

Many sites encourage you to add your phone number to secure your account. Why do you say it's bad to have a phone number on my account? You'll need to use a backup method like an authenticator app, or generate a special one-time login for the device. Yes, as long the computer runs the Google Chrome browser (which you should be using anyway). Adding someone's key to your account won't give them access unless they also know the password.

That way if you lose your key, you can borrow one from another person. We also encourage people to cross-validate security keys with their spouse, friends or co-workers. You can use a single key for as many accounts as you like. Carry it with you like a car key.ĭo I need a separate key for every account? No, your key will work on any computer that has a USB drive. You can log in with a backup method, and remove the stolen key from your account.ĭo I need a separate key for every computer I use?

If someone steals the key, they still can't get into your email without knowing your password. The key works in addition to your password, not as a replacement for it. Expect to spend a lot of time on the phone. What this means will be different for each site. You’ll need to prove your identity to the site’s satisfaction. What happens if I lose my security key, my phone, and don't have recovery codes? You'll have a set of printed recovery codes, which you should store on paper in a safe place. What happens if I lose both my security key and my phone? You can also add more than one security key to your account, and keep the backup in a safe place. These include an authenticator app that lives on your phone, and a set of printed one-time recovery codes. When you set up your security key, you also set up backup methods you can use in case you lose your key. After logging in normally, sites that support it will ask you to briefly insert the key into a USB port and tap the button with your finger. The key is a 'second factor', which means you use it in addition to your password. Other forms of two-factor authentication (including text messages, authenticator apps, and push notifications) do not give you the same level of protection as a security key. Security keys protect you against impostor websites that try to steal login credentials to sensitive accounts like your email. You can carry it on a keychain like a regular key.
SECURITY KEY ACCESS FOR MAC PASSWORD
If you get the latter and you typed rather than pasted in your Recovery, consider you might have mistyped it and try again.Frequently Asked Questions about Security KeysĪ security key is a small physical device that looks like a USB thumb drive, and works in addition to your password on sites that support it. You will see true if the Recovery Key the current key false if not.
SECURITY KEY ACCESS FOR MAC MAC
If you haven’t carefully tracked your Recovery Key, you could wind up being unsure which is accurate for your current Mac and FileVault encryption setup. This might leave you with multiple Recovery Keys you’ve noted over time. However, a reader asked a question that can result if you disable and re-enable FileVault-which takes just seconds with a T2-equipped or M1 Mac-or migrate to a new Mac. But you can also opt to track the Recovery Key yourself, as I describe in this column from 2018.
