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  • Essay / How to set up two-factor authentication - Google, Microsoft and Apple accounts

    My previous article was about how to set up two-factor authentication on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and Instagram, they were all platforms of social media. But the priority changes when Let's start with Google first.2. How to set up 2-step verification in Google with access to your credit card (to make purchases on Google Play), important messages and documents, and even your videos on YouTube – basically your whole life – a Google account must be well protected. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Fortunately, the company has been working on 2FA systems since 2010. Google calls its system two-step verification. This involves identifying yourself by telephone. When you enter a password to access your Google account for almost any service, if you have two-step verification enabled, there are several options for taking this second step. First of these now: the Google prompt. You simply add your smartphone to your account, make sure the Google search app is on the phone, and when logging in you can go to the phone and just recognize with a single tap that it's you connect. Easy. If that doesn't work, you'll need to enter an additional code. This code is sent to your phone via text message, voice call, or using an authenticator app. On your personal account, you can choose to register your computer so that you do not have to enter a code each time you log in. If you have a G Suite for Business account, you can choose to only receive a code every 30 days. Google Authenticator (actually any authenticator app) can generate the verification code for you, even if your smartphone is not connected to the Internet. You must sign up for two-step verification before you can use it. The app will scan a QR code on the desktop screen to give you access, then generate a time or meter-based code for you to enter. This replaces getting the code via text, voice calls, or email. Authenticator apps also work with other services, like LastPass, WordPress, Facebook, Evernote, Microsoft, IFTTT, Dropbox, Amazon, and Slack. Once you've set up Google two-step verification, access it again by visiting your Google account security settings. There you can select which phone numbers can receive codes, switch to using an authenticator app, and access the 10 unused codes that can be printed out to take with you in case of an emergency (e.g. if your phone crashes and you can't access the authenticator app.) This is also where you generate app-specific passwords. Let's say you want to use your Google account with a service or software that doesn't use the standard Google login (I encountered this with Trillian on iOS). You are generally excluded from such a service if two-step verification is enabled and you will need an app-specific password to access it using your Google credentials.2. Microsoft Two-Step Verification Microsoft has done a much better job over the past few years of consolidating all of its services under one account. I use mine for Outlook.com, OneDrive, Xbox Live, Skype, Office 365 subscription, etc. Naturally, it should have additional protection. You log in to your Microsoft account.