Supabase signup_disabled: new accounts are turned off

What it means in plain English

Supabase's Auth error list defines signup_disabled as "Sign ups (new account creation) are disabled on the server," and Supabase Auth returns it with the message Signups not allowed for this instance.

Likely causes

• Allow new users to sign up was turned off while testing, and the live app still calls signUp.
• The email provider's own signup switch is off, which surfaces as email_provider_disabled.
• The app checks the error message text. Supabase says to branch on error.code, not on the message string.

"Signups not allowed for otp"

This message comes from the OTP and magic-link endpoint, not from the project-wide switch. Supabase Auth returns it, with the code otp_disabled, when the request sets shouldCreateUser to false and no user exists for that email or phone. Either create the account first with signUp, or allow signInWithOtp to create the user by leaving shouldCreateUser at its default. Existing users can still sign in this way.

How to fix it, step by step

1. Read error.code from the Auth error. signup_disabled is the project-wide switch. email_provider_disabled is the email-and-password provider.
2. In the Auth general configuration, turn Allow new users to sign up on if new people should be able to register. Supabase says that option is what lets users sign up.
3. If the code is email_provider_disabled, enable email signups in the email provider configuration. Supabase says Confirm Email lives in that same provider configuration.
4. If you meant to keep public signup off, stop calling signUp from the marketing page and invite people another way. Do not hide the error by retrying.

How to check it worked

• A new email can create an account, or the button no longer offers signup when you intend it to be closed.
• The client checks error.code, so a wording change in the message does not break the page.

Signup can be on and still reject an address that is not on the team. See Supabase: email address not authorized.

Questions people ask

What does 'Signups not allowed for this instance' mean in Supabase?

It is the message Supabase Auth returns with the signup_disabled code. New account creation is turned off for the project, so only existing users can sign in.

How do I allow new users to sign up in Supabase?

In the Auth general configuration, turn on Allow new users to sign up. If the error code is email_provider_disabled instead, enable email signups in the email provider configuration.

Should my app check the error message or the error code?

The code. Supabase says to branch on error.code, not on the message string, so a wording change does not break the page.

What does "Signups not allowed for otp" mean in Supabase?

It comes from the OTP and magic-link sign-in. Supabase Auth returns it with the otp_disabled code when shouldCreateUser is false and no account exists for that email or phone. Create the user first, or let the sign-in create it.

Sources

• https://supabase.com/docs/guides/auth/debugging/error-codes (opens in a new tab)
• https://supabase.com/docs/guides/auth/general-configuration (opens in a new tab)
• https://github.com/supabase/auth/blob/master/internal/api/signup.go (opens in a new tab)
• https://github.com/supabase/auth/blob/master/internal/api/otp.go (opens in a new tab)