LivingAi
/
auth
6
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull Requests Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity
auth/TWILIO_SETUP.md

5.8 KiB
Raw Blame History

Twilio SMS Setup

Required Twilio Variables

Add these to your .env file:

# Twilio SMS Configuration
TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=your-account-sid-here
TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=your-auth-token-here

# Use EITHER Messaging Service (recommended) OR From Number
TWILIO_MESSAGING_SERVICE_SID=your-messaging-service-sid
# OR
TWILIO_FROM_NUMBER=+1234567890

Twilio Setup Options

Option 1: Using Messaging Service (Recommended)

TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=ACxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=your_auth_token_here
TWILIO_MESSAGING_SERVICE_SID=MGxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Option 2: Using Phone Number

TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=ACxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=your_auth_token_here
TWILIO_FROM_NUMBER=+1234567890

How to Get Twilio Credentials

  1. Sign up at https://www.twilio.com/
  2. Get your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console Dashboard
  3. For Messaging Service:
    • Go to Messaging > Services in Twilio Console
    • Create or select a Messaging Service
    • Copy the Service SID (starts with MG)
  4. For Phone Number:
    • Get a Twilio phone number from Phone Numbers section
    • Format: +1234567890 (E.164 format)

Important Notes

  • Use Messaging Service (Option 1) if you have one - it's recommended
  • Use Phone Number (Option 2) if you don't have a Messaging Service
  • You only need ONE of: TWILIO_MESSAGING_SERVICE_SID or TWILIO_FROM_NUMBER
  • The phone number must be in E.164 format: +[country code][number]
  • Example: +919876543210 (India)

Testing

After adding Twilio credentials:

  1. Restart your server: npm run dev
  2. Request OTP: POST /auth/request-otp
  3. Check server logs - should see: ✅ Twilio SMS sent, SID: SMxxxxx
  4. User receives SMS with OTP code

Troubleshooting Common Errors

Error: "Short Code" Error

Error Message:

❌ Failed to send SMS via Twilio: 'To' number cannot be a Short Code: +9174114XXXX

Cause:

  • You're trying to send SMS to a short code (5-6 digit number)
  • Twilio doesn't allow sending to short codes
  • Often happens with test numbers or invalid phone numbers

Solution:

  • Use valid full-length phone numbers in E.164 format (e.g., +919876543210)
  • Short codes are typically 5-6 digits total
  • The service now validates phone numbers and rejects short codes

Fallback:

  • OTP is automatically logged to console: 📱 DEBUG OTP (fallback): +91741147986 Code: 153502
  • Check server logs for the OTP code during development/testing

Error: "Unverified Number" Error (Trial Account)

Error Message:

❌ Failed to send SMS via Twilio: The number +91741114XXXX is unverified. Trial accounts cannot send messages to unverified numbers

Cause:

  • You're using a Twilio Trial Account
  • Trial accounts can only send SMS to verified phone numbers
  • This is a security feature to prevent abuse

Solutions:

Option 1: Verify the Phone Number (Free)

  1. Go to Twilio Console - Verified Numbers
  2. Click "Add a new number"
  3. Enter the phone number and verify via SMS/call
  4. You can verify up to 10 numbers on a trial account

Option 2: Upgrade to Paid Account (Recommended for Production)

  1. Add payment method in Twilio Console
  2. Upgrade your account (minimum $20 credit required)
  3. Once upgraded, you can send SMS to any valid phone number
  4. Pay only for messages sent (per SMS pricing)

Option 3: Use Console Logs (Development Only)

  • For testing/development, check server console logs
  • OTP codes are logged: 📱 DEBUG OTP (fallback): +919876543210 Code: 123456
  • This allows testing without SMS delivery

Error: "Failed to send OTP"

Error Message:

❌ Failed to send SMS via Twilio: [any error]

General Troubleshooting:

  1. Check Twilio Credentials:

    • Verify TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID and TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN in .env
    • Credentials should start with AC and be valid

  2. Check From Number/Service:

    • Ensure TWILIO_FROM_NUMBER or TWILIO_MESSAGING_SERVICE_SID is set
    • Phone number must be in E.164 format: +1234567890

  3. Check Account Status:

    • Login to Twilio Console
    • Verify account is active (not suspended)
    • Check if you have credits/balance

  4. Check Phone Number Format:

    • Must be E.164 format: +[country code][number]
    • Example: +919876543210 (India), +1234567890 (US)
    • No spaces or special characters

  5. Development Fallback:

    • If SMS fails, OTP is always logged to console
    • Check server logs: 📱 DEBUG OTP (fallback): [phone] Code: [otp]

Understanding the Logs

✅ Success:

✅ Twilio SMS sent, SID: SMa7e2f23b3bdb05be1a275f43b71b2209
  • SMS was successfully sent via Twilio
  • User should receive SMS with OTP

❌ Failure (with fallback):

❌ Failed to send SMS via Twilio: [error message]
📱 DEBUG OTP (fallback): +919876543210 Code: 123456
  • SMS sending failed, but OTP was generated
  • OTP code is logged to console for development/testing
  • User can still verify using the OTP code from logs

⚠️ Warning (Twilio not configured):

⚠️ Twilio credentials are not set. SMS sending will be disabled. OTP will be logged to console.
📱 DEBUG OTP (Twilio not configured): +919876543210 Code: 123456
  • Twilio credentials missing in .env
  • Service still works, but OTPs only appear in logs
  • Add Twilio credentials to enable SMS delivery

Best Practices

  1. Development:

    • Use console logs for testing
    • Verify test numbers in Twilio Console

  2. Production:

    • Upgrade to paid Twilio account
    • Use Messaging Service (recommended)
    • Monitor SMS delivery rates
    • Implement proper error handling in frontend

  3. Security:

    • Never log OTPs in production
    • Use environment variables for credentials
    • Rotate Twilio credentials periodically