How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on Instagram

While posting lots of updates on your social media accounts, keeping your personal information safe should be your priority. While weaker passwords are easily compromised, the only way to combat this is to use two-factor authentication. Especially with the beloved Instagram.

While Instagram already supports third-party authentication app and text messaging, you can now get authentication codes on WhatsApp as well. With such flexible options, it’s really important that you set up a two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Instagram login.

We’ll show you how to set up and use two factor authentication (2FA) on Instagram. Let’s get right to the point.

How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) with the Authenticator App

If you already use an authentication app to sign in to other apps on your phone, you can also use this app to enable two-factor authentication on Instagram. Here’s how.

Stage 1: Open the Instagram app on your phone and switch to the Profile tab. Now click on the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner and select Settings from the menu that appears.

Step 2: Go to security settings. On the next page, under Login Security, click on Two-Factor Authentication. Then click Get Started.

Stage 3: Here you can choose from three available methods to set up and use two-factor authentication on Instagram. To setup using an authentication application, turn on ‘Authentication Application (Recommended)’.

Step 4: Then, if you don’t have any authentication apps installed on your phone, Instagram will first ask you to download one.

Note: Although Instagram recommends using DUO or Google Authenticator for 2FA, you can also use other authentication apps like Authy, LastPass Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or any other authentication app for that matter.

After downloading, follow the onscreen instructions and Instagram will take you to the authentication app.

Step 5: Copy the code from the authentication app and paste it into the Instagram app. Once verified, you will see a screen that says ‘Two-Factor Authentication On’. Finally, click Done.

Now every time you log into your Instagram account from a new device, it will ask you for an authentication code in addition to your login password.

How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) with WhatsApp

If you don’t like the idea of ​​using a custom authentication app to enable two-factor authentication, you can choose to get these 2FA codes on WhatsApp as well. Here’s how.

Stage 1: Open Settings on Instagram and go to Security > Two-Factor Authentication.

Step 2: Under ‘Choose Your Security Method’, turn on the switch next to WhatsApp.

Stage 3: Next, enter your WhatsApp phone number and hit Next. You will now receive a login code on WhatsApp from the official account of Instagram. Enter this code on Instagram and click Next.

This much. Once verified, you can now use your WhatsApp account to get the authentication codes for Instagram.

How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) by Phone Number

If you want to do it the old-fashioned way, you can also choose to receive authentication codes over a text message. Here’s how to set up two factor authentication on Instagram with your phone number.

Stage 1: Open Settings on Instagram and go to Security > Two-Factor Authentication.

Step 2: Under ‘Choose Your Security Method’, turn on the switch next to Text Message.

Stage 3: By default, Instagram sends a code to the phone number associated with your Instagram account. If you don’t have a phone number linked to your account, it will ask you to enter a phone number and then hit Next. Verify the code sent to your phone and click Next again.

Once verified, you’re ready to receive authentication codes via text message to your phone.

How to Sign In Using Recovery Codes

While two-factor authentication is crucial to keeping your account secure, there may be instances when for some reason you cannot get a code through the authentication app. To fix this, Instagram also provides five Recovery Codes that you can use to log into your Instagram account. However, each of these codes is for one-time use only.

You can write down or screenshot these codes by going to Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication > Additional Methods > Backup Codes.

Also, if you use all these Recovery codes, you can always request new ones here.

How to Enable or Disable Login Requests on Instagram

When you enable two-factor authentication on Instagram, it also enables the Login Requests feature by default. This feature will send an alert when someone tries to log into your Instagram account using one of the Backup Codes. Here’s how it works.

When someone tries to log in, you will get a notification in the Activity tab. From here, you can choose to approve or deny the login request.

The Login feature adds an extra layer of security in case someone accesses your Recovery Codes.

If you don’t want to be notified of such login requests, you can easily disable this feature from the Instagram app. Here’s how.

Go to Settings in your Instagram app. Now go to Security > Two-factor authentication > Additional Methods. Turn off the Login Requests option.

And that’s about it. Instagram will no longer notify you of new login requests. Also, you can enable this feature at any time.

Double Safe

These were all the ways to set up two factor authentication on Instagram. Having this extra level of security adds to comfort. Besides Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook etc. You can also enable two-factor authentication for other apps, such as