With two-factor authentication, when you sign in with your password, you’ll always need to enter an additional security code provided by that service. It can sometimes be a pain, but as they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Thankfully, Microsoft has recently added this feature to Windows Live; you can protect your account no matter where you are. Here’s how to enable it:
Sign into your Microsoft account.
On the Security Info page, you will see a new option at the top: two-step verification. Click on the “set up two-step verification” link.
On the next page, click “next” after you’ve read their little spiel regarding two-step verification.
You’ll need to choose your preferred method for receiving your verification code. You can have Microsoft send you a text message, call you on the phone, or send you an email.
Click on “next” and you will receive a code via the method chosen in step number four; enter it into the text area.
After that, you’re all set. Two-step authentication will be turned on. From now on, each time you sign in you’ll need to get an additional security code before you can log into your account. It’s important to know that some apps and devices don’t support security codes. In these cases, you’ll need to create an app password to sign in.
You can also use a mobile authenticator app to get security codes (great when you have no mobile phone coverage) and pair it with your Microsoft account. I’m using Google Authenticator for iOS, and it only took a minute to pair my Microsoft account with it, via a bar code scan. Do you use a two-factor authentication app? Let us know in the comments area about your experiences setting it up.
