One of the fantastic features of Xero is you can log in and access your financial records from anywhere in the world. One of the risks of this, is anyone may be able to use your details to access your financial records from anywhere in the world. Two factor authentication means that someone can have your email address and password and still not be able to access your account unless they also have access to your phone to retrieve the authentication code.

Xero verifies your identity by requiring you to provide a unique code randomly generated by software installed on your smartphone, each time you log in. This means to access your account, you require your email address, password and access to your smartphone, making it far more secure.

You may be familiar with this process when using online banking if your bank sends a text message with an authentication code.

Watch the video below to see how to setup and use Two-step authentication

How does Two Factor Authentication work in practice?

When setting up two factor authentication, you will be prompted to provide answers to fallback questions. You can access your account by answering these questions if you do not have access to your smartphone.

After setting up two factor authentication, you will be prompted to log back in to Xero. When logging in and providing your authentication code, Xero can remember the device you are using for the next 30 days, making it just as easy to log into the device you use for Xero everyday.

you can remember in, and can remember the device you are using for 30 days, making it just as easy to log into the device you use for Xero everyday.

If you would like assistance in getting your Xero two factor authentication setup, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can also read more about Two Factor Authentication on Xero’s Blog.

Download Google Authenticator from Google Play for Android, the App Store for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch or use Authenticator on Windows Mobile.