How to set up Gmail two-factor authentication (2FA) on your phone

Information technology is absolutely essential to secure any online email account because information technology could exist connected to your online bank accounts, personal address, online shops and more than. Thankfully, Gmail makes information technology piece of cake for new users to set upwardly additional security measures.

Since its release in 2004, Google has added quite a few upgrades to its famously known e-mail platform, including two-factor authentication (2FA). If yous haven't set upward Gmail 2FA yet, we highly recommend getting to information technology like… right now.

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Gmail's 2FA feature will aid keep your account condom and secure. If someone tries to sign in to your Gmail account from a device y'all've never used before, Google will and then require them to enter a security code obtained via text message or a mobile hallmark app along with your countersign.

In fact, Google recently said that implementing 2FA on 150 million user accounts cut the charge per unit of account takeovers in half.

Beneath, we've included a handy footstep-by-footstep guide for setting upward 2-factor authentication right through your Gmail app on your iOS or Android devices. (Here'due south how to set up Gmail 2FA on a desktop.)

The first office of the instructions shows you lot how to set prompts you can receive from Google directly on your phone'due south screen, while the 2nd part shows you how to fix up Google'south Authenticator app to generate 2FA codes.

Either method is safer than having 2FA codes sent via text messages, although Google will fall back on that method as a default if you let it.

How to plow on two-gene authentication in the Gmail app

Google Prompts, text message/phone call method

1. Open up your Gmail app, select your account and click on Manage Your Google Account.

How to set up two-factor authentication on Gmail using your phone — (Image credit: Google)

two. Scroll to the right and select the choice Security in the bill of fare as shown below.

3. Scroll down and tap two-step verification, Google's name for ii-factor authentication.

four. You'll and then see a brief caption of the feature. Tap Get Started.

five. Your showtime option is to permit Google transport prompts to your phone request you to approve a sign-in on another device. This is one of the better ways to do 2FA. Tap Proceed.

6. As a fill-in option, Google wants your mobile phone number to help you lot go access to your account if the first 2FA option fails. You tin can choose between receiving a former passcode via a phone phone call or by text message. (The phone telephone call is more secure.) Choose i and tap Transport.

seven. Google will phone call or text y'all a one-time lawmaking. Enter the code sent to your device and tap the Next push one time that's done.

8. Voilà! Yous have now successfully completed the process of setting upwards the two-cistron authentication on Gmail. All you have to do at present is to click Plow on to finish the procedure and activate the characteristic.

Backup codes and Google Authenticator App method

1. You tin too opt for two additional methods: a serial of backup codes and the Google Authenticator app. Nosotros recommend setting up both.

2. The first option presents y'all with 10 backup codes that you tin can each use one time to login to your Gmail account in case your telephone is out-of-attain. Write them down and shop them in a condom and accessible place.

3. You can also employ the Google Authenticator app to generate 2FA verification codes. This will work when your phone is offline, just information technology's one of the all-time ways to exercise 2FA overall and is safer than getting codes texted to you.

If you lot choose this option, y'all volition be asked whether yous're an Android or an iPhone user. Select one and tap Next to proceed.

iv. Nosotros selected "iPhone", so we were taken to a page with a clickable download link for the app straight from the App Store. Once the Authenticator app is downloaded, Google asks you to Set upward an account and Scan the barcode presented to you equally shown below.

5. You can and then press Get Started while using the application with the procedure of getting your free verification codes.

6. One time you've scanned the barcode, y'all volition then meet your email accost pop on the screen along with the six-digit lawmaking that you volition exist asked to enter once hitting Next on your brandish. Once entered, printing Verify to go on.

7. All done! You take now successfully completed setting up another 2-gene authentication method on Gmail.

Since y'all know what you lot're doing with 2FA now, you might besides want to know how to gear up upward two-factor authentication on Facebook, how to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for Ring cameras, how to enable 2FA on the Epic Games Shop and how to enable Epic Games two-factor hallmark on Fortnite.

Updated with Google 2FA implementation results. This story was originally published in June 2021.