How to keep your Twitter account safe using two-factor authentication (2FA)

Hacks and scams are a constant threat to our digital lives. But the easiest and best way to keep all of your accounts online safe is to enable factor authentication (2FA).

What is two-factor authentication?

In the simplest terms, two-factor authentication means you need to pass two security steps before access is granted to your account.

When you enable 2FA, you'll have to enter a password and an additional code to log into your account. That code can be sent to your phone via text or voice call, email, or generated by an authenticator app. The last option is the safest. Hackers are still very capable of accessing your voicemail or intercepting your text messages. Either way, however, 2FA protection is better than just a password.

Think of 2FA as your own personal bouncer — sure, you might look old enough to drink, but you have to show your ID at the door before gaining access to the club.

Here's how to turn on 2FA to keep (at least some) hackers at bay.

Choose your 2FA method

If you're using Twitter's mobile app, lick on your icon on the top lefthand corner of the screen and scroll down to the bottom. Tap Settings and privacy. Those of you on a web browser will find the tab after clicking "More."

Then, tap Security and account access > Security > Two-factor authentication, which brings you to a list of options of where Twitter should send your code. Again, it's best to choose an authentication app, such as Google Authenticator or Authy.

Credit: Screenshot/Twitter

You can also choose Security Key, which requires inserting a physical security key into the computer's USB port. But it's only available for Safari, Edge, Opera, and Chrome browsers and can't be used with the Twitter app.

Once you've toggled on your preferred method, you'll be prompted through specific steps to turn on 2FA.

Set up a temporary password

If you're using a web browser to set up 2FA, it's important to note that you won't be able to log into Twitter.com on other devices using your current username and password. You'll have to first go through the process of creating a temporary password.

However, this process isn't required if you're using Twitter's iOS and Android app or logging into Twitter via your phone's web browser. It's essential if you're logging onto the site from a computer it doesn't recognize.

Don't wait too long, though. Credit: screenshot / twitter

Depending on where you're signing on from, Twitter will send you a temporary password through SMS on your phone. But you can also create your own temporary password in a few simple steps.

As with choosing your 2FA method, you'll have to click More followed by Settings and privacy. Then, click Security and account access > Security > Two-factor authentication > Additional methods and click Temporary password.

Your temporary password will expire after an hour though, so you'll want to make sure to act on it fairly quickly.

Speaking of being quick, you should probably get to turning 2FA on your Twitter account ASAP (and your other social media profiles while you're at it). Verified or not, getting hacked isn't fun for anyone.

This post was originally published in July 2020, and was updated in February 2022.