Locked Out of Google Workspace? Solve the “Your Sign-In Settings Don’t Meet Your Organisation’s 2-Step Verification Policy” Error

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If you’ve just tried to log into your Google Workspace account only to be met with a screen saying “Your sign-in settings don’t meet your organisation’s 2-Step Verification policy,” you are likely stuck in what I call the “Infinite Loop of Doom.”

You click ‘Try Again,’ you enter your password, and… you’re right back at the same error message.

It’s frustrating, it’s stressful, and if you’re a small business owner, it means your operations have come to a screeching halt. Don’t panic. There is a way out, and as a Google Product Expert and Certified Administrator, I’m going to show you exactly how to regain access.

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Why is this happening?

Google is currently rolling out a mandatory security update. To protect against rising cyber threats, Google now requires all Administrator accounts to have 2-Step Verification (2SV) enabled.

If your organisation had a “2SV Enforcement Date” set and that date passed without you or your team setting up MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), Google essentially “locks the door” to protect the account. The loop happens because you can’t get in to turn on the setting, but you can’t turn on the setting because you can’t get in.

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The Solution For Locked-Out Admins

If you are the primary administrator and you are totally locked out, you cannot fix this from your dashboard. You must request a manual override from Google.

1. Complete the Official Recovery Form: Go to the Google Workspace Access Recovery Form.
2. Select the Right Option: Choose “I need to extend my organisation’s Google mandated 2SV enforcement date.”
3. Prove Ownership: You will be contacted by Google Support. Be prepared to access your domain hosting (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.) to change DNS records. This is how Google confirms you actually own the business.

The Solution For Your Users

If you can get in as the Admin, but one of your team members is locked out, you don’t need the form above. You can fix this in 60 seconds:

1. Log into your Google Admin Console.
2. Go to Directory > Users.
3. Select the locked-out user.
4. Click Security > 2-Step Verification.
5. Click Get Backup Verification Codes. Copy these and give them to your user.
6. Alternatively, you can click “Allow user to trust this device” or temporarily move them to an Organizational Unit (OU) where 2SV is not yet enforced (though I don’t recommend this for long-term security).

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Prevention: How to stop this from happening again

Once you regain access, do not just go back to “business as usual.” You need to “hard-code” your backup plan:

• Generate Backup Codes: Every admin should have a physical printout of their 10-digit backup codes stored in a safe or a physical file.
• Set Up a Backup Admin: Never have just one Super Admin. Create a second “Emergency Admin” account with a different phone number attached.

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Stop “DIY-ing” your business security

Are you tired of watching 20-minute YouTube videos just to find one Google setting? As a Certified Google Workspace Administrator, I help small business owners move from “accidental IT person” to streamlined professional.

Let’s audit your setup so you never get locked out again.

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