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How to enable 2FA on Google account
In This Article
Keeping all of your online accounts safe can be tricky, and it can be overwhelming to know that all your personal information is being kept in one place.
That’s why two-factor authorisation (or2FA) is so important, as it adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts, which will help warn off online scammers and hackers from trying to go after your account.
Setting up 2FA is surprisingly easy on a Google account and only takes a few simple steps, which we’re going to walk you through. So, without further ado, here is the simplest way you can set up two-factor authorisation for your Google account.
What we used
The Short Version
Step1
Go into your Google account
Usethis linkto access your Google account. You can also type ‘Google account’ into Chrome.
Step2
Select ‘Security’
In the menu on the left-hand side of the screen, click on ‘Security’, which will take you to a new page.
Step3
Scroll down to ‘Signing in to Google’
After clicking on Security and being sent to a new page, scroll down to the ‘Signing in to Google’ section of the page.
Step4
Click on 2-step Verification
Click on the ‘2-step Verification’ option in ‘Signing in to Google’. It will be the second choice down out of two.
Step5
Click ‘Get Started’
Click the blue ‘Get Started’ button to continue the process.
Step6
Press ‘Next’
This screen will inform you of all the devices that can be sent prompts for your login. These devices will likely be phones, and they all should be registered to you, making sure that no one else can access your 2FA codes.Click on the ‘Don’t see your device?’ button if the devices listed don’t look right to you. If everything looks fine, click Next.
Step7
Enter your backup number and press ‘Send’
Choose a phone number that can be used in a backup scenario. We recommend using your own phone number here, for more security. After you have entered the phone number, press ‘Send’.
Step8
Enter the code
Enter the code that has been sent to the number you used in Step 7. Do not share the code with anyone.
Step9
Press ‘Turn On’
Once you have entered the code correctly, you will have the option to turn on 2-step Verification. Once you’ve done this, the process is completed.
FAQs
Yes, you can always turn two-factor authorisation off if you want to.
Yes, 2FA is another added layer of security that will make it harder for hackers or scammers to access your information since they will need the code sent to your handset to access your account.
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Gemma joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer after graduating from Leeds Beckett University with a Journalism degree. She’s worked with national outlets, covering breaking news stories to reviews fo…
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
