Email Verification

Email verification is a crucial security step when creating your Balance account. This guide explains why it’s important and how to complete the verification process.

What is Email Verification?

Email verification confirms that:

• You own the email address - You have access to the inbox
• Email is valid - It’s a real, working email address
• You’re a real person - Helps prevent automated account creation
• We can reach you - For important account notifications

Why Email Verification Matters

Security Benefits

• Prevents unauthorized access - Others can’t create accounts with your email
• Password recovery - Verified email enables password reset
• Account protection - Helps us confirm your identity
• Fraud prevention - Reduces fake or spam accounts

Account Benefits

• Full feature access - Some features require verified email
• Important notifications - Security alerts, billing updates
• Support access - Verified users get priority support
• Trust indicator - Shows legitimate account ownership

Verification Process

During Account Creation

When you sign up for Balance:

1. Enter your email on the signup form
2. Create your password and other account details
3. Click “Create Account”
4. Check your email inbox for the verification code
5. Enter the 6-digit code in Balance
6. Verification complete!

You’ll immediately proceed to the onboarding flow.

[Screenshot: Email verification code entry screen]

The Verification Email

Look for an email from Balance with:

• Subject: “Verify Your Email for Balance Budget”
• From: noreply@balancebudget.app or support@balancebudget.app
• Contains: A 6-digit numeric code
• Expires: After 15 minutes

Example format: 123456

Entering the Code

1. Open the email on any device
2. Find the 6-digit code
3. Return to Balance (app or web)
4. Type the code exactly as shown
5. Click “Verify”

Tips:

• Don’t include spaces
• Numbers only (no letters)
• Code is case-insensitive (all numbers)
• Must be current (not expired)

If You Don’t Receive the Email

Check These First

1. Wait a few minutes - Emails can take 2-5 minutes to arrive
2. Check spam/junk folder - Sometimes emails get filtered
3. Check promotions tab (Gmail) - May be sorted there
4. Verify email address - Make sure you entered it correctly
5. Check inbox storage - Full inbox might reject emails

Request a New Code

If you can’t find the email:

1. On the verification screen, tap “Didn’t receive code?”
2. Or tap “Resend verification code”
3. Wait 2 minutes before requesting another
4. Check your inbox again

Note: You can request multiple codes, but only the most recent one will work.

Email Address Incorrect

If you entered the wrong email during signup:

During signup flow:

1. Go back to the signup screen
2. Correct your email address
3. Continue with account creation
4. New code will be sent to correct email

After account creation:

• Contact support@balancebudget.app
• Provide both the incorrect and correct email addresses
• We’ll manually update and verify your account

Verification Code Expired

Verification codes expire after 15 minutes for security.

If Your Code Expired

1. Return to Balance verification screen
2. Tap “Resend verification code”
3. Check email for new code
4. Enter new code within 15 minutes
5. Complete verification

Why codes expire:

• Security measure
• Prevents code reuse
• Ensures timely verification

Common Questions

Q: Do I need to verify my email?
A: Yes, email verification is required to use Balance. It’s a critical security measure and enables important account features.

Q: Can I use the app without verifying my email?
A: No, you must verify your email to access your Balance account and set up your budget.

Q: How long is the verification code valid?
A: 15 minutes from when it was sent. Request a new code if yours expires.

Q: Can I verify later and use the app now?
A: No, verification must be completed during signup before you can access Balance features.

Q: What if I need to change my email address after verification?
A: Contact support@balancebudget.app to update your email address. We’ll verify your identity and update it.

Q: Will I need to verify again if I uninstall and reinstall the app?
A: No. Email verification is permanent for your account. Just log in with your email and password.

Q: Can I use a temporary email address?
A: We strongly discourage this. You’ll need access to this email for password resets and account recovery. Use a permanent email address.

Q: Why didn’t I receive the verification email?
A: Check spam, wait a few minutes, verify the email address was entered correctly, and request a new code if needed.

