If you’ve been trying to hop on the Rednote (Xiaohongshu) wave lately, you’ve probably hit a brick wall. It’s frustrating. You download the app, get hyped to see the latest aesthetic travel tips or fashion hauls, and then—nothing. The screen just sits there. That little "send code" button is mocking you while your SMS inbox stays bone-dry.
Honestly, you aren't alone. This is basically the "new user" rite of passage for Rednote right now.
Because Rednote—the international version of the Chinese powerhouse Xiaohongshu—has exploded in popularity, the infrastructure is sweating. It’s trying to handle millions of "TikTok refugees" and international lifestyle junkies all at once. When a system built for a specific scale suddenly gets hit with a global tidal wave, things break. Specifically, the SMS gateways.
Why Rednote not sending verification code is actually happening
It isn't always a "bug" in the traditional sense. Most of the time, it's a traffic jam. Imagine trying to fit a gallon of water through a straw. That straw is the SMS gateway Rednote uses to send international texts.
Server Overload is the big one.
When thousands of people in the U.S., UK, or Southeast Asia hit "Sign Up" at the same time, the server just chokes. It’s a literal queue. Sometimes the code is generated but takes 20 minutes to arrive, by which time the app has already timed out.
Carrier Filtering is the silent killer.
A lot of mobile carriers (looking at you, T-Mobile and some European providers) see a random alphanumeric code coming from a Chinese server and think, "Yep, that’s spam." They block it before it even reaches your phone. You don’t even get a notification that a message was intercepted.
The "Ghost Number" Problem.
Kinda weird, but if you've tried too many times, Rednote’s security system might have flagged your number as a bot. If you hit that button five times in ten minutes, you're likely blacklisted for 24 hours. No amount of tapping will help then.
The "Comment Trick" and Other Weird Fixes
There is this one specific workaround that's been floating around Reddit and Xiaohongshu itself. It sounds fake, but it actually works for a lot of people.
Instead of trying to register from the splash screen, some users have found luck by browsing the app as a "guest" first. Find a post—any post—and try to leave a comment. The app will force a pop-up asking you to log in or register. For some reason, the SMS trigger from this specific pop-up seems to bypass the usual traffic congestion that the main login screen hits.
It’s like using the side door of a club when the front line is three blocks long.
Check Your Country Code (Seriously)
This sounds like "Is it plugged in?" advice, but it's the most common mistake. Rednote defaults to +86 (Mainland China). If you’re in the U.S., you need +1. If you're in the UK, +44.
- Don't just type your number.
- Do manually tap the country code list.
- Search by the digit (like "1" or "44") because the names are often written in Chinese characters or sorted in a way that doesn't make sense to English speakers.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting That Actually Works
If you're still staring at an empty inbox, follow this order. Don't skip around.
- The Airplane Mode Toggle: Turn on Airplane mode for 10 seconds, then turn it off. This forces your phone to reconnect to the nearest cell tower and can sometimes "push" through pending SMS messages that were stuck in the network ether.
- Clear the App Cache: If you're on Android, go to Settings > Apps > Rednote > Storage > Clear Cache. On iOS, you basically have to offload the app or delete/reinstall it. A "dirty" cache can cause the "Get Code" button to not even send the request to the server.
- The SIM Card Swap (The Nuclear Option): If you are on a dual-SIM phone, try the other slot or a different number. Some virtual numbers (like Google Voice) rarely work with Rednote because they are flagged as "VoIP" and blocked for security.
- Wait for the "Off-Peak" Hour: Remember, Rednote is based in China. Their servers are under the heaviest load during China’s daytime and evening hours. If you're in the U.S. trying to sign up at 9:00 PM EST, that’s 10:00 AM in Beijing—prime time. Try again at 3:00 AM your time. It sounds crazy, but the server response time is night and day.
Using Third-Party Logins
If the SMS just won't come, stop fighting it. Use the Apple ID or Google login option.
Wait, there’s a catch.
Even if you sign up with Apple or Google, the app might still ask you to "bind" a phone number later if you want to post or comment. But at least you'll be in the app. Once you're in, you can try binding your number during a quiet time when the servers aren't screaming.
Dealing with Regional Restrictions in 2026
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Depending on where you are, Rednote might be facing some "regulatory friction."
In some regions, governments have put pressure on ISPs to throttle traffic to certain apps. If you suspect this, try switching from Wi-Fi to your cellular data, or vice versa. Interestingly, some users have found that using a VPN set to a "neutral" region like Singapore or Hong Kong suddenly makes the verification code appear instantly. This suggests the bottleneck might be your local internet provider blocking the SMS handshake.
🔗 Read more: How Much Money Does a Software Developer Make: What Most People Get Wrong
Actionable Next Steps
If you’ve tried everything and the rednote not sending verification code issue still persists, do this:
- Stop requesting codes for 24 hours. You need to let your "cool-down" period reset.
- Check your "Blocked Senders" list in your phone's SMS settings. Look for any 5-digit or 6-digit shortcodes that might have been auto-blocked.
- Update the app. Check the App Store or Play Store. Rednote pushes "hotfix" updates almost weekly to deal with international connectivity issues.
- Try the email route. If the app gives you an option to register via email (usually visible under "More Options"), take it. It's way more reliable than SMS gateways.
Once you finally get that 6-digit code, type it in fast. Most of these codes expire in 60 seconds. If you're even a second late, you'll have to start the whole painful process over again. Keep your SMS app open in split-screen if you can.
The app is great once you're in, but the gatekeeper is a bit of a nightmare. Just be patient—it's usually a "when," not an "if."