How to enable 2 factor authentication instagram


How to Set up Two-Factor Authentication on Instagram

  • Two-factor authentication on Instagram helps secure your account and information, and there are two ways to set it up. 
  • One way is to use your cell phone — register your phone number to receive a text message with a unique code to gain access to your account. 
  • You can also set up two-factor authentication on Instagram using a third-party app. 

Any social media user will tell you how important securing your account is. Hackers and spammers have become a lot more sophisticated, so platforms like Instagram have encouraged users to enable two-factor authentication — an extra level of security connecting your account with two or more devices before you're granted access. 

On Instagram, there are two ways you can enable two-factor authentication. The first, and by far the easiest, is with your cell phone number. When you log into your Instagram account, it will send a text message to your phone with a unique code. The second is with a third-party authentication app. 

Here's how to do both.

How to set up two-factor authentication on Instagram using your phone number 

1. Open the Instagram app on your device. 

2. Go to your profile by tapping the profile icon at the bottom right corner of the screen.

3. Select the three horizontal lines icon in the top right corner. 

Tap the three-line menu icon at the top right of your profile page. Meira Gebel/Business Insider

4. From the pop-up menu, select "Settings." 

Tap "Settings." Meira Gebel/Business Insider

5. In the Settings menu, select "Security." 

Tap "Security." Meira Gebel/Business Insider

6. Under "Login Security," tap to select "Two-Factor Authentication.

Tap "Two-Factor Authentication." Meira Gebel/Business Insider

7. Select "Get Started."

Tap "Get Started." Meira Gebel/Business Insider

8. Select "Text Message." 

Tap the toggle button next to "Text Message. " Meira Gebel/Business Insider

9. Enter your phone number and then select "Next." 

Type in your phone number and tap "Next." Meira Gebel/Business Insider

10. Enter the code sent to your phone and then select "Next." 

Type in the code that was texted to you, then hit "Next. " Meira Gebel/Business Insider

11. Once you've entered the correct code sent to your device, your two-factor authentication should now be active. Instagram will also give you a list of codes you can use when you don't have access to your phone, so be sure to take a screenshot or save wherever you keep your password manager.

How to set up two-factor authentication on Instagram using a third-party app 

1. Open the Instagram app on your device. 

2. Go to your profile by tapping the profile icon at the bottom right corner of the screen.

3. Select the three horizontal lines icon in the top right corner. 

4. Select "Settings." 

5. Select "Security." 

6. Select "Two-Factor Authentication" from the menu options. 

7. Select "Get Started."

8. Select "Authentication App." 

Tap the toggle button next to "Authentication App (Recommended)." Meira Gebel/Business Insider

9. If you don't already have one of these apps on your phone, Instagram will recommend either Google Authenticator or Duo Mobile, depending on your device. Download the suggested app, and tap "Next."

Download the app and tap "Next. " Meira Gebel/Business Insider

10. Once the app is done downloading, a pop-up will take you to the third-party two-factor authentication app to retrieve an access code. 

11. Copy the code from the third-party app and then return to Instagram and paste it in the text field. 

Copy the time-sensitive code from the authenticator app before returning to the Instagram app. Meira Gebel/Business Insider

12. Now you will be registered with the third-party app so that anytime you log into your Instagram account, a code will be sent to the app for verification. 

Your authenticator app is now confirmed — tap "Next" to complete the process. Meira Gebel/Business Insider
  • How to set up two-factor authentication on Skype, and increase the security of all your Microsoft accounts


  • How to set up two-factor authentication on Amazon to protect your account data and payment information

  • How to turn off two-step and two-factor authentication on an iPhone, through your Apple ID account

  • How to log out of Instagram on your phone or computer to protect your account's security

  • How to disconnect your Instagram account from Facebook

Meira Gebel

Meira Gebel is a freelance reporter based in Portland, Oregon. She writes about business, culture, and technology for Insider. Her work has been featured in Digital Trends, Willamette Week, USA Today, and more. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School and San Francisco State University.  Feel free to reach out to her on Twitter, where she can be found most of the time, @MeiraGebel.

Read moreRead less

How to turn on two-factor authentication on Instagram

Learn to set up two-factor authentication to enhance security on Instagram in this quick and easy guide.

India Today Web Desk

New Delhi,UPDATED: Nov 22, 2020 16:47 IST

Learn to turn on two-factor authentication on Instagram in this quick guide.

By India Today Web Desk: Instagram is a photo and video sharing social media application. It allows its users to share their memories in the forms of stories, photos, reels, and more. Instagram offers two-factor authentication which is a security feature. When you set up this two-factor authentication, you are asked to enter a special login code or confirm your login attempt each time someone tries accessing Instagram from an unrecognized or unfamiliar device.

advertisement

There are several two-factor authentication methods you can use with your Instagram account. In order to begin with two-factor authentication, choose either:

  • Text message (SMS) codes on your mobile phone.
  • Login codes from a third-party authentication app (such as duo mobile or Google authenticator).

