If you can't log in to Retro, are locked out, or your account looks empty after getting a new phone, this article will help you get back in.
Start here: make sure you're signing in the right way
Most lost-access cases come down to signing in with a different method than the one you originally used. Before anything else:
Open Retro and go to the sign-in screen.
Sign in with the same phone number, email, or social login you first created your account with. Using a different method can create a brand-new, empty account instead of opening your original one.
If your account looks empty after signing in, don't post anything yet. It's usually a sign you're in a new account rather than your original one. Sign out and try the original method.
You're not getting the SMS verification code
Sometimes the verification text is delayed or doesn't arrive for certain numbers.
Double-check the number is entered correctly, with the right country code.
Wait a minute or two, then request the code again.
Make sure you have signal and that texts aren't being filtered or blocked on your device.
If the code still doesn't arrive after a few tries, contact us and we'll help.
Your phone number changed, or you can no longer receive texts on it
Try updating it yourself first. If you still have access to your account:
Go to Profile > Settings > Access & Recovery.
Update your phone number there.
While you're there, add other sign-in methods so recovery is easier next time.
If that works, you're all set. If it doesn't, or you can no longer get into your account, contact us and include:
Your Retro username
Old phone number on file (including country code, e.g. +886XXXXXXXXX)
New phone number you would like to use (including country code)
Last time you used the app (approximate date, time, and timezone if known)
Device used with the old phone number (make and model, e.g. iPhone 12 or Samsung Galaxy S22)
Device you are currently using (make and model; write "same" if unchanged)
A description of the albums on your account (how many albums, and their titles)
If the album details don't match what we see on the account, we may ask a few additional questions that only the account owner would know — for example, roughly when you created your account, how many keys you've given, or how many postcards you've sent. Answering these helps us confirm ownership so we can proceed.
Please note: if a new account was created with the new phone number, whether by accident or on purpose, that new account must be deleted before we can transfer your original account to the new number.
For your security: never send passwords, PINs, one-time passcodes (OTPs), or screenshots containing verification codes. Retro Support will never ask you for this information.
You signed up with Sign in with Apple and can't access it
If you created your account using Sign in with Apple and have lost access to that Apple ID — for example, you no longer remember it or lost the device it was on — you'll need to recover the Apple ID itself to get back into Retro.
We can't move a Sign in with Apple account onto a different Apple ID. Apple's private email relay service hides your Apple ID from us, so we have no way to change or reassign it on our end, even when we can confirm the account still exists.
The path forward is to recover your original Apple ID with Apple directly. Once you regain access to it, sign in to Retro with Sign in with Apple as usual and your account will open.
You're not sure which email or phone number you used
Try the sign-in methods you use most often first — your main phone number, then any email or social login tied to that account. If none of them open your original account, reach out and we'll help you track down which method it's connected to.
Important Notes
A separate account is created per sign-in method, so signing in with Apple when you originally used Google (or a phone number) will start a new, empty account.
Avoid posting, adding friends, or sending postcards from that empty account. Activity there cannot be merged into your original account.
Once you're back in, add backup login methods under Profile > Settings > Access & Recovery so you don't lose access again.