How to Turn on Gmail Two-Factor Authentication

In the Security tab of your Google account are all the ways you can enable Gmail 2FA

By
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen
Writer
  • Swansea University, Staffordshire University
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
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Updated on May 17, 2024

What to Know

  • Go to myaccount.google.com > Security > 2-Step Verification > Turn on 2-step Verification.
  • 2FA options include passkeys, a Google prompt on your other signed-in devices, the Authenticator app, and more.
  • Doing this requires a second step beyond your password, making your Gmail account much harder to hack.

One of the best ways to secure your Gmail account is with two-factor authentication. This article explains how to get this set up for your account and why it's so important.

How to Turn on Gmail 2-Step Verification

Google makes this really easy. Here's what to do to enable 2FA for Gmail from a desktop browser:

  1. Sign in to your Gmail account and select your profile picture or icon.

    Sign in to your Gmail account and select your profile picture or icon.

  2. Select Manage your Google Account.

    Gmail settings with Manage Your Google Account highlighted

  3. Select Security from the left pane.

    Google account settings with security highlighted

  4. Select 2-Step Verification.

    Google account settings with 2-Step Verification highlighted

  5. Select Turn on 2-step Verification.

    The 2-step Verification page in a Google account

  6. Enter your phone number, then select Next.

    The 'Add a phone number' prompt for 2-step verification in a Google account

  7. Enter the verification code Google sent to your phone, then select Verify > Done

    The 'Verify this phone number' 2FA prompt in a Google account

How to Turn Off Gmail Two-Factor Authentication

We don't recommend disabling Gmail 2-step verification, but for those times when you need to, here's how:

  1. Select your profile picture or icon at the top right of Gmail, then select Manage your Google Account.

    Gmail settings with Manage Your Google Account highlighted

  2. Select Security on the left, then scroll down the page and choose 2-Step Verification. Sign in to your Google account when asked.

    The security settings open in a Google account

  3. Select Turn off 2-Step Verification.

    The Turn Off 2FA button in a Google account

  4. Google shows a warning message asking you to confirm that you really want to disable 2-Step Verification. If you're sure, select Turn off.

    Google confirmation message with the Turn Off button

How to Set Up Alternate Verification Steps for Your Gmail Account

If you want to set up different forms of verification as a backup to a text message, Google provides several options. Here's how to change the second form of verification:

  1. Return to your Google account settings by selecting your profile image at the top followed by Manage your Google Account > Security > 2-Step Verification.

    Security settings for a Google account with 2FA enabled

  2. Scroll down to the Second steps section.

  3. Pick any of the available options, which include Passkeys and security keys, Google prompt, and Authenticator. This is also where you can get backup codes for your Google account.

    The list of Google's 2-step verification methods

Why Use Gmail Two-Factor Authentication?

Your email account contains a lot of valuable information. It's likely the account you use for everything, from your online banking to your social media accounts and potentially work-related tasks. 

Keeping all that information in one place is useful for you, but possibly dangerous, too. If a hacker finds your password, they can gain access to a lot of important information and wreck your online and offline identity.

Two-factor authentication adds a layer of security by necessitating more than just your password for account access. By demanding an additional item, such as your phone, during login, it effectively prevents access, even if someone knows your password.

How Gmail Two-Factor Authentication Works 

Depending on the 2FA method you chose during setup, Google will send you a code unique to your account. This might come via a text message to the number on file, a code in the Google Authenticator app, or a prompt on another device where you're already signed in. Each code is only usable once and expires within minutes, so it's very secure.

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