You are required to set up at least one of the above to use two-factor authentication.

Note: After turning on two-factor authentication, you will be able to access recovery codes for your account if you have issues in receiving a code.

In case you use a third-party authentication app (such as duo mobile or Google authenticator), then you can set up two-factor authentication manually for your Instagram account. It will generate a key that you can use to set up two-factor authentication for each of your devices. Your Instagram key can also be used in case of using multiple authentication apps on the same device.

How to set up two-factor authentication manually

Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your device.

Step 2: Then, tap on the 'profile icon' in the bottom right to go to your profile page.

Step 3: Tap on the three lines in the top right.

Step 4: Then, tap on the 'settings' icon

Step 5: Tap on 'security' and then scroll down and tap 'two-factor authentication'.

Step 6: Tap the slider next to the authentication app, then tap 'set up manually'.

Step 7: In case you cannot see the toggle switch, tap 'get started'.

  • Tap 'copy key' below the Instagram key and paste it into your authentication app (example: duo mobile or Google authenticator).
  • Note: You have to copy the key code to your clipboard, and take a screenshot, as it will not be accessible again after the set up is finished.
  • After your Instagram account is connected to your authentication app, copy the 6-digit code your authentication app creates.
  • Then, go back to the Instagram app, tap 'next' and paste the 6-digit code to complete the process.

After you have set up two-factor authentication on the first device, you can now send the Instagram key to your other devices and set up two-factor authentication from there.

advertisement

How to turn on two-factor authentication for multiple devices

For all other devices, you will be able to paste the Instagram key generated from your first device into the authentication app on every additional device and connect your Instagram account to it.

Please note that your IG key is different from a one-time code generated through your authentication app:

  • IG key: Your IG key is a code that is generated when you manually set up two-factor authentication on a device and it can be used to set up two-factor authentication across many devices.
  • One-time code: This is a 6-digit security code you can use for verification.
  • Recovery code: This is a code you can use as a backup if you are unable to access your 6-digit code generated by your authentication app.

(Source: Instagram help)

Read: How to send and use direct messages on Instagram: All you need to know

Read: How to ignore someone on Facebook Messenger: Step-by-step guide

Read: How to prevent Amazon from collecting data

Edited By:

Megha Chaturvedi

Published On:

Nov 22, 2020

Two-factor authentication on Instagram: how to enable or disable

Two-factor authentication on Instagram is a way to further protect your social network profile from hacking attempts.

Two-factor is explained by the fact that in order to enter the page from another device, each time you need to enter additional data:

Advertising: 2VtzqwCpaPT

  • at the first stage, this is the login and password for entering;
  • at the second stage is the authentication code received in an SMS message or through special applications such as Duo Mobile, Google Authenticator.

The number of attempts to hack accounts in many social networks is growing every year. Fraudsters are developing more and more sophisticated ways to get access to your data. According to CNews Analytics, only in 2014-2015 there were several successful hacker attacks:

Year What happened:
September 2014 Hackers obtained the data of about 5 million accounts of the Gmail mail service.
September 2014 With the help of phishing and virus infection, attackers stole more than 1 million Yandex user passwords.
September 2014 were hacked and compiled into a database of approximately 4.6 million passwords from Mail.ru mail.
October 2014 Fraudsters attacked about 200,000 Vkontakte users, all accounts had Gmail, Mail.ru and Yandex email addresses.
May 2015 6.7 million user accounts of the popular Ask. ru website were hacked.
October 2015 Hackers took over the data of 15 million T-mobile customers.

The two-factor authentication function is equally important for ordinary users and owners Instagram business pages and public accounts with a large number of followers when it is important to keep Instagram data safe from the hands of scammers. For ordinary users, this feature can be useful, but it will take more time to visit the profile.

Read also: How to upgrade your Instagram from scratch

How to enable two-factor authentication on Instagram

Instagram offers to get an authentication code using one of the following methods:

  • via SMS;
  • using a specialized application.

Two-factor authentication using SMS messages

Advantages of this method:

  • every time you visit you will receive a randomly generated password on your phone. If they try to hack the page, having learned the login and password, the attackers will not be able to predict the combination of numbers that you will receive;
  • login is not possible without a mobile device, the number of which is linked to the Instagram page.

Of the minuses of this method, the following can be noted:

  • with a constant request for codes from the same device, the likelihood that fraudsters will be able to hack your account increases;
  • in the absence of a cellular signal, it becomes necessary to enter a backup code that may be lost.

To set up this method, you need:

  1. Open Instagram, find the icon with the image of a person's silhouette, click. In the window that opens, click "Edit profile" or go to the settings using the icon:
  2. We find in the menu "Privacy and security", "Two-factor authentication":
  1. On the page that opens, opposite SMS, activate the slider - your number will receive a code that must be entered to confirm the operation.
  1. Link your mobile number to your profile if it is not already linked. To do this, select "Next" (for iPhone) or (for Android) and enter a valid phone number that you use to contact:
  1. After entering the code from SMS, click "Done", in automatic mode you will be redirected to the page with backup codes. With their help, you can confirm the entry when you are unable to receive an SMS with a code. The program will automatically take a picture of this page so that the codes are not lost:

This will help so that later you do not have to spend time and effort on restoring your Instagram account.

