Hi! When verification is stuck after a selfie submission, it’s usually one of three things: a review queue delay, the upload/quality check silently failing, or a verification checkpoint loop where the system keeps asking again even though you already submitted.

We’ll keep it low-risk: no “spam resubmits,” no account changes that can raise flags, and no sharing codes/photos with anyone outside the official flow.

First, describe what you see on-screen:
1) Which app/service is it (Instagram/Facebook/TikTok/other)?
2) Is it a selfie photo, a video selfie, or selfie + ID?
3) What’s the exact status — “Under review,” “We couldn’t confirm,” “Try again,” or does it loop back to the selfie prompt every login?

That’s a helpful detail: “under review” + “asks again” usually means either the submission didn’t fully attach to the session, or the system didn’t accept the capture quality and quietly recycled you into the same identity flow.

Before we touch anything, quick safety questions (so we don’t accidentally increase friction):
1) Did you get any email or in-app notification confirming the submission was received?
2) Are you trying from the same phone each time, or did you switch devices?
3) Did anything change right before this started (new phone, OS update, date/time settings, travel, VPN, new login location)?

Switching devices + VPN + an OS update can definitely make a selfie verification flow feel inconsistent. It doesn’t mean you “broke” anything, but it can change the risk signals and the way the checkpoint behaves.

Let’s do controlled diagnostics that don’t redo the selfie yet:

1) Status sanity check: If the screen says “reviewing,” treat it as a queue state. Re-submitting repeatedly can create duplicates or reset the timer on some platforms.

2) Consistency check: Pick one device and one network (no VPN) for the next 24–48 hours of attempts. A stable sign-in pattern is less likely to trigger repeated identity prompts.

3) Permissions check (no edits, just confirm): Verify the app still has Camera permission and access isn’t blocked (privacy permissions can change after OS updates). If camera access is denied, the flow can fail and loop even when you “submitted.”

4) Time/date check: Make sure automatic date/time is enabled. It sounds small, but mismatched device time can cause session tokens to fail, leading to re-check prompts.

Yes — network quality can matter, especially for video selfie capture. A weak connection can produce partial uploads or retries that look “complete” in the UI, but don’t finalize cleanly on the backend.

Here’s how to tell the difference without forcing another submission:

• Review state signals: the app shows “reviewing” consistently, and you don’t get immediate “try again” prompts. That usually means it’s in queue, even if it’s slow.
• Upload/quality failure signals: it bounces you back quickly, asks you to redo the selfie on the next login, or errors out right after capture. That can point to capture quality, permissions, or a session/upload mismatch.

One safe test that doesn’t spam resubmits: try logging in once on a strong network (stable Wi-Fi or reliable mobile data), no VPN, then stop. If it instantly pushes you to re-do the selfie again, that’s more “loop” behavior than normal review delay.

Lighting can absolutely be a factor — not because the system is “judging” you, but because low light, glare, heavy shadows, or motion blur can reduce match confidence and push you into re-checks.

Still, since you’re not getting instant errors, I’d treat this as a hybrid: review pending plus an occasional checkpoint loop. The safest approach is to minimize attempts and prepare for a single clean re-capture only if the platform explicitly asks again (not just because we’re impatient).

If it asks again, here are safe, non-hacky capture checks (not a guaranteed pass, just quality hygiene):
• Bright, even front lighting (window/daylight or soft lamp facing you).
• Plain background if possible, no strong backlight.
• Remove anything that blocks key facial features (hats/large sunglasses).
• Hold the phone steady; avoid extreme angles.

And one important note: don’t share that selfie/video with “helpers” in DMs. Identity loops are a prime phishing target.

Seeing different statuses across devices can happen when one device has a newer session token and the other is effectively seeing an older checkpoint state. It’s another reason to stick to one device while you test — mixed sessions can make the verification flow “flip-flop.”

About 2FA/device trust: it can contribute indirectly. If the system doesn’t fully trust the current session/device, it may enforce additional checks (including identity confirmation) even if your password/2FA are correct. That doesn’t mean 2FA is “the problem,” it just changes the strictness of the checkpoint.

Safe triage questions (no settings changes):
1) Are you always logging in from the same city/network lately?
2) Are you using any “privacy” tools that alter traffic (VPN, iCloud Private Relay, custom DNS)?
3) When it says “Try again,” does it give a reason like “couldn’t confirm,” “video too blurry,” or “check your connection,” or is it generic?

Waiting can absolutely be the right move, especially if you’re seeing a persistent “reviewing” state. “Stuck” doesn’t automatically mean “failed” — it can mean backlog, additional checks, or the system wanting a consistent session before it finalizes.

Since you mentioned Private Relay, I’d recommend a conservative test (still low risk): keep it off for the next attempt window, use one device, and do a single login check on a stable network. Then stop and let the review state settle. Constant retries can keep you bouncing between “review” and “try again.”

If it continues beyond a reasonable window or keeps flipping statuses, the best next step is not more selfies — it’s evidence-ready notes for official support: date/time you submitted, screenshots of each status (“reviewing” vs “try again”), device model/OS, and whether Private Relay/VPN was on at the time.

Perfect approach. The goal is to avoid turning a normal review into a repeating verification loop. If you notice any change (review message disappears, you get an email, the app stops prompting), that’s a sign the account state is updating.

If you want, you can also keep a short log like: “submitted video selfie at X time,” “saw ‘try again’ on device B,” “tested once on stable network,” so you’re ready if support asks what happened — and you’re not guessing under stress.