Your Gmail account holds years of emails, password reset links, and personal information. If someone gets into it, they can access nearly everything else you do online. A strong password helps, but it is not enough on its own. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a second layer: even if someone steals your password, they still cannot get in without a code from your phone.
This guide walks you through setting up MFA on Gmail using Authy, which we recommend over Google Authenticator because it backs up your codes to the cloud and lets you restore them if you ever get a new phone.
Why Authy instead of Google Authenticator?
Google Authenticator stores codes only on your phone. If you lose your phone or get a new one, those codes are gone and you can get locked out of your accounts. Authy encrypts and backs up your codes so you can restore them on any new device. It also works on multiple devices at once, so you are never completely locked out.
On your iPhone or Android, open the App Store or Google Play and search for Authy by Twilio. Download and install it. When you open it for the first time, enter your phone number. Authy will send you a verification code to confirm it is your phone. Enter that code to finish setup. You do not need to create an account with a password.
On your computer, go to myaccount.google.com/security. Make sure you are signed into the Google account you want to protect. You will see a section called "How you sign in to Google."
Click on "2-Step Verification." Google may ask you to sign in again to confirm it is you. On the next screen click "Get started." Google will walk you through the steps. You may be offered several options including text message, Google prompt, or authenticator app. Continue past these until you see the option for "Authenticator app."
Select "Authenticator app" and choose your phone type (iPhone or Android). Google will show you a QR code on your screen. Open Authy on your phone, tap the "+" button to add an account, and tap "Scan QR Code." Point your phone camera at the QR code on your computer screen. Authy will add your Google account and generate a 6-digit code.
Back on your computer, Google will ask you to enter the 6-digit code showing in Authy to confirm it is working. Type the code exactly as shown (it refreshes every 30 seconds, so do it quickly). Click Verify. Google will confirm that 2-Step Verification is now on.
Once 2-Step Verification is on, Google will confirm it is active. We strongly recommend adding a recovery phone number as a backup method. Go back to myaccount.google.com/security, scroll to "Ways we can verify it's you," and add your mobile number. If you ever lose access to Authy, Google can send a verification code by text instead.
Open Authy, go to Settings, then Accounts, and turn on Authenticator Backups. Create a backup password (write it down and store it safely). This is what allows Authy to restore your codes on a new phone. Without this step, losing your phone could lock you out of your accounts.
What happens from now on
The next time you sign into Gmail on a new device or browser, Google will ask for your password as usual, then prompt you for a 6-digit code. Open Authy, find your Google account, and type in the code shown. The code changes every 30 seconds, so use it right away. On devices you use regularly you can tell Google to trust that device for 30 days so you are not prompted every time.
Do this for other accounts too
Authy works with hundreds of services beyond Gmail, including Facebook, Amazon, PayPal, your bank, and most work apps. Any account that supports "authenticator app" or "TOTP" for two-factor authentication can be added to Authy the same way. We recommend enabling it on every account that holds financial, medical, or sensitive personal information.
Need help setting this up?
If you would rather have someone walk you through it in person, we offer on-site tech help throughout Rhode Island. We are patient, we explain everything in plain English, and we make sure you are comfortable before we leave. Call us at (401) 884-4432 or learn more about our Senior Tech Help service.