Unable to Access Qwiklabs Created Labs: Stuck in SMS Verification Loop, Account Locked

[nozomi_azure]

Hello everyone,

I'm encountering a very frustrating issue where I'm unable to access the Google Cloud labs created by Qwiklabs, and I'm hoping to get some assistance.

Here's the situation:

I'm trying to log in to the Google Cloud Console using an incognito browser window to access the Qwiklabs provided labs.
After entering the Qwiklabs provided username and password, the system always redirects me to the SMS verification code page.
I've repeatedly tried entering the received verification codes, but I'm consistently unable to log in successfully.
Due to the repeated failed verification attempts, it appears that my Google account has been locked by the system, and now I'm completely unable to start any labs.
Currently, I'm stuck in an infinite loop: login -> SMS verification -> verification failure -> account lock.
I've already tried the following troubleshooting steps, but the problem persists:

Switching browsers
Clearing browser cache and cookies
Changing network environments
I urgently need to resolve this issue as it's hindering my progress in learning Google Cloud courses.

Has anyone else experienced a similar situation? Or does anyone have any suggestions that could help me resolve this problem?

Thank you very much!

[Abhishek213]

Hey, one of my participants also faced this issue. This usually happens when Google detects suspicious activity on your account and flags your Google ID. To recover your account, Google will ask for SMS verification. You can use your own number or a family member’s or friend’s number to verify it.

Since you've already tried, I would suggest waiting for 24-48 hours and then trying again. Hopefully, your account will be unlocked by then.

[Ivory_Sun]

@nozomi_azure Hi , and thank you to RAOKS and @Abhishek213 Abhishek213 for your replies here.
I am experiencing a problem that sounds extremely similar, if not identical, to the one you described in your post from March 3rd. My issue also started recently, around the beginning of April.
Like you, I am completely stuck and unable to access any Skills Boost labs using the temporary credentials provided for the lab environment.
Here are the specific details of the unusual behavior I'm facing, which aligns closely with your description:
When I attempt to log into the Google Cloud Console using the temporary lab account in an incognito/private window, it consistently redirects me to a phone number verification page.
The verification process requires me to enter a phone number to receive an SMS code. The first time I use a specific phone number for verification in a lab, I can successfully receive the code and pass the verification, allowing me to start that specific lab session.
However, if I attempt to use the same phone number again for verification in a subsequent lab session (even if that number was only used successfully once before), the system prompts that the number has been "used multiple times" or similar, and the verification will fail.
This extremely unusual behavior effectively forces me to provide a completely new phone number that has never been used before for any Qwiklabs temporary account verification for virtually every new lab session.
Constantly providing a unique, never-before-used phone number for each lab attempt is practically impossible and unsustainable, making it impossible to proceed with any further labs once I've used a few numbers.
This issue affects all labs I try to start, both free and credit-based.
I am always very careful to follow all lab instructions precisely every time, including starting in a clean incognito window and only using the provided temporary credentials. I have performed standard troubleshooting steps like clearing browser cache and cookies, testing multiple browsers in incognito mode, and disabling browser extensions, but the issue persists identically across all scenarios. I also don't have any SDKs related to the lab environment installed.
Given the strong similarity to your experience from March, I wanted to ask if you, @nozomi_azure, were eventually able to resolve this issue? If so, could you please share how you managed to overcome this SMS verification loop and account access problem? Your experience would be incredibly helpful.
I am also actively seeking a solution through Google Skills Boost support. I have reported this issue to them and am currently awaiting their response. I will be updating my main post in the community once I receive any developments or a resolution. The title of my post is: "Qwiklabs Log in with a temporary free account and ask for phone number verification".
Given the similarity of our experiences, I would be very grateful if you, @nozomi_azure, or anyone else who might have encountered or solved this specific type of temporary account verification problem, could share any insights or solutions.
This specific problem (temporary lab accounts requiring phone verification with a requirement for seemingly single-use numbers, leading to rapid "used multiple times" errors) seems quite unusual and significantly hinders lab access when encountered. It appears to be a systemic issue rather than a simple user error or standard connectivity problem. While it may not affect many users at present, I wanted to share my experience in case others encounter it or to highlight a potential area for system review. Any attention to this matter is much appreciated.
Thank you again to everyone for any help or consideration!
Best regards,
Ivory

[nozomi_azure]

Hi Ivory_Sun, after about a month of testing, I think I've found a solution. You can use a VPN to switch to other service regions, for example (Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong). In these regions, Qwiklabs will directly assign a new account.

[Ivory_Sun]

Hi @nozomi_azure,

Thank you so, so much for replying to my post and for sharing the solution you found after about a month of testing! I was so happy and grateful to see your message. It's incredibly kind of you to share your findings after experiencing this frustrating issue yourself.

I was hoping to reach out to you directly via private message to briefly ask for a little more detail on how you successfully achieved that specific regional connection, but it seems the private message feature might not be enabled for your account, and publicly sharing email addresses here is not allowed.

I apologize for having to ask in a public reply, and I completely understand if this is not something you are comfortable sharing publicly, but I am currently using a connection service that does not allow changing regions, and unfortunately, I have also tried services like Express with little success in connecting.

Given these difficulties in establishing connections to those specific areas, could I perhaps very respectfully ask if you might be able to share (if comfortable) the name of the service or method you used to successfully connect to those regions?

Again, please absolutely do not feel obligated to share if you prefer not to. I just wanted to ask as finding a working method for regional connection seems to be the key step in the solution you found.

Thank you again for taking the time to come back and share this potentially life-saving solution! Your help is truly appreciated.

Best regards,
Ivory_Sun

[Ivory_Sun]

Hi @nozomi_azure ,
Wonderful news! I wanted to quickly follow up on your helpful suggestion.
Following your guidance on regional connections, I tried some troubleshooting steps on my end, including switching my Internet Service Provider (ISP).
I am delighted to report that I can now successfully log into Skills Boost labs using the temporary accounts in incognito mode without encountering the previous verification issues!
Thank you so much again for your suggestion and help. Your input was incredibly valuable.
Best regards,
Ivory_Sun