In the past years, we saw a rise in the hacking of Instagram accounts that lead people to doubt the privacy and security features of Instagram. As your Instagram account contains the most sensitive information, data and photos, therefore, it is imperative to protect it against phishing, virus and cyber attacks. The two factor authentication on Instagram is just your need.
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To tackle the situation, Instagram has introduced a new security feature that is called two factor authentication in Instagram. What happens in this two factor authentication on Instagram is that when you log in to your Instagram account you will be asked to enter some special login details in the form of a code and confirm it on the phone number you have linked to your Instagram account.
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What Happens In Instagram Two Factor Authentication?
Now, in order to provide and complete security of your account and protect it from outside hackers and cyber attackers, the two factor authentication on Instagram helps to prevent them from complete access to your Instagram account. Instagram has introduced two factor authentication in two methods and in order to get started you can choose either method:
- Instagram can send you an SMS code on the phone number you have linked to your Instagram account. Therefore, whenever someone tries to gain access or tries to log in to your Instagram account, you will receive an SMS code via text message on the allotted phone number.
- The second method of two factor authentication on Instagram are login codes that come from third-party authentication apps such as duo mobile and google authentication codes.
In order to enable the two factor authentication, you at least need to select any two of the above methods on your phone.
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How can you enable two factor authentication on Instagram?
In order to enable two factor authentication on your Instagram, follow the steps that are given below:
- Launch the Instagram application on your mobile phone. Located on the top right corner of your Instagram account you will see the profile icon. Tap on the profile icon.
- After clicking on this you will find a hamburger shaped icon under the profile option located on the top right corner of the screen.
- Now, you need to navigate on the settings option of Instagram and click on the security option present under it.
- Under the security option, you will find the two factor authentication option. Tap on it.
- The final step is to click on the Get started option under the two factor authentication options. There will be two options for you to select: receive text or the SMS codes on your phone and the other will be receiving the authentication codes via third-party apps like google authenticator or duo mobile.
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Understanding each method: SMS method and third-party apps
Now, when you want to enable the two factor authentication on Instagram, then in order to complete the procedure you need to select either of the two methods as seen above. What happens in the applications like the google authenticator that it offers one-time six-digit passwords and all you need to do is to make sure that you have all those keys on your phone and save it somewhere by taking a screenshot of it because once gone, it will not be available to you. Now whenever you will log in to your Instagram account from a device other than your or even on your phone if you have logged out of your account, then it will ask for the authentication code that you have received earlier via the google authenticator app on your phone.
Now, if you have chosen the second option, the one via a text message or the SMS code, then you do not need to worry about the authentication code at all as you needed it in these third-party applications like duo and google authenticator. This is the sole reason why people who have sensitive information on their Instagram tend to choose and prefer the text message method of Instagram two factor authentication. What happens that when you choose to have authentication via SMS or the text message is whenever you try or someone else tries to log in to your Instagram account then you will receive an SMS code via text message on the phone number you allotted on Instagram and you only after entering that code on your Instagram login gate you can enter or be able to log in to your Instagram account successfully.
Therefore, these were the two ways in which you can successfully protect your Instagram account from hackers and prevent misuse and leakage of confidential information.
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