam players who is stuck on the "Mobile Phone Number Required" screen after launching one of the new Call Of Duty titles, here's how to solve it.
The first time around, simply click on the "Go To Steam Account" button and you'll be prompted to enter a phone number (if your Steam account doesn't already have one), and then type in the short verification code that Steam will send you via text.
After that, close the Steam window and click on "I Already Added A Phone Number" to continue onto whichever game you're trying to play.
On subsequent launches of the game, however, you may be asked to verify your number again despite already doing so - and Steam may not let you verify it because you've already done so recently. If this is happening for you, here's what to do:
- Open up Steam.
- Click "Steam" in the top-left corner, then click "Settings".
- Under the "Account" tab, click "View Account Details in the top-right corner of the window.
- Under "Contact Info", click "Manage your phone number".
- Click "Remove Number", and follow the subsequent steps on-screen to remove your phone number from Steam.
- Now open up Warzone 2/MW2 and follow the standard steps on the "Mobile Phone Number Required" screen to re-add your phone number.
It's not ideal, but until this annoying issue for Steam users is fixed, this is the workaround. Simply unlink your phone number from your Steam account, and re-add it. You may need to do this multiple times, but it doesn't seem like the issue occurs every time you launch the game, at least.
Now that you can get into the latest Call Of Duty games, you should get a primer on the current gun meta by checking out our guides on the best Warzone 2 guns and best Modern Warfare 2 guns. You can also check out our more details guides on the best SMG and the best Assault Rifle in MW2, or get a head start on Warzone 2 with our best loadouts guide. Why not also get off to a roaring start in the newest iteration of Call Of Duty with our guide on how to level up fast in Modern Warfare 2?
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