# Staff cannot manually activate invited accounts after 48 hours has elapsed

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/staff-cannot-manually-activate-invited-accounts-after-48-hours-has-elapsed/66292>\
**Category:** Bug\
**Created:** [Juillet 16, 2017, 6:22 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/staff-cannot-manually-activate-invited-accounts-after-48-hours-has-elapsed/66292 "2017-07-16T18:22:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 14

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**Author:** ![techAPJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/techapj/32/342990_2.png) [@techAPJ](https://meta.discourse.org/u/techAPJ)\
**Post date:** [Juillet 20, 2017, 5:18 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/staff-cannot-manually-activate-invited-accounts-after-48-hours-has-elapsed/66292/14 "2017-07-20T05:18:03Z")

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> [@codinghorror](#):
>
> This seems correct. The only difference is that issuing a password reset or forgot password should work in this case, shouldn’t it?

That is correct, and I verified locally on a copy of Steve’s site that sending forgot password email and following that link (changing password), user is able to regain access to that account.

I provided repro steps just to provide context on how users are ending up with “activated” account, but unable to login the next time they visit. (as described by @Benjamin_Mosior)

There is only one actual issue here, and that is:

> [@techAPJ](#):
>
> We are only confirming active email tokens (by default: created in last 48 hours), so if the Admin tries to manually deactivate/activate the account after 48 hours the older email tokens are not getting confirmed, only the `active` field in user account is set to `true`.

So, admins can’t activate the account (read: confirm email) manually and users (or Admin) will need to trigger forgot password email and change the password to regain access to that account.

Also, if the site setting `must approve users` is disabled, users can simply click on Resend Activation Email button to regain access. Like in the case of @Benjamin_Mosior site.

**TL;DR**

So the bug here is: Admin can’t activate the user account manually (after 48 hours of account creation) via User Admin page.

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_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/staff-cannot-manually-activate-invited-accounts-after-48-hours-has-elapsed/66292)._