Use Your iPhone's New Built-in Two-Factor Authentication instead of Google Authenticator

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When it comes to protecting your accounts, the general consensus is to always use two-factor authentication, which traditionally uses a unique six-digit code that’s re-generated every 30 seconds. If you want to keep hackers away, it’s a big help...but the process isn’t seamless. You often need a third-party app, and you end up losing access to all your passwords if you lose your phone or the app itself.

With iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, Apple wants to make all of this easier by tying in two-factor authentication with iCloud Keychain. You can set up two-factor natively on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and since it’s linked to your iCloud account, it’s secure, supports autofill, and you’ll never lose access to it. Not to mention, it’s free to use.

To be clear, this built-in authenticator is different from your Apple ID’s two-factor authentication settings. The latter sends a code to one of your trusted Apple devices when trying to log into your Apple ID. This new feature, however, is for third-party services that require an authenticator app.

Essentially, navigate to the passwords section in a site or app, and choose their two-factor authentication option. Then, choose the option that lets you set up two-factor authentication on the same device. This will directly open the iCloud Passwords screen, where you’ll have to authenticate using a one-time password.