• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Jobs
  • Career
    • Cyber Security Training
    • Work from Home
    • Cyber Security Analyst
    • Remote Work – Six Ways to Keep Your Data Safe When Working Remotely
  • Field Guide
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Deals
  • News
AskCyberSecurity.com

AskCyberSecurity.com

Cyber Security News & Information

  • Home
  • Data Privacy
    • Gamers
    • Government Cyber Security
      • Legislation
      • Standards
        • What are the risks of computer security?
        • Medical Cyber Security
    • Social Media
  • Security
    • Data Breaches
    • Scams
    • Malware
  • Software
    • Apps
    • Web Browsers
  • Glossary
    • Cyber Security Acronyms
  • About Ask Cyber Security
    • Authors
    • Contact Us
  • VPN
    • How Do I Know If My VPN is Working?
    • Best Free VPN iPhone
    • Why Use a VPN?
    • NordVPN vs IPVanish
    • Private Internet Access Download
    • Best VPN for Streaming
      • TikTok VPN
    • VPN Porn
    • Computer Security Software – What You Really Need
  • Tutorials
AskCyber Home » News » social media » How to Turn on Instagram 2FA – Make Your Account More Secure

How to Turn on Instagram 2FA – Make Your Account More Secure

2018-08-29 by Michelle Dvorak

Instagram Adds 2FA to Increase Security – How to Turn It On

Instagram added a new security feature to user profiles. Two-factor authentication, known as 2FA, is rolling out to all Instagram profiles. Instagram users will be able to secure their accounts with by adding phone number. The process to enable two-factor authentication is rolling to all accounts, personal and business, in stages. Users can see go to their settings and see if the option is available.

Whoa! You obviously already have a phone connected to Instagram, right? Yes. You had to use a phone number to set up Instagram in the first place, so why the extra step? The addition of 2FA gives you the opportunity to add an additional phone number to help secure the account. And right again, you can use the phone number of the device the app is installed on to set up the security.

How to Enable Instagram 2FA

  1. On your mobile device open the Instagram app
  2. Login to your account
  3. Tap your profile icon on the lower right-hand corner of the app
  4. Tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner
  5. Select settings at the bottom of the screen
  6. Scroll down to the Privacy and Security section
  7. Select Two Factor Authentication (if it is there)

You will be prompted to enter a phone number. After which, you will receive a SMS message to connect the phone number with that Instagram account. You will receive a log in code to enter into the Instagram app. You will also receive a set of backup codes in case you lose the device.

If two-factor authenticate does not appear under the Privacy and Security section, then your account does not have the feature available yet. DO NOT store the backup codes as a screenshot on the same smartphone. If you lose the phone you will also lose the backup codes and be locked out of your account!

What is 2FA?

Two factor authentication (2FA) is an extra step added to online accounts to verify the identity of the user. For example, a person trying to log into a bank account may be asked to answer additional security questions after entering the correct account password. The additional layer of security helps ensure that the person trying to gain access to the account is indeed the owner.

In the case of Instagram, the user must connect a phone number to the account. The phone is sent an SMS message with an authentication code. From there on, every time the user attempts to log into the account they will have to have the connected phone in their presence to respond to the log in attempt.

This works well for Instagram since it is primarily a mobile-only social media app and the Instagram user is highly likely to have the connected phone in their possession when trying to log in. Instagram has extremely limited web browser capabilities.

The downside of Two Factor Authentication is that enabling 2FA is optional. Requiring 2FA would make the channel more secure overall. Instagram reported that a few hundred accounts were hacked just a few weeks ago.

About Instagram

Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social media channel launched in 2010. It is owned by Facebook, Inc. Instagram has over 800 million users globally.

Filed Under: social media Tagged With: 2FA, Instagram, tutorial

About Michelle Dvorak

Michelle writes about cyber security, data privacy focusing on social media privacy as well as how to protect your IoT devices. She has worked in internet technology for over 20 years and owns METRONY, LLC. Michelle earned a B.S. in Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Michelle published a guide to Cyber Security for Business Travelers


LinkedInTwitterFacebook

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free Newsletter

We Don't Share or Sell Your Info

Web Browsers

Where Are My Saved Passwords in Chrome?

Google Removes 70 Malicious Browser Add-ons from Chrome Web Store

Firefox 75 Reports Your Browser Settings to Mozilla

Categories

Cyber Security Field Guide

Computer Security While TravelingGet Our Cyber Security Field Guide - Available on Amazon!

Recent Posts

Security Marketing Manager – Remote

Sr. Associate, Cybersecurity Architect – Pfizer

Strategic Customer Success Manager – Cybersecurity – Opportunity for Working Remotely

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

ISU Cybersecurity Leader Job Opening

Cyber Security News

Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

… [Read More...] about Top 20 Passwords Leaked on Dark Web

Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

… [Read More...] about Apple Warns of Actively Exploited Zero-Day Flaw

IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

… [Read More...] about IRS Stops Facial Recognition System for Online Access

National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

… [Read More...] about National Cybersecurity Alliance Announces Data Privacy Week

More Cyber Security News

Tags

amazon Android Apple bitcoin China chrome CISA credit card DarkSide DHS DOJ Equifax Europe Facebook facial recognition FBI Firefox FTC games GDPR Google Government hacker identity theft India iPhone Iran IRS LinkedIn Microsoft North Korea PayPal phishing phishing email ransomware REvil Russia smartphone T-Mobile TikTok tutorial VPN WhatsApp WiFi Windows

Government

CBP Looks to Access Airline Passenger Data

FTC Releases Cyber Threat Video Playlist

Malware Found on US Government Funded Phones

UK NCA Reaches Out to Youth to Deter Cybercrimes

More Posts from this Category

Footer

Menu

  • Home
  • About
  • Authors
  • Newsletter Signup
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Search

Why Use a VPN?

NordVPN vs IPVanish VPN Review

NAVIGATION

  • Data Breaches
  • Data Privacy
  • Gamers
  • Scams
  • Malware

MEMBER NJCCIC

New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell

STAY CONNECTED

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Copyright © 2023 · AskCyberSecurity.com · METRONY, LLC

Go to mobile version