How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication
Set up two-factor authentication, choose stronger options when available, save recovery codes, and avoid sharing approval prompts or one-time codes.
Protect your most important accounts first
Start with your primary email, Apple Account, password manager, and financial services. These accounts may control access to many others. Open each service's official security settings and look for two-factor authentication or two-step verification. Follow the setup instructions carefully. Keep a unique password as well. Adding another authentication step does not make password reuse a good idea.
Choose the strongest practical option
When supported, consider passkeys or hardware security keys, which can offer strong resistance to phishing. An authenticator app is another common option for generating temporary codes. Text-message codes are generally better than password-only access, but they have weaknesses related to phone-number takeover and phishing. Choose an option you can maintain reliably, and understand how the service handles sign-in from a new device.
Save recovery methods before you need them
Store recovery codes in a protected place separate from the device used for authentication. If supported, register a backup security key and keep it somewhere safe. Check that your recovery email and phone number remain current. Before replacing or erasing a phone, transfer authenticator accounts according to the app's instructions. Test that the new device works before removing access from the old one.
Treat codes and prompts as secrets
Never read a one-time code to an unexpected caller or send it in a message. Do not approve a sign-in prompt you did not initiate. Repeated prompts may indicate that someone knows your password and is trying to wear you down. Deny the request, open the account directly, and review its security. Two-factor authentication helps, but a fake sign-in page can still capture some types of codes.