Two-factor authentication with mobile app

The advantages of this method are that:

  • you can log into your account even if there is no mobile connection;
  • in one application, you can generate passwords for multiple devices.

Of the minuses, it is worth saying that:

  • if the server is hacked and the primary key is obtained, scammers will be able to generate a password and enter your page;
  • If the app generates security codes on the same device that you use to access Instagram (for example, a tablet or smartphone), two-factor is reduced.

The way to set up two-factor authentication through a mobile application is identical to the settings using SMS messages, but:

  1. In the item for choosing a security method, move the slider to the active position, opposite "Authentication application". We download the application to your gadget using the App Store or Play Market:
  1. Install the authenticator app and return to Instagram. We receive a confirmation code to enter the account:

    Click "Next", go to the authenticator application, click "save key". Now your profile has been added to the application, you are open to receive verification codes.
  1. We return to Instagram, then enter the numbers from the code and click "Done":

Now, when you visit your Instagram page, you must enter an identification code every time.

Current: How to use the question sticker in Stories

How to turn off two-factor authentication and why it is better not to do it

If necessary, you can turn off two-factor authentication settings. But, if the function does not work, your data may be threatened by attackers. To turn it off, go to the "Settings" menu, select the "Two-factor authentication" item and deactivate each of the sliders:

The relevance of additional protection of your personal data on the Instagram social network is growing exponentially. The two-factor verification option is a great opportunity to further protect your account from the hands of scammers. Each time you visit a social network from an unidentified gadget, you will need to prove that you are the owner of this page. This is a robust enough feature to make it difficult for attackers to get their hands on the account. In addition, if the page is being hacked, you will receive a confirmation code, this will make it clear that someone is trying to access the page.

Comparison of online courses

Before you buy any course, compare conditions from different schools - tuition fees, discounts, duration, whether there is an employment program. Find an online course >>

Advertising

More articles on the topic:

We recommend:

Advertising

News

Reviews

Article

Advertising

Two-factor authentication Instagram how to enable and disable?

Falcon Security 105.561

Yesterday, March 23, 2017, Instagram developers announced in their blog the addition of the long-awaited two-factor authentication feature for many.

In this article I will tell you what is two-factor authentication Instagram or as it is also called "Two-step authentication". Why and in what cases it should be used and when it is not necessary. Well, of course, I will show you how to enable it, how to use it correctly and how to disable it, in the case when this function is not needed.

I recommend reading the article "How to find out who viewed the page on Instagram. "

  • Foreword
  • What is 2-Step Verification on Instagram
  • Enable two-factor authentication Instagram
  • How to disable two-factor authentication Instagram

Instagram 2-Step Verification

What is it?

Two-factor authentication is a method of identifying a user in an Internet service by requesting two different types of authentication data, which provides better account protection from hacking.

In practice, it usually looks like this:

  • The first level of protection is the login and password
  • The second level of protection is a secret code sent via SMS, email or push notifications on your phone.

In general, the essence of this authorization method is quite simple: in order to get somewhere, you need to confirm the fact that you are you twice, and with the help of two different “keys”, one of which you own and the other you keep in memory.

Why do I need this?

If you are a regular user whose account is of little value, then you don't need it. But if you are an account owner with at least a couple of hundred followers or some public person, then in such a situation you should definitely enable two-step verification.

How to enable two-factor authentication Instagram

1. Go to the Instagram application and click on the person icon in the lower right corner. Then in the profile window in the upper right corner, click on the three dots.

2. In the profile settings, select "Two-factor authentication". In the 2-Step Verification settings, set the "Require Code" slider to active.

3. If you did not provide a phone number when registering your account, you will have to do so now. Click on the "Enter number" button and in the window that appears, enter your mobile phone number.

4. Enter your mobile phone number. If the number is correct, you will receive a security code that you must enter.

6. At the end you will be asked to take a screenshot of your backup codes. Backup codes can come in handy if you lose access to your phone number and cannot receive a security code via SMS.

I strongly advise against taking a screenshot and storing it in an unprotected way in the gallery, instead I can advise using a password manager for Android and iOS to store backup passcodes.

Using two-factor authentication Instagram

Now, when you try to log into your account, the system will require you to enter the security code for Instagram.

Two-factor authentication Instagram

As you can see, there is nothing complicated. It can be a little stressful, but it's worth it!

How to disable two-factor authentication Instagram

Disabling this feature is as easy as enabling it. Just go to your 2-Step Verification settings and turn the "Require code" slider to inactive.

That's it. I hope I helped you improve the security of your Instagram account.


Learn more