two-step verification basics
Why should I set up 2-Step Verification?
You should set up 2-Step Verification, as doing so makes it very difficult for someone to take over your email account remotely. Without setting up 2-Step Verification, hackers could access your account if they cracked your password. with two-step verification enabled, they would need the password and physical control of your phone, your wallet or purse, or your actual computer. Here’s why this is important: In most cases, you would have no way of knowing if someone somewhere else in the world had cracked your password and was snooping around in your account. this lets you know.
how do i activate two-step verification?
When you enable two-step verification (also known as two-factor authentication), you add an extra layer of security to your account. you sign in with something you know (your password) and something you have (like a code sent to your phone).
To set up 2-Step Verification:
- Go to the 2-Step Verification page. you will be prompted to sign in to your wfu google account.
- click start. (have a phone nearby).
- follow the quick step-by-step setup process.
Once you’re done, you’ll be taken to the 2-Step Verification setup page. review your settings and add backup phone numbers. The next time you log in, you will receive a message with a verification code. You also have the option of using a security key for two-step verification or a variety of other alternative second steps. We recommend choosing at least one alternative option.
How do I sign in with 2-Step Verification?
Signing in with 2-Step Verification is easy.
- Go to the login page of your mail or any other wake forest app that uses google single sign-on and enter your username and password as you normally would.
- every 30 days or every time you try to log in to your wfu google mail or any google single sign-on service on a new device, you’ll be prompted for a six-digit code, which you get from your phone. if you want, when you enter your code, you can choose to trust your computer; this means that you will not be prompted for a code again when you log in from this computer. however, if you sign in from another computer, you’ll be prompted for a code.
- After you turn on 2-step verification, non-browser apps and devices that use your google account (such as outlook ), you may not be able to connect to your account. however, in a few steps, you can generate a special password called an app-specific password to allow this app to connect to your account, and don’t worry, you only have to do this once for each device or app.
alternative methods
what if I don’t want to use my phone?
don’t want to use your phone? No problem. You’ll need a phone first to set up two-step verification, but then you can immediately change your second step. here are some alternatives:
- sign in faster with 2-Step Verification phone prompts
- sign in with app passwords
- sign in with backup codes
- sign in with a backup phone
- sign in with the free google authenticator app
- sign in with a security key
what is a security key? how do i use it?
A security key (also called a fob or usb key) is a fido u2f certified read-only device that looks like a usb flash drive. When plugged into your USB drive, it will generate a code for you, instead of manually entering a code. Any device that is FIDO U2F certified can be used with Google’s 2-Step Verification. Click here to learn more about the preferred security key, yubikey.
Are there limitations with security keys?
yes, there are some limitations to u2f security keys. they are:
- You must use a device with a usb port, and the usb port must not be disabled (some kiosks and computer labs disable usb ports for security reasons).
- you must use a supported browser.
- google chrome natively supports u2f.
- although firefox does not natively support u2f, there are extensions that can add u2f functionality.
can i use google voice to receive codes?
It is not recommended to use google voice. If you use Google Voice to receive verification codes, you can easily create a situation where access to your account is blocked. For example, if you’re not signed in to your Google Voice app, you may need a verification code to sign back in. however, you will not be able to receive this verification code because it will be sent to your google voice, which you cannot access.
troubleshooting
what happens if my phone is lost or stolen?
If your phone is lost or stolen, we strongly recommend that you change your google account password and revoke your app passwords. this will help prevent others from accessing your wfu google account from your phone. learn more here.
what if i buy a new phone after i set up google two-step verification?
no problem. follow these instructions.
my google authentication codes don’t work (android). what do i do?
This may be because the time in your google authenticator app is not synced correctly. to make sure you have the correct time:
- go to the main menu in the google authenticator app
- tap more settings
- tap correct time for codes
- tap sync now
On the next screen, the app will confirm that the time has been synced and you should now be able to use your verification codes to log in. the sync will only affect the internal time of your google authenticator app and will not change the date of your device & time settings.
I’m stuck and need backup codes! help!
If you are affiliated with Wake Forest University and none of your 2-Step options are working, you can call Information Systems Help Desk Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. m. to 5 p.m. m. or visit us at the bridge located on the main floor of the z. smith reynolds library, and we will provide you with a backup code. Please note that you will need to answer security questions before we can provide you with this information.
what do I do if I lost my backup codes and want to revoke them?
If you’ve lost the hard copy of your backup codes, you can revoke them on your settings page. in the backup codes section, click show codes, then click get new codes. this will invalidate the previous set of backup codes and generate a new set.
I turned on 2-Step Verification and an app on my phone or computer stopped working. what now?
When you turn on 2-Step Verification, any app that needs to access your wfu google account will stop working until you enter an app password instead of your normal password. Common apps and devices that require an app password include:
- older versions of email clients like outlook, apple mail, and thunderbird
- the email app that comes with your phone (but is not made by google)
- some chat clients, contacts and youtube
Note: If you are running the latest operating system on your iPhone/iPad or Mac computer, you will no longer need to use app passwords to use 2-Step Verification. You don’t need to memorize app passwords because each app password is only used once. You can generate a new app password each time you’re prompted, even for a device or app you’ve previously authorized.
why does google ask for verification every time i log in, even though i checked the box to ask every 30 days?
most likely you need to enable cookies in your browser, or your browser is set to automatically clear its cache on exit.