I'm unable to use a Twilio phone number for Apple Two Factor authentication

Question

I am trying to use a Twilio phone number for Apple's two factor authentication, but when I set up the phone number on Apple's site the initial verification SMS is never received by the Twilio number. I have confirmed that Apple is able to send the text to a Google Voice number. I have also confirmed with Apple support that the message sent is a standard SMS. Is there something on Twilio's side preventing receiving the message?

Monosymmetric

I'm sorry to report/confirm you still cannot use a Twilio SMS number for 2FA messages from Apple. I can receive other 2FA SMS messages via short codes on my Twilio SMS number, but when I try to add the number to an Apple ID the verification message never shows up. Google voice still works. – Vanillin

Answer 1

This is actually by design. By default, Twilio long code numbers can't receive SMS messages from short code numbers. Look for the section titled "Are you expecting to receive SMS from a short code?" at the following link. https://support.twilio.com/hc/en-us/articles/223133447-Not-Receiving-Incoming-SMS-and-MMS-Messages-on-Twilio-Phone-Number

When I asked this question the functionality wasn't available at all, but now the feature can be requested. There are caveats. https://support.twilio.com/hc/en-us/articles/223181668-Can-Twilio-numbers-receive-SMS-from-a-short-code-

Monosymmetric

Do you know if you can receive SMS after you request it? Or will it still not work, because it's a non-local short code? – Leanora

@LordZsolt I just tried it, see my answer :/ – Acrilan

Answer 2

As a followup to ryechus' answer, I requested this functionality and was still not able to receive 2fa codes from apple in Twilio. Their support said:

the unfortunate limitation you're likely facing is that I have know Apple to prevent verification codes from being sent to virtual phone numbers.

Some services review the offered number and only send verification SMS to phone numbers associated with genuine handsets as a measure to protect against fraud.

Unfortunately, regardless of the Twilio configuration, in my experience Apple will not delivery verification messages to Twilio.

Interestingly, it does work with google voice.

Acrilan

I tried it too. I had to upgrade from the free trial to get the feature enabled, and I can confirm that it still does NOT work. – Sublieutenant

I have juste enabled this feature, and I can confirm that it works for me. The messages were never arriving previously, now they do. Maybe it has to do with the fact that your phone number has te be in the same country as the sender's short code number? Or maybe Apple has changed the way they verify the phone numbers, or maybe I'm just lucky with my phone number and Apple doesn't consider it to be a virtual one... – Vaticinate

Lucky you! Report back in a few weeks and let us know if it's still working. I'm curious... – Acrilan

Same negative experience for me, requested the feature, was promptly enabled. Unfortunately no luck receiving SMS from Apple. Google works fine. – Crimea

As a side note, I tried mobile numbers registered to both a business and an individual, with a verified "regulatory bundle". Seems this will simply not work with Twilio. Shame. – Crimea

Guys messagebird works out of the box. I bought a US number and works – Refrigerant

@GeorgePapadakis messagebird no longer works – Clare

damm you are right. What happened? – Refrigerant

was working till 28/feb 2022 – Refrigerant