{"id":71623,"date":"2023-02-22T08:19:12","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T16:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/?p=71623"},"modified":"2025-04-17T12:00:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T19:00:39","slug":"what-is-2fa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/","title":{"rendered":"Why settle for one layer of security when you can have 2FA?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Password hacks so you don\u2019t get hacked | #AskFirefox\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-0ZFZnq_v0g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Two-factor authentication is one of the most accessible and <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/mozilla\/a-look-at-password-security-part-iii-more-secure-login-protocols\/\">effective online security tools<\/a> around. Turning it on works as an extra layer of protection between hackers and your personal, work, banking or any other information stored in your online accounts. Read on to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is 2FA?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With 2FA, logging onto an online account will require not just a password but a second form of verification.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This usually means linking your phone number to your account, so that you\u2019ll also have to enter a secure code delivered to you via text message. That way even if someone gets access to your password \u2014 when it\u2019s exposed in a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/privacy-security\/privacy-security-tips\/what-to-do-after-a-data-breach\/\">breach<\/a>, for example \u2014 they still won\u2019t be able to log in since they don\u2019t have your phone.&nbsp;(Another way to minimize this risk: Use a unique password for each account.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prefer not to receive 2FA texts? Or, in <a href=\"https:\/\/help.twitter.com\/en\/managing-your-account\/two-factor-authentication\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the case of a Twitter account<\/a>, you\u2019re not a Twitter Blue subscriber? There\u2019s another way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Authentication apps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of receiving a security code via SMS, you can install an authentication app. If you want to enable 2FA with your <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/products\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/firefox-account-password-manager-bookmarks-credit-card-autofill\/\">Firefox account<\/a> for example, you can use Authy, Google Authenticator, Duo Mobile, FreeOTP, andOTP or KeepassXC. Here\u2019s what you\u2019d need to do:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Download an <a href=\"https:\/\/support.mozilla.org\/en-US\/kb\/secure-firefox-account-two-step-authentication\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">authentication app<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Firefox, click on the menu button <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"menu button retina\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/_-90EQZ0G0Phf3dZEOTsw0CPXuGxXlGVKk1vj-cMiZC4mM0zhwKFoYeeeNENaB16RV1ukEz7TUeGgGNJ3QaGeL2TTDm-5v8FQfmqAVlU-xJSwJSwoanXSAAdMYboRgdYn1ub94WK4JSy_EI17Mer8sc\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\"> at the top right corner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click Firefox Accounts from the menu (it will show your email address if you&#8217;re signed in).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click Manage Account. The Firefox Accounts Settings page will open.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under Security, click the Add button next to <strong>Two-step authentication<\/strong>. A QR code will display.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the authentication app of your choice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use the app to take a photo of the QR code, or click <strong>Can\u2019t Scan Code<\/strong> to display a code to enter into the app.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enter the code generated by the app into the Firefox Accounts Two-step authentication section and click <strong>Continue<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download or print your backup authentication codes and keep them in a safe place in case you lose access to your authentication application.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Copy one of the backup authentication codes to confirm that you have saved them and click <strong>Continue<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paste the code and click <strong>Finish<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>2FA may take a bit of extra effort, but securing your digital space is well worth it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two-factor authentication is one of the most accessible and effective online security tools around. Turning it on works as an extra layer of protection between hackers and your personal, work, banking or any other information stored in your online accounts. Read on to learn more. What is 2FA? With 2FA, logging onto an online account [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1889,"featured_media":63866,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,11377],"tags":[320985,4708],"coauthors":[464117],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why settle for one layer of security when you can have 2FA?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is one of the most accessible and effective online security tools around.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/\",\"name\":\"Why settle for one layer of security when you can have 2FA?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2020\/03\/fx_blog_header_privacy_008_1920x1080.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-02-22T16:19:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-17T19:00:39+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/ff2a2684ab8dcbe5372151857748455d\"},\"description\":\"Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is one of the most accessible and effective online security tools around.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/en\/firefox\/firefox-tips\/what-is-2fa\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2020\/03\/fx_blog_header_privacy_008_1920x1080.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/278\/files\/2020\/03\/fx_blog_header_privacy_008_1920x1080.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"An illustration shows a padlock icon over four asterisks. 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