Troubleshooting

Email Not Arriving

Problem: Verification email never arrives

Solution:

1. Wait 5 minutes - Sometimes there’s a delay
2. Check spam/junk folder - Move to inbox if found
3. Add to contacts - Add support@balancebudget.app to contacts
4. Check email filters - Disable aggressive filtering temporarily
5. Try different email - Some providers block automated emails
6. Request new code - Tap resend button
7. Contact support - If still not receiving after 15 minutes

Code Not Working

Problem: Error message “Invalid verification code” or “Code expired”

Solution:

1. Check code carefully - Ensure you typed it exactly
2. No spaces - Don’t include spaces before or after code
3. Use latest code - If you requested multiple codes, use the newest
4. Check expiration - Code must be used within 15 minutes
5. Request new code - Get a fresh code
6. Clear browser cache - If using web version
7. Try different browser/device - Technical issue might be local

Wrong Email Address

Problem: Realized email address was entered incorrectly

Solution:

• Still in signup flow: Go back and correct email address
• Account already created: Contact support to update email
• Can’t access original email: Provide verification to support team
• Create new account: If unable to fix, create account with correct email (previous account will remain inactive)

Code Keeps Expiring

Problem: By the time you get code, it’s already expired

Solution:

1. Act quickly - Check email immediately after requesting
2. Keep email open - Have it ready when requesting code
3. Disable email filters - Temporarily turn off sorting/filtering
4. Use mobile app - Might be faster than web
5. Check email provider - Some providers delay automated emails
6. Contact support - For manual verification if persistent issues

Multiple Codes Received

Problem: Received several verification codes, not sure which to use

Solution:

• Use the most recent code - Each new request invalidates previous codes
• Check email timestamps - Use the latest email received
• One code at a time - Don’t request multiple codes simultaneously
• Wait between requests - Give each code 2 minutes to arrive

Verification Screen Disappeared

Problem: Closed app and can’t find verification screen

Solution:

1. Open Balance app
2. Try to log in with email and password
3. You’ll be prompted to verify if not yet complete
4. Or navigate to settings to resend verification
5. Contact support if verification screen doesn’t appear

Email Provider-Specific Tips

Gmail

• Check Promotions tab - Verification emails might be sorted there
• Check Spam folder - Mark as “Not Spam” if found
• Create filter - Add rule to always deliver Balance emails to inbox

Outlook/Hotmail

• Check Junk folder - May be auto-filtered
• Add sender to safe list - Prevents future filtering
• Check Focused/Other tabs - Might be in Other inbox

Yahoo Mail

• Check Spam folder - Yahoo has aggressive filtering
• Add to contacts - Ensures future emails arrive
• Check Bulk folder - Alternative spam folder

Apple Mail (iCloud)

• Check spam folder
• Check all inboxes if using multiple accounts
• Verify storage not full

Corporate/Work Email

• May block external emails - IT policies might prevent delivery
• Use personal email - Recommended for personal finance apps
• Contact IT - Ask to whitelist balancebudget.app domain
• Alternative email - Consider using personal email instead

What Happens After Verification

Immediate Changes

1. ✅ Email confirmed - Shows as verified in your profile
2. ✅ Full access granted - All Balance features available
3. ✅ Onboarding continues - Proceeds to subscription selection
4. ✅ Notifications enabled - Can receive important account emails

Future Benefits

• Password recovery - Can reset password via email
• Security alerts - Notified of suspicious activity
• Billing notifications - Subscription updates and receipts
• Feature announcements - New features and updates
• Support access - Faster response from support team

Security & Privacy

Your Email is Protected

• Never shared - We don’t sell or share your email
• Minimal emails - Only important account notifications
• Unsubscribe option - For non-essential emails (not security alerts)
• Secure storage - Encrypted in our database
• No spam - We respect your inbox

Email Best Practices

• ✅ Use permanent email - Personal email you’ll always have access to
• ✅ Strong email password - Protects your Balance account too
• ✅ Enable 2FA on email - For extra security
• ✅ Monitor email account - Watch for Balance notifications
• ❌ Don’t use work email - Personal email is better for personal finance
• ❌ Don’t use temporary email - You’ll need it for password reset

Next Steps

After verifying your email:

• Complete your profile setup - Start budgeting
• Password Best Practices - Keep account secure
• Account Recovery - Know how to reset password
• Profile Settings - Manage your account

Need help? Contact our support team - we’re here to assist!