Can I Use Google Authenticator With Hotmail?
One of the best ways to keep your Hotmail (Outlook) account safe is by using two-factor authentication. This usually involves providing a password for your account and then entering a verification code as the second step. The second step of the two-factor verification usually requires the use of a phone.
Microsoft developed the Microsoft authenticator app to enable two-factor login, but it also allows two-factor login into Hotmail.com through the Google authenticator app.
This step-by-step guide will show you how to use the Google authenticator app with your Hotmail account.
Note: If you find too many spam emails or hack attempts on your Hotmail account, consider switching to Gmail. We have to do this: ‘How to switch from Hotmail to Gmail.’
Step By Step Guide To Set Up Google Authenticator For Hotmail
STEP 1: Enabling two-step authentication
- Download Google authenticator in Google playstore or on the App Store if using an iPhone.
2. Go to the Homepage of your Microsoft account, scroll down to the security section and click on security dashboard. You will be prompted to enter your Microsoft account password before you continue.
3. Once on the security page, turn on 2-step verification.
4. This will open up a new page. Scroll down to the section named “additional security” and click “turn on” on the block with two-step verification.
This will take you to a page that confirms two-step-verification is turned on.
You will be taken through a series of steps to complete the process.
Two important things happen during the setup steps:
- You will get a recovery key (which you should print and never store on your device). Should ever lose your phone or need to recover your account, you will need the recovery password. Therefore, keep it safe.
- You will also get an app password (you can always get the app password later, although Microsoft warns you that access to some of its apps won’t be possible without it).
Once done with the set up, click “finish” and proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Setting up Google Authenticator for Hotmail
- Go back to the security page and scroll over to the section named “ways to prove who you are” and click on ‘add a new way to sign in or verify”.
2. Select “use an app”.
3. This will bring up a page asking you to sign in with Microsoft authenticator, or set up another authenticator app. Click on the link to set up a different authenticator app.
4. Open google authenticator on your phone and scan the barcode. Google authenticator will generate a code; enter that key in the text box provided in your Microsoft account.
5. That’s it! If the pairing is successful, the set-up page will close and revert to the security page.
