For years, Twitter’s two-factor sign-in process has required SMS at some level, even if just as a backup. That’s all well and good on a phone, but what about when you’re on a tablet, or are in a situation (say, traveling abroad) where you’d rather not get a text? You’re set from now on. Twitter has added support for verifying your sign-in exclusively through a third-party app. You still need a phone number to get things started, but software like Google Authenticator and Duo Mobile can now fill in after that, with no SMS fallback. The setup process is relatively straightforward — the biggest step is scanning a QR code to produce the verification number you need.
This isn’t really necessary for most people. It may be helpful if you’re regularly signing in and out, however — say, if you’re a social media manager or just tend to switch devices on a frequent basis. Apps like Duo Mