Instagram has announced that two-factor authentication will be enabled for all users after experimenting with the security feature for over a year.
Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom has confirmed that two-factor authentication is now available to all users of the application around the world. The company first announced its intention to enable the security measure over a year ago in February 2016. Two-factor authentication or 2FA is an obvious security measure, adding a layer of security on top of traditionally used login credentials.
Instagram explains:
This tool adds an extra layer of security to your Instagram account by requiring a code every time you log in. Tap the gear icon on your profile and choose Two-Factor Authentication to turn it on.
When enabled, users will be required to enter a code every time they log in to the application. Instagram will send a unique security code to the user’s mobile number. As it stands, Instagram does not support third-party authenticator apps like Google Authenticator, or Authy.
In its official blog post, Instagram announced:
Additionally, two-factor authentication is now available to everyone. This tool adds an extra layer of security to your Instagram account by requiring a code every time you log in. Tap the gear icon on your profile and choose Two-Factor Authentication to turn it on.
Users will also be able to save backup codes that can be used at a time when access to one’s phone is lost. To make it easier for users to save those codes, Instagram allows screenshots for saving them elsewhere, directly from the application.
With 600 million accounts and counting, many of them belonging to artists, celebrities and major brands, Instagram has always been a ripe target for hackers to compromise user accounts. Two-factor authentication, a common security measure among popular and widely-used websites including the likes of Amazon and Facebook, has been long overdue as a feature on the world’s largest social image sharing platform.
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