Today you can find more threats online than you’d ever find in the real world, and the most common yet daunting one’s the fear of getting your Facebook account hacked. Two-factor authentication is one of the best things you can do to make sure your accounts don’t get hacked. Google Authenticator is one such handy two-factor authentication tool that can help you avoid this threat. It’s very easy to install and use, and works on Android, iOS, and BlackBerry platforms. Once you’ve enabled Authenticator, you’ll need the OTP generated to log into your account, and even if someone has your password, they won’t be able to log in unless they have this code that changes every thirty seconds. Here’s how you can set it up :

1. 1. Download Google Authenticator from Google Play Store, Apple App Store or BlackBerry World. Since Android is the most widely used operating system nowadays, we’re going to describe the process using it.
   2. After installation, when you open the application, this is what it will look like. This is the first step of setup wizard that briefly explains how the 2-step verification will work. Tap on ‘Begin setup’ to start the setup.

1. To set up Authenticator for Gmail, click here. To set it up for Facebook, click here. Then scan the QR codes using the device on which you’ve installed the Authenticator app.
2. After you’ve scanned the code on your device, it will generate a 6-digit code that will be applicable for only 30 seconds. Enter this code in the text box and verify.

After following these steps, authenticator will be set up for Facebook and Gmail and the next time you login from another device, you’ll require the OTP generated by the app along with the password.

Similarly you can enable authenticator for the following websites. Clicking on their names will redirect you to their activation pages.

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Yahoo
• Microsoft
• Paypal
• CitiBank
• ICICI Bank
• HDFC Bank
• WordPress
• DropBox
• Apple