2FA on your account adds an extra level of security to your online account by connecting it with another device. You can set up 2FA on any of your accounts in a few simple steps through SMS on your phone or a third-party app.
The work is that if someone tries to access your account from an unfamiliar device, the 2FA will send a unique code to either your mobile device or a third-party authentication app. In this post, I will teach you how to enable 2FA from web and mobile phone and the importance of it.
The 2FA may still be strange in the ear of many but don’t tell me that your files are not important to you. Besides updating password regularly there are great needs to activate 2FA to protect your account online. With this enabled in your device the fear of hackers would no longer exist.
2FA works virtually on all platforms where the account can be created like Facebook, Gmail, WhatsApp, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Godaddy, HostGator, Bluehost, Namecheap, Hostgator, Tiktok and many more.
Why Do You Need to Enable 2FA?
With the persistent increase in the rate of fraudulent activities on the internet, it’s the best thing to do is to activate 2FA in all the account you have online. Recently our daily transactions have gradually taken more space online than offline. Therefore you need to secure your sensitive details and document from being hacked. The following are the importance of 2FA.
1. Lowers helpdesk and security management costs
It’s apparent that the cost of keeping your file safe online is alarming though might be affordable to some persons once you get 2FA activated on your account nobody can break into it without your consent. If you do not want to spend all your hard-earned money paying a third party to manage and secure your files then what you need is to enable 2FA and do the management yourself.
2. Increase productivity and flexibility
You may ask how 2FA increases productivity and flexibility, it’s simple; It does this when you do not need to wait for anybody before your start-up works for the day. Some agents may not give you an immediate reply when want to do something important thereby wasting time trying to pass all the processes to get you connected. With 2FA active you are can connect to work at your convenience time.
3. Improved security
We talked about security as the primary reason one needs to enable two factors authentication. Hackers work tirelessly every now and again to steal others private information. It’s no longer strange news how bank accounts are hacked online today, on the vein you have also heard of private information being exposed online, these are as a a result of weak security. Therefore security is the major reason you need to enable this security check.
4. Reduce fraud and build secure online relationships
Once you set up 2FA, you have kept fraudulent activities at minimal because there will be no way to impermissibly access your account.
5. Simplification of Login Process
Another reason why you need to enable 2FA is that it makes login easier. It reduces the errors you may have while trying to access your account or files. What you would do each time you want to access your account after the activation is to copy the six digits code sent to you and paste it on the space provided for it and you will be taken immediately to your homepage. Other reasons are, It’s a holistic approach to mobile engagement solution and it Boosts productivity with mobility.
How to enable 2FA from the web
It’s easy to enable 2FA using your web browser of choice. Just log into the account you want to activate the 2FA and follow the steps below. You can choose to use SMS-based security or an app-based code generator like Google Authenticator or Authy. I recommend the latter since SMS code is far easier to get than app-based code generators, but you can even enable both if you want.
The steps with which you are to enable 2FA on the various accounts are similar. Recently we published an article on Login Help & The General Requirements for Accessing All Accounts. Here we’ll share with you the general steps for activating 2FA on your various accounts from different devices..
Note: that 2FA also means two-factor authentication,here i prefer to use 2FA for better understanding.
- Go to the website where you have created the account, log in and click the menu from the home page, then click Settings.
- Click Security and Login.
- Near the bottom of the list in the Two-Factor Authentication section, click Edit next to Use two-factor authentication.
- From here, you can choose to use an authentication app or SMS for receiving codes. You can enable the other later if you want. If you choose SMS, click Use Text Message.
- Enter your phone number if it’s not already displayed), then enter the verification code the website sent to your phone.
- If you don’t want to use your phone number to enable the 2FA, then click Use Authentication App.
- You need to use your authentication app to scan the QR code displayed, then enter the code your app generates to confirm.
As soon as it is enabled, you’ll need to enter a generated code every time you sign into this account from a new device. 2FA is now the best way to prevent unauthorized access to your account, since it means even having your password isn’t enough to get in.
How to Enable 2FA from Mobile
Google has said that the most used internet device today is the mobile phone, we use it every day to access our account and search for different things online. This is why if you want to improve the security of your account you will enable 2FA on your account.
The step is just as easy on your mobile phone as on the web, though depending on your authenticator app of choice, you may or may not be able to scan the provided QR code on the same device. In this write-up, we will explain how to set up 2FA for your account from your mobile so that you don’t need your computer to improve the security of your account.
Activate and configure 2FA for your account from the mobile Now we are going to explain in a very quick and simple way the steps you have to follow in order to activate the 2FA for your account in each of the mobile operating systems.
If you and to learn how to access and manage your accounts, read, Login Help and The General Requirements for Accessing All Accounts.
How to set up 2FA on iPhone/iOS
- Open the mobile application of the website you register an account with by using your iOS device.
- Then click on the Settings icon to enter the Settings
- Then choose the Account option to enter the Security and sign in.
- Select the Two-Factor Authentication option.
- If you do not already have one installed, you will be asked to download an Authentication application, such as Authy or Google Authenticator. You can use the one you like.
- Once any of these 2 applications are installed, you will be asked to connect the app to your account.
- For that, you will have to generate a code and then copy it into your account to establish the connection.
- Once you are logged in, 2FA will be active on your account.
Meanwhile, before the process is complete, a screen that recommends adding your phone number as a backup method will be displayed and you will also be given the backup codes. Add your phone and store these codes in a safe place.
This is how to to activate it in iOS, now let’s see how it’s done in Android operating system.
How to enable 2FA from your Android
- Open the app on your Android device and open the menu tab
- Tap Settings & Privacy.
- Then tap Settings.
- Below Security, tap Security and Login.
- Under Two-Factor Authentication, tap Use two-factor authentication.
- select either Authentication App or Text Message (SMS).
- If you choose the app, you’ll be required to scan the provided QR code. If your authenticator app is unable to scan a code in a separate app, you can tap the code underneath to copy it to your clipboard, then paste it into the authenticator app for manual setup.
- Enter the confirmation code provided by either SMS or your authenticator app.
- Once you’ve completed these steps, you should see a confirmation screen verifying that 2FA is now enabled for your account.
How to Use 2FA After Activation
Upon activation on the web, Android, PC or iOS you will be required to fill in the code that will be generated by the app into the third space on the login field, the field always come last except on social media like Whatsapp where you will receive a code through text. It’s a step you must pass once 2FA is active on your phone. The code lasts for a few seconds after which it will expire. So endeavour to use the code immediately it’s generated.
That’s it! These are the steps to follow to enable 2FA for your account from the web and mobile device.