Enable 2FA (app)
- Open Instagram and go to your profile.
- Tap the menu (☰) → Settings and activity (or Settings).
- Open Accounts Center.
- Tap Password and security → Two-factor authentication.
- Select your Instagram account.
- Choose Authentication app, then connect Sign In using the steps below.
Enable 2FA (desktop / browser)
- Go to instagram.com and sign in.
- Click More (bottom left) → Settings.
- Open Accounts Center → Password and security → Two-factor authentication.
- Pick your Instagram account and choose Authentication app, then connect Sign In.
Add Instagram to Sign In
For verification codes on iPhone, we recommend Sign In, our authenticator app. It keeps your codes available on your device, even when you’re offline.
- Keep Instagram’s Authentication app setup instructions open so you can use the setup key or QR code it provides.
- In Sign In, tap Add. To use a setup key, choose Enter Setup Key and enter Instagram as the service, your username, and the key. If Instagram shows a QR code on another screen, choose Scan QR Code instead.
- Review the account details, then tap Add Account in Sign In.
- Return to Instagram and enter the current six-digit code for your Instagram account from Sign In to finish setup.
Setting up on one iPhone? Use the setup-key option to copy the key from Instagram into Sign In, then switch back to Instagram to confirm with the generated code.
Pick a second step
Choose Authentication app to use Sign In. Depending on your account, Instagram may also offer text messages or WhatsApp as additional ways to receive a code.
| Method | What to know |
|---|---|
| Authentication app | Get your Instagram verification codes in Sign In, even without a mobile signal. |
| Receive codes in WhatsApp, if this option is available for your account. | |
| Text message (SMS) | Receive a code at your phone number. Keep that number up to date; SMS can be vulnerable to SIM swapping. |
After it’s on (don’t skip)
- Save backup codes. Go to Two-factor authentication → your account → Additional methods → Backup codes.
- Store them somewhere safe. Use a password manager or print them, rather than keeping them only on your phone.
- Keep another way to sign in. You can add SMS or WhatsApp as a backup if Instagram offers it for your account.
Each backup code works once. You can generate a new set anytime; that invalidates the old set.
If you get locked out later
- Use a saved backup code at login.
- Or use another device that’s already signed in to manage 2FA in Accounts Center. Instagram may ask you to verify your identity.
- If you lose phone access and your codes, use Instagram’s official account recovery.
Quick tips
- If a code is rejected, wait for a fresh code and check that you selected the right Instagram account in Sign In.
- When you get a new phone, transfer or re-add your authenticator. Use backup codes to sign in first if needed.
- You can turn 2FA off from the same Accounts Center page, but keeping it on helps protect your account.