How to Set Up Multi-factor Authentication for Instagram

Setting up your Instagram account with multi-factor authentication is important to maintaining your online security. This step-by-step guide helps make the process easier than getting that perfect shot.

May 19, 2020
Valiant Technology
4 min read

Protecting your social media accounts from breaches is an essential security practice. There is plenty of information and reputation tied up in those accounts, as well as the risk of one breach leading to another. Fortunately, there is an easy and fast way to vastly increase your login protections. That is setting up multi-factor authentication.

Setting up MFA on your Instagram account is a few simple clicks on your smart phone. This article will go through each step with helpful screen captures. We recommend setting this up on any social media accounts you have, including both business and personal.

Prerequisite: Choose and download an authentication app

For your additional login security factor, we recommend using an authentication app over SMS text messages. Both increase security, but authentication apps are more difficult to spoof or find a work around for if your accounts are being targeted. Here are a few we recommend:

Just follow the download and installation instructions provided at those links, and you’ll be all set to set up MFA on many of your accounts. You can also use a different app if your business recommends or requires it.

Where to start setting up Instagram MFA

First, start in your profile which you can access by clicking your profile picture in the bottom right-hand corner of the app. From there you should see the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) in the upper right. Click that to open the menu, and then click settings at the bottom.

In the settings screen, you want to select Security about midway down. Next, click on Two-Factor Authentication which is located under login security.

On the setup screen, click get started. Select the authentication app option for setup to begin.

Enabling an authentication application for Instagram

After you select the authentication app you can click the big next button to have the app automatically scan for any authentication apps you have on your phone. If you have more than one application, it will allow you to select which you prefer to use for this account.

Your phone will automatically switch to the authentication app. This should have a pop up asking if you want to register Instagram to this app. After you agree, your authentication app will start producing a rotating six digit number. Long press on the number to copy it to your clipboard. Then, switch back to the Instagram application.

Enter your six digit code in Instagram in the area provided. You can long press to paste the code or type it out. Doing this verifies the authentication app. If you wait too long to do this, the code will change, and you will have to go back for another code. If the code is accepted, you will be switched over to a confirmation screen. Lastly, click done to finalize.

Congratulations! You now have MFA on your Instagram account

Now that you’ve had a taste of beefing up your social media account security, why not apply this procedure to your other social media accounts? We all know security is important and you’ve taken a significant step. However, using MFA is only the beginning. To learn more about security best practices visit our knowledge-base or contact Valiant for an assessment for your business.