Practical steps.
WHAT YOU NEED
An authenticator app on your phone.
HOW IT WORKS
The service shows a code to scan The app stores it and generates rotating codes You enter a code when logging in
WHAT TO DO DURING SETUP
Save the recovery codes immediately.
Not later. Immediately.
WHERE TO STORE RECOVERY CODES
Somewhere other than the phone generating the codes.
Printed and stored securely, or in your password manager.
WHY THAT MATTERS
Losing the phone without recovery codes locks you out permanently on some services.
WHAT ELSE TO CONSIDER
Adding the code to a second device, so one failure does not lock you out Backing up your authenticator app, if it supports it
FOR SHARED BUSINESS ACCOUNTS
More than one person should be able to authenticate.
Otherwise their absence locks the business out.
WHAT TO TEST
Log out and log back in, confirming it works.
Before you rely on it.
