Best authenticator app6/18/2023 ![]() ![]() We don’t yet have an Instagram logo built into Authy so you can skip that part for now. Once granted, Authy automatically identifies the request and opens an Authy token with your Instagram profile name. When you hit Next will ask permission to open your Authy app. Your Instagram app will now ask to get a code from your authenticator app (in your case, Authy). If you don’t have Authy, you can install it via the instructions above. If you already have Authy, just click out. When you tap “Install Now” the app takes you to DUO’s app download. Don’t worry, Authy will work exactly the same (but Authy offers more user benefits). On the following screen, you will be asked to install a security app and it recommends DUO or Google Authenticator. Next, you’ll need to choose your security method. Move through the next screens by tapping “ Privacy and Security,” then “ Two-Factor Authentication,” the, “ Get Started.” Go to your account settings (3 bars on the right) and then look down to the gear symbol at the bottom of the screen. To start, open your Instagram app on your mobile device. Instagram has long offered two-factor authentication via SMS, but has recently offered stronger 2FA via authenticator apps like Authy. ![]() Although they work in similar ways, Authy is more feature-rich and allows for multi-device syncing, cloud-backups, and easier account recovery should you change or lose your phone or device. Read more information on the features of Authy here. Important: If any sites prompt you to use Google Authenticator - or in the case of Instagram, DUO - for two-factor authentication, note that you can always substitute the Authy 2FA app instead. ![]() Install Authy on your device by searching for it in your device’s app store. It enables you to have a single mobile app for all your 2FA accounts and you can sync them across multiple devices, even accessing them on the desktop. The best way to manage all your 2FA accounts is to use the Authy app. If for whatever reason you can't access your app or an SMS, it's your last, best bet to keep from getting locked out of your account.How to enable 2FA for Instagram Install Authy Print these out, especially if you're traveling, and keep them in a safe place. One more miscellaneous tip: The services that offer two-factor will also generally offer one-time use backup codes. Authy also lets you protect the app with a 4-digit PIN, to keep people from accessing your tokens even if they steal your device. From there, you can authenticate whatever else you need. Speaking of which, to add more devices to your Authy account, go to Settings, then Devices, and tap Allow Multi-device. The extra cautious may prefer to keep their codes on a single device, but the cloud backup makes it possible to use Authy on more than just your smartphone-there's even a Chrome extension-and also makes switching to a phone much more seamless. Authenticator apps are not vulnerable to this problem, and thus are a more secure way to do two-factor verification.Īs with so many things, it's a matter of balancing security and convenience.įor instance! Go to Settings and tap Accounts, then toggle on Authenticator Backups if you want to create encrypted backups in the cloud. “Unfortunately, it isn’t that hard for thieves to impersonate you to your mobile phone carrier and hijack your mobile phone number-either with a phone call to customer support or walking into a phone store,” says Lorrie Cranor, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon University and former FTC technologist who had her own SIM stolen in 2016. By stealing your phone number, hackers can redirect any two-factor notifications to their own devices, allowing them much easier entry to your accounts. Specifically, it leaves you exposed if someone hijacks your smartphone’s SIM, a longtime problem that has only gotten worse of late. While certainly better than nothing, getting your 2FA from SMS has plenty of potential downside. Yes, the easiest way to implement two-factor is with SMS, receiving a text with an access code every time you try to log into a secured account. For better protection, you’re going to want an authenticator app. Not all two-factor is created equal, however. That’s where access to Facebook or Twitter or your online bank-anything that supports it, really-requires not just a password but also a special code. Hopefully by now you’ve heeded the repeated warnings from your friends and loved ones (and friendly, beloved internet writers) to use two-factor authentication to secure your digital accounts.
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