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Turning on two-step sign-in

Add an emailed 6-digit code to your sign-in, so a password alone isn't enough.

Two-step sign-in adds a second check when you sign in. After your password, we email you a 6-digit code, and you enter it to finish signing in. Even if someone learns your password, they can’t get in without access to your email.

Is it available on this site?

The site decides how two-step sign-in works. It can be:

  • Optional: you choose whether to turn it on.
  • Required: it is on for every member. Your Security tab says “Two-step sign-in is required on this site.”
  • Off: the option isn’t shown.

Turning it on

  1. Sign in and open My account.
  2. Open the Security tab.
  3. Under Two-step sign-in, turn on Use two-step sign-in and save.
  4. You see a message that two-step sign-in is on.

Signing in with a code

  1. Enter your email and password as usual.
  2. We email you a 6-digit code. The email subject usually says it is your sign-in code.
  3. Enter the code on the Enter your sign-in code screen.
  4. Optionally tick Trust this device for 30 days, so you won’t be asked for a code on this device for a while.
  5. Press Verify and sign in.

About the code

  • Each code works only for a short time, about 10 minutes.
  • After a few wrong tries, the code stops working. Sign in again to get a new one.
  • Always use the code from the latest email.

When you are asked for a code

You are asked on any device you haven’t marked as trusted, or after the trust period ends. If you clear your browser’s cookies, the device is no longer remembered and you will be asked again.

Only trust your own devices

Don’t tick “Trust this device” on shared or public computers. If you lose a device you trusted, open Security and press Sign out other devices, then change your password.

Turning it off

If the site lets you choose, open Security, turn off two-step sign-in and save. We recommend keeping it on.

If this, then that

  • If the code email doesn’t arrive, check spam and promotions folders and wait a minute. If it still doesn’t arrive, sign in again to send a new code.
  • If you see “This sign-in expired”, too much time passed. Start again from the sign-in page.
  • If you no longer have access to your email, contact us. We can’t send codes to a different address without checking it is you.

Two-step sign-in works best with a strong, unique password. See the privacy and security article on keeping your account secure.

Still stuck? Contact us, choose the account topic and write from the email address on your account so we can find it.

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