Google Authenticator app generates two-step verification codes on a smartphone. Two-factor authentication or two-step verification is one of the highest levels of security for your online accounts. Of course, you can use the two-step verification feature in your Google account and accounts on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. As well as in your bank accounts and accounts of freelance sites.

When you log into your account by entering your email or user name and password, then verifying that this data is correct, you will move to the second verification step. Where you need an additional code or code that you can fetch from the Google Authenticator app that you have installed and activated on your smartphone.

How to activate Google Authenticator app?

Firstly, you must make sure that the site supports two-factor authentication or not. Of course, you can verify this by logging into your account settings on this site and going to the login settings or security settings. Then look for Two Step Verification.

Once you confirm that the site supports this feature, you can start downloading the Google Authenticator app. You can do this from application store of your phone’s operating system. The Google Authenticator app is available on the Google Play Store for Android, and available on the Apple Store for iOS.

After you have installed the Google Authenticator program on your phone. Go to your account and then go to setting up the two-step verification feature. You should note, the steps may differ slightly depending on the site you are using. In this article, we use a Google Account for 2-Step Verification feature test.

Go to the settings of your Google account that you want to secure it by two-factor authentication app. You can do this by pressing on account icon and choose Manage your Google Account option. Go to the Security tab then Google Sign-in options. You'll find 2-step verification under Signing in to Google options. Click on it and follow the next steps to activate this feature.

You will see some information about this service that shows you how it works. After review this information, click on Get Started. You will be redirected to the login page to verify your identity and that you are the owner of this account. Type your account information and logging in, then complete the steps to activate Google Authenticator app.

A new window appears showing all current devices that linked with your Google account. This is a security step for your account where when you review these devices, if you find a device that you do not own, you must immediately change your current password because your account may be hacked. But if the devices are already yours, you can press Continue.

You will be asked to enter a phone number to add it to your account as a basic step to activate the 2-step verification feature. But if you don't want to enter your phone number, you can press Use Another Backup Option. It shows you 10 backup codes that you keep in a safe place. Select the appropriate option for you and proceed to activation of 2-step verification on your account.

In case you can't sign in with Google Authenticator codes. You can request the verification code in a message on your phone that you added in this step. Or you can write one of the backup codes. Note that: These codes are for one time use only. ie, Each of them can be signed in only once and you can not use it again.

If you see this page like below photo, you are on right way. This means the 2-step verification is enabled on your Google account. Now remain one step to activate Google Authenticator app on your smartphone.

Google supports many methods of 2-Step Verification that secure Google accounts from hacked. But in this article we review how to activate Google Authenticator app. So you can do this via click on Setup option beside Google Authenticator that appear on above photo.

A pop-up window appears asking you to select the operating system of your smartphone, select the OS and click Next. Then a QR code will appears. Now you must scan this QR code to add Google account to authenticator app.

On your smartphone, open the Google Authenticator app and click Start button. Then click on Scan QR Code and grant permission access to the phone's camera. Then direct the phone's camera to the image of the QR Code, and immediately the Google account is added to the Authenticator app, and the verification codes appears inside the app. Note that: the verification code is approximately 30 seconds long.

Your Google Authenticator app activated successfully and 2-step verification code works perfectly inside the app. To complete link the app with your account, you should enter the code in your Google account and click Verify. Now all steps are done.

In the same way, you can add all your other accounts to the application and protect these accounts from intrusion and hacking.