Twitter last month announced that starting on March 20th, users who are non-Twitter Blue subscribers will lose access to its SMS two-factor authentication.
“Effective March 20, 2023, only Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to use text messages as their two-factor authentication method,” the company said in a tweet.
While this announcement caused concern among users on the platform who rely on this security method to secure their accounts, fortunately there are other free security methods available, such as the use of an authentication app.
Twitter offers two other options for two-factor authentication; an authenticator app and a security key. However, in this guide we will focus on the use of an authenticator app.
Authenticator apps typically generate one-time passwords (OTP) that change after a short period of time. You can use these codes to access your accounts on the web, and they will be found in the app–not in your text messages.
How to Set up an Authenticator App on Twitter
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up an authenticator app on Twitter to enhance the security of your account.
- Open Twitter’s desktop site as the Twitter app cannot be used to set up an authentication app as a form of 2FA on the platform.
- Click on the three dots icon in the sidebar on the left side of the screen and select Settings and Support > Settings and Privacy.
- Click on Security and account access > Security > Two-factor authentication.
- Choose Authentication app and enter your password if prompted.
- Tap Get Started to pass through the first window, and a QR code will appear on your screen.
- Open the authenticator app on your phone, select the app’s QR code scanner, and scan the code on your screen to link your account to your authenticator app.
- When finished, return to Twitter, hit Next, enter the code that your app generates, and select Confirm.
- Twitter will provide you with a single-use backup code on the next screen. Make sure to keep this code safe in case you lose access to your phone or authentication app.
Using an authenticator app to secure your Twitter account is a more secure method compared to using SMS 2FA, which leaves you vulnerable to SIM-swapping attacks.
Some of the many authenticator apps you can choose from include; Authy, Google Authenticator, and Microsoft Authenticator.
