Users can do a lot of things these days with a Microsoft account.
They can use it to sign into their OneDrive profile and access their files and photos from anywhere. They can log in to Skype and catch up with their relative who lives overseas or touch base with their project team. They can even authenticate themselves on Xbox and play their favorite video games online.
Given the applicability of a Microsoft account, users should do everything they can to prevent hackers from gaining access to their connected profiles.
One of the best ways they can do this is by enabling two-step verification (2SV). It’s a feature that (although not quite the same as two-factor authentication (2FA)) adds another step to the login process for a web service.
Here’s how you can enable 2SV on your Microsoft account.
- Visit Microsoft’s Security settings page and sign in with your account.
- On that page, you’ll see the option of setting up “Two-step verification.” Click on the link “Set up two-step verification.”
- Follow the instructions.
Like many other web services that come with a 2SV option, Microsoft allows users to verify themselves via a code that’s sent to their phone or email address. But Microsoft also comes with something most other web services don’t have: an authenticator app for Android and iOS.
Simply enter in your Microsoft account credentials and hit “OK” when you’re finished. You can then use the app to verify yourself by submitting a verification code generated by the app. Alternatively, you can approve a login request sent directly to your device.
Microsoft Authenticator doesn’t require a mobile connection. That means you can still access your 2SV-protected account even when there’s no available cell service, such as when you’re on a plane or at a remote location.
If you prefer you can use a different authenticator app like Google Authenticator or 2STP to do the same.
And that’s all there is to it!
Now you can rest easy knowing that should anyone ever compromise your Microsoft login details, they shouldn’t be able to steal access to your account.
Read more:
- Two-factor authentication (2FA) versus two-step verification (2SV)
- How to better protect your Facebook account from hackers
- How to better protect your Twitter account from hackers
- How to enable two-step verification (2SV) on your WhatsApp Account
- How to protect your Amazon account with two-step verification (2SV)
- How to better protect your Google account with two-step Verification (2SV)
- How to protect your Dropbox account with two-step verification (2SV)
- How to protect your Office 365 users with multi-factor authentication
- How to protect your Microsoft account with two-step verification (2SV)
- How to better protect your Tumblr account from hackers with 2SV
- How to protect your LinkedIn account from hackers with two-step verification (2SV)
- How to protect your PayPal account with two-step verification (2SV)
- How to protect your Yahoo account with two-step verification (2SV)
- How to protect your Apple ID account against hackers
- How to better protect your Google account with two-step verification and Google Authenticator
- How to protect your Hootsuite account from hackers
- How to better protect your Instagram account with two-step verification (2SV)
- Instagram finally supports third-party 2FA apps for greater account security
- How to protect your Nintendo account from hackers with two-step verification (2SV)
- How to better protect your Roblox account from hackers with two-step verification (2SV)
I want to use the Authy app but the only option that I see on the Microsoft security page is how to set up Microsoft Authenticator. How do I link my Outlook mail account to Authy?