---
title: Verification Link Does Not Verify the Account
description: Verification link opens the site but the account stays unverified? Check for older links, expiry, encoding changes, caching and the confirmation email.
url: "https://wpfactory.com/docs/users-cannot-verify/"
updated: "2026-09-27"
category: Troubleshooting
tags:
  - Email Verification for WooCommerce
---

# Verification Link Does Not Verify the Account

If customers click the verification link but their account stays unverified in [Customer Email Verification for WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/item/email-verification-for-woocommerce/), they are usually clicking an older link from an earlier email. Only the newest link works. Check the link settings at **WPFactory > Email Verification** (also reachable at **WooCommerce > Settings > Email Verification**) > **General**.

## Symptoms

- The link opens the site, usually the My Account page, but the user is still unverified in **Users**.
- The customer sees "Activation failed, please contact our administrator" or a "Link has expired" notice.
- After verifying, the customer receives a second email that shows the raw text `%verification_url%` instead of a link.

## Causes and fixes

1. **The customer used an older link.** Every activation email, including each resend, creates a new code and replaces the previous one, so links in earlier emails stop working. Ask the customer to use the most recent email, or resend it once and use that one. If **Automatic resending** (Email sub-tab, Pro) is on, a newer email may have arrived without the customer noticing.
2. **The link has expired (Pro).** If **Expire time** on the **General** sub-tab is above 0, links stop working after that time, measured in the **Expire time unit** (Seconds by default, so a value of `3600` means one hour). The customer then sees the **Expire notice** with a resend link. Raise the value, or set it to `0` to turn expiry off.
3. **The encoding settings changed after the email was sent.** The link carries a code encoded with the **Encoding method** on the **Advanced** sub-tab (Base64 encode by default, or Hashids). Changing the method, the Hashids salt or the Hashids alphabet makes links that were already sent unreadable. Change these only when needed, and resend activation emails to users who are still unverified.
4. **A cached page is served instead of the verification.** Verification runs when the link's page loads, using the `alg_wc_ev_verify_email` parameter in the URL. If a page cache serves a stored copy of that page, the check never runs. Exclude URLs containing `alg_wc_ev_verify_email`, and your My Account page, from page caching.
5. **The link was already used.** With **One-time activation link** on (the default), a link works once. If the account is already verified, the customer sees the **Already verified** message instead, which is expected.
6. **The second email is the confirmation email.** After a successful verification, Email Verification sends the **Confirmation email** (Email sub-tab, on by default). The `%verification_url%` placeholder is only filled in the activation email. If you copied the activation email content into the confirmation email content (editable in Pro), remove the placeholder from it, or untick **Confirmation email** if you do not want this second email.

## How to confirm it is fixed

1. Register a test account in a private browser window with an email address you can check.
2. Click the link in the newest activation email.
3. You should see the success message and, with **Login on activation** on (the default), be logged in.
4. In **Users**, the account should show as verified if you enabled the verified column on the **Admin** sub-tab. See [Managing User Verification from the Admin Panel](https://wpfactory.com/docs/manage-user-verification/).

## FAQ

### Can I verify a customer myself?

Yes. Enable the verified column and its actions on the **Admin** sub-tab, then use **Verify** on the user in **Users**. See [Managing User Verification from the Admin Panel](https://wpfactory.com/docs/manage-user-verification/).

### What if the email never arrives?

That is a delivery problem rather than a link problem. See [Verification Email Not Delivered or Delayed](https://wpfactory.com/docs/verification-email-not-delivered/).

## Still stuck?

Send us the steps you followed, the notice the customer saw and whether you use a caching plugin. Our team answers every ticket on the [Email Verification support forum](https://wpfactory.com/support/item/email-verification-for-woocommerce/).

Related articles

- [Verification Email Button or Link Missing / Layout Broken](https://wpfactory.com/docs/verification-email-button-missing/)
- [Verification Redirects and Activation Link Settings in WooCommerce](https://wpfactory.com/docs/handling-verification-outcomes/)
- [Checkout Verification Sends Codes Even When Disabled](https://wpfactory.com/docs/checkout-verification-codes-issue/)
- [Verification Popup Slow or Not Visible on Mobile](https://wpfactory.com/docs/verification-popup-mobile-issue/)
- [Verification Code Shows “Incorrect](https://wpfactory.com/docs/verification-code-incorrect/)

 

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