Two-factor authentication is one of the best things you can do to make sure your accounts don't get hacked. We've talked about it a bit before, but here's a list of all the popular services that offer it, and where you should go to turn it on right now.


We originally published this post in August of 2012, but a lot of our favorite sites have added two-factor authentication since then. So, we've decided to update the post with all the new options (and keep it updated going forward). For an even more exhaustive list, check out twofactorauth.org.

What Is Two-Factor Authentication?

Passwords, unfortunately, aren't as secure as they used to be, and if someone gets your password, they can access your account without any fuss. Even having a strong password doesn't completely protect you. Two-factor authentication solves this problem.


Google's spam guru, Matt Cutts, put it best: two-factor authentication is a simple feature that asks for more than just your password. It requires both "something you know" (like a password) and "something you have" (like your phone). After you enter your password, you'll get a second code sent to your phone, and only after you enter it will you get into your account. Think of it as entering a PIN number, then getting a retina scan, like you see in every spy movie ever made. It's a lot more secure than a password (which is very hackable), and keeps unwanted snoopers out of your online accounts.

Please Turn On Two-Factor Authentication You should read Mat Honan's heartbreaking tale of a hack attack and the ensuing discussion on… Read more

Where Can I Use It?


Unfortunately, you can't use two-factor authentication everywhere on the web just yet. But a lot of sites have recently implemented it, including many of our favorite services. Here are some services that support two-factor authentication, with instructions on how to enable it:


This isn't an exhaustive list, but it includes some of the more popular services out there. Check out twofactorauth.org for even more, and check around the documentation 0f your favorite services to see if they support it.

For every service you use that supports it, you should head over and enable two-factor authentication right now—it's one of the best ways to keep your data (and in many cases, your money) safe. Of course, you should also make sure you use a unique, secure password for each of your accounts, so if you don't, now's a good time to change that.

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