Sending a code to an email address that I don't have access to. (Sign-in issues)

[panasorkokerk1]

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Hello, I have a question, and I need advice.

• I am having a serious problem logging into my old account. I can't log in, it sends me a code to an email address that I obviously don't have access to. I logged into my GitHub account 3-4 months ago, and I also logged into the associated email address around the same time. Now, every time I try to log into my GitHub account, it sends a code to that email, but unfortunately I don't have any access to it. I tried to recover it, but it just doesn't work. What should I do? Please help me.
  GitHub accepts my password, but redirects me to an activation code from the email, and I can't access it in any way. I don't have two-factor authentication enabled, and yet it asks me for a code. Why? Any advices what to do ?

[vitus-john]

What you should do

Step 1: Attempt Email Recovery One Last Time (Critical)

Before proceeding, make absolutely sure:

You attempted official recovery from the email provider

You checked:

Backup email

Phone number recovery

Old recovery codes

Logged-in devices

Cached sessions

If email recovery is impossible, move on.

Step 2: Use GitHub Account Recovery (Only Valid Path)

Go to GitHub’s official account recovery process:

Visit GitHub’s login page

Click “Forgot password?”

Enter your GitHub username or email

When prompted that you cannot access the email, choose:
“I no longer have access to this email address”

This triggers a manual review process.

Step 3: Submit a GitHub Support Ticket (Required)

You must contact GitHub Support directly:

Go to GitHub Support

Choose Account → Sign-in issues → Cannot access email

Provide:

GitHub username

Approximate account creation date

Last successful login timeframe

Organizations/repos you own

Any receipts (GitHub Pro, Sponsors, etc.)

Commit SHAs you authored

Linked services (CI, OAuth apps, SSH keys)

Accuracy matters. This is how GitHub verifies ownership.

What GitHub Will Do (And Won’t Do)
They may:

Allow you to change the email address

Temporarily disable verification

Restore access after identity confirmation

They will not:

Bypass email verification without proof

Accept “I know the password” alone

Speed up the process without sufficient evidence

If Recovery Fails (Hard Truth)

If:

Email is unrecoverable

Support cannot verify ownership

Then the account is permanently inaccessible.

At that point, your only option is to:

Create a new GitHub account

Re-upload projects (if you have local copies)

Reclaim visibility through commits, forks, or mirrors

How to Prevent This in the Future (Very Important)

Once you regain access or create a new account:

Add a secondary email

Enable real 2FA (app-based, not email)

Download recovery codes

Add SSH keys

Verify email access immediately

[panasorkokerk1]

Thank you for your quick response:
Regarding tip 1: Step 1: Attempt Email Recovery One Last Time (Critical): I'm still trying, but I don't think it will work.
Regarding tip 2: Step 2: Use GitHub Account Recovery (Only Valid Path: Click "Forgot password?"
'Enter your GitHub username or email
When prompted that you cannot access the email, choose:
“I no longer have access to this email address”
This triggers a manual review process. "

• Where exactly is this option? I can't find it. When I enter my username and password, it redirects me to the email for the code. I don't see this option at all.
  Regarding tip 3: Step 3: Submit a GitHub Support Ticket (Required)
• Could you tell me where exactly to submit it? Should I add the topic here in the Community? https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions?page=1

[vitus-john]

Important clarification:
That option does not appear immediately when you enter your username and password.

GitHub intentionally hides it until you fail the verification step. This is why you are being redirected straight to the email code without seeing any alternative.

Correct sequence to trigger the option

Go to https://github.com/login

Click “Forgot password?”
(Do not log in normally.)

Enter your GitHub username (preferred) or email.

Submit the form.

At this point:

GitHub will say it sent a recovery email.

If you cannot access that email, wait for the next screen or follow the link provided after submission.

On the follow-up page, there should be a small, non-prominent link similar to:

“I no longer have access to this email address”
or

“Need help?”

If you never see this link, it means GitHub is forcing you into manual support recovery, which leads to Step 3.

This behavior is common for accounts with:

Two-factor authentication enabled

GitHub Apps or tokens

Organization ownership

Security-sensitive activity

So your experience is consistent with GitHub’s stricter security path.

Where to submit the GitHub Support ticket (this is the correct place)

Do NOT use GitHub Community Discussions.
That page is public and cannot help with account recovery or security issues.

Correct support page (official)

Go here:
https://support.github.com/contact

Then follow this exact path:

Choose “Account”

Select “Account recovery”

Choose “I can’t access my email address”

Sign in if possible (if not, continue as guest)

This opens a private support ticket reviewed by GitHub Trust & Safety.

What to include in the support ticket (critical for success)

Provide clear, factual information. Do not speculate.

Include:

GitHub username

Old email address on the account (even if inactive)

Approximate account creation date (year/month)

Recent repositories you own or contributed to

Whether 2FA was enabled (yes / no / unsure)

Statement that you permanently lost access to the email

Example wording (you may copy this):

I no longer have access to the email address associated with my GitHub account and therefore cannot complete email-based verification. I am requesting manual account recovery. I can provide additional verification if required.

GitHub may ask for:

Previous SSH key fingerprints

Commit SHAs

Billing receipts (if any)

Organization ownership confirmation

This is normal.

What NOT to do

Do not keep retrying login repeatedly (may trigger lockout)

Do not open multiple tickets

Do not post credentials or recovery details publicly

Do not rely on Community Discussions for account access issues

[healer0805]

This usually happens when GitHub flags a login as risky and triggers "email-based verification", even if you don't have 2FA enabled. It's separate from 2FA and unfortunately still blocks access if you can't reach that inbox.

At this point, the only real path forward is "GitHub Support". You'll need to open an account recovery ticket and prove ownership (old emails, usernames, repos, billing info, etc.). They're the only ones who can bypass the email check or update the address.

A few things to try if you haven't already:

• Check if you're logged in anywhere else (another browser or device) and update the email from settings.
• Make sure you're opening the ticket while logged out and choose "I can't access my email" specifically.
• Be patient; recovery requests can take a few days.

It's frustrating, but this isn't something you can fix locally. Once support verifies you, they can reset the email and unblock the account.