> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.uppromote.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.uppromote.com/settings/general-settings/social-identity-verification-with-bio-code.md).
# Social Identity Verification with Bio-code
Social Identity Verification helps you confirm that the Instagram or TikTok accounts submitted by affiliates actually belong to them.
When verification is required, UpPromote provides affiliates with a unique code to add to their social profile bio. UpPromote then checks the submitted profile and marks it as Verified when the correct code is found.
This helps you reduce fake or impersonated social profiles, review affiliates with more confidence, and quickly identify affiliates with verified social accounts without manually checking each profile
Currently, Bio-code verification supports **Instagram** and **TikTok**.
### **Before you enable Social Identity Verification**
Requiring social verification adds an extra step to your affiliate registration process. Before enabling it, keep the following in mind:
* Affiliates must successfully verify every required social profile before they can join your program.
* Affiliates can make up to **5 verification attempts per platform within 24 hours.**
* If an affiliate uses all verification attempts without successfully verifying the profile, they **cannot verify again or join the program until the verification window resets.**
* Affiliates need to use a **public social profile** so UpPromote can check the verification code in their bio. Private or inaccessible profiles cannot be successfully verified
* A verification code is valid for **30 minutes**. If it expires before verification is completed, the affiliate needs to get a new code.
* If an affiliate reloads or leaves the registration page **before completing registration**, their current verification state is reset and they need to start the verification process again.
* Once a social profile is successfully verified, the affiliate **cannot replace or edit that verified account later.**
We recommend enabling verification only for the social platforms that are important to your affiliate recruitment process.
#### Step 1: Enable Social Identity Verification
Go to: **Settings > General > Affiliate review**
Turn on **Require social identity verification.**
Then select the social platforms you want affiliates to verify:
* Select all
* Instagram
* TikTok
When you first enable the feature, all supported platforms are selected by default. You can deselect any platform you don't want to require.
At least one platform must remain selected while Social Identity Verification is enabled.
Click **Save** to apply the setting.
The setting applies at the shop level, so changes are automatically applied across your programs.
#### Step 2: Choose where social verification is required
After enabling Social Identity Verification, go to the **Registration page editor** of each program.
For Instagram and TikTok, you can decide whether the social field should be **shown or hidden** on that program's registration form.
If a social platform is selected for Bio-code verification:
**Field is shown**
The field automatically becomes required, and affiliates must successfully verify the account before joining.
**Field is hidden**
The field does not appear on the registration form, so affiliates do not need to verify that platform.\
For example, suppose you enable Bio-code verification for both Instagram and TikTok, but your registration form is configured as:
* Instagram — Show
* TikTok — Hide
Affiliates joining this program only need to verify their **Instagram account.**
> Note: Selecting a platform in Settings does not automatically mean every affiliate must verify it. The social field must also be shown on that program's registration form.
#### Step 3: Affiliates verify their social profiles
When an affiliate opens your registration page, UpPromote guides them through the verification process.
For each required social profile, the affiliate needs to:
1. Click **Get verification code.**
2. Copy the code provided by UpPromote.
3. Add the code to their Instagram or TikTok bio.
4. Save the change on their social profile.
5. Return to the registration page.
6. Enter their public social profile URL.
7. Click Submit for verification.
If UpPromote finds the correct code in the profile bio, the account is marked as **Verified**.
The basic flow is:
**Get code → Add code to bio → Enter profile URL → Submit for verification → Join**
If your registration form requires both Instagram and TikTok verification, the affiliate must successfully verify **both platform** before they can join.
#### What happens if verification fails?
An affiliate may fail verification if, for example:
* The verification code has not been added correctly to their bio.
* The submitted profile URL is incorrect.
* The social profile is private.
* UpPromote cannot access the submitted profile.
When verification fails, the affiliate can check their profile, update the URL if needed, and try again
Each affiliate has up to **5 attempts per platform within 24 hours**.
If all attempts are used without successful verification, the affiliate must wait until verification becomes available again.
Because successful verification is required to complete registration, the affiliate **cannot join your program while the required social profile remains unverified.**
This restriction is important to consider before requiring verification, especially if social verification is not essential for every affiliate you recruit.
#### Step 4: Check verified social profiles
After an affiliate successfully completes registration, you can see their verification status from the **Affiliate list.**
The **Social verification** column shows which platforms the affiliate has verified, such as:
* Instagram
* TikTok
This lets you identify verified affiliates without manually opening and checking each social account.
Verification status is also available when viewing the affiliate's profile information.
#### Step 5: Filter affiliates by verified platform
To find affiliates who have verified a specific social platform:
1. Go to **Affiliates**.
2. Open the **Social verification filter.**
3. Select **Instagram, TikTok**, or both.
4. Click **Apply**.
If both Instagram and TikTok are selected, the list shows affiliates who have verified at least one of the selected platforms.
You can combine this filter with other Affiliate list filters.
#### What happens after verification?
Once an Instagram or TikTok profile has been successfully verified, that social profile becomes **read-only** in the Affiliate Portal.
The affiliate cannot replace the verified account with another account later.
This helps ensure that the social account you review is the same account that was originally verified.
#### **Other things to know**
Social Identity Verification currently applies to **Instagram and TikTok** only. Other social fields continue to work normally.
Existing affiliates are **not automatically asked to verify their social profiles** after you enable the feature. Bio-code verification applies to affiliates going through the supported registration flow after the setting is enabled.
Turning the feature off does not remove verification results that have already been recorded.
