Merchant Center Phone Number Not Verified: How to Fix It

What this issue means

Google uses your business phone number to help confirm that the person running the Merchant Center account is connected to the business. Google's help documentation describes a suspension that applies when a valid phone number hasn't been verified, and states that ads and free listings stop while it's unresolved.

This is a verification step, not a policy accusation. It doesn't mean Google thinks your store is doing anything wrong.

Why it happens

• Verification was skipped during account setup.
• The number changed and the new one wasn't verified.
• The code never arrived, for example because the number can't receive texts, the line has call screening or the carrier blocks short codes.
• The number isn't a valid business number, such as a disconnected line.
• Formatting problems, such as a missing country code.
• A platform-managed account, where a store platform created the Merchant Center account and the verification step wasn't finished.

How to fix it

1. Open your business information. In Merchant Center, go to Settings (gear icon), then Business info. In older versions of the interface, this was under Tools and settings.
2. Find the phone number section. Enter a phone number your business actually uses, with the right country.
3. Click Verify. Choose whether to receive the code by text message or voice call.
4. Enter the code in Merchant Center and finish.
5. If the code doesn't work, request a new one or switch methods. Landlines and some VoIP numbers can't receive texts, so use voice call for those.
6. Check your carrier. If no code arrives, turn off call or text blocking temporarily, and try again from a location with good signal.
7. Match the website. Show the same number on your Contact page and in the footer. A mismatch won't block verification, but it can create problems under Google's Insufficient contact information requirement.
8. Using a platform? If your Merchant Center account was created through a store platform or app, follow that platform's instructions. Some handle phone verification inside their own settings.

How to request a review

In most cases, completing verification resolves the issue automatically, and you don't need to request anything. Check Products, then Needs attention, a little later to confirm the issue is gone.

If the issue remains after verifying, follow the prompt shown under View setup and policy issues or the Review and fix banner. If it still won't clear, contact Merchant Center support through the help center, explaining that the number is verified.

How long it takes

Verification itself happens as soon as you enter the correct code. Once the account is no longer suspended, products need to be processed again before they show. Re-crawls commonly finish within a day or two, though it can take longer if other issues are found during the recheck.

How to prevent it

• Verify the phone number when you create the account, not later.
• When you change numbers, update and verify the new one in Merchant Center the same day you update your website.
• Use a number you'll keep long term. Avoid temporary numbers.
• Make sure at least two people have admin access, so someone can verify if the main contact is unavailable.

Phone verification is quick, but it often turns up alongside other account issues, like missing contact information or an unclaimed website. Mercantads can check the whole account in one pass and fix everything together. Contact us or see our Merchant Center service. If you're setting up a new Shopify store, our Shopify Google Ads setup guide covers the full connection.