Open WordPress.com account security
- Sign in to WordPress.com and open your name or profile menu.
- Choose My WordPress.com account → Security → Two-Step Authentication.
- Select Set up using an app.
Add WordPress.com to Sign In
You can use Sign In, our authenticator app for codes on your iPhone.
- With the setup QR code on another screen, open Sign In and tap Add → Scan QR Code.
- Scan the code, review the account details, and tap Add Account.
- Enter the current six-digit code on WordPress.com and select Enable.
If the service offers a setup key, you can enter it manually. Otherwise, use a second screen for the QR code. In Sign In, choose Add → Enter Setup Key, set Service to WordPress.com and Account to your account name, paste the secret into Key, then tap Add Account. Keep this key private.
Verify and save a backup code
Copy or print the backup codes and store them securely outside your phone. WordPress.com asks you to enter one of these codes and select Verify to finish setup. Mark the used code so you do not rely on it later.
Generating a replacement set invalidates the earlier codes. Replace your saved copy if you regenerate them.
When you cannot use your authenticator
Choose Use a backup code instead at sign-in and enter an unused code. If you have no usable verification method, follow WordPress.com’s ownership-recovery process. It may ask for proof such as a transaction ID or your original activation link; recovery is not guaranteed.
Other supported methods
WordPress.com also supports text-message verification and security keys. Review the options in your account before choosing a fallback.
If a code does not work
Make sure the WordPress.com entry in Sign In matches the account you are using. Wait for a fresh code, then enter it before it changes. If fresh codes keep failing, check that your iPhone uses automatic date and time.
Keep a working sign-in session and your recovery information available while resolving the problem. Adding an entry to Sign In does not finish enrollment: the service must accept a code and confirm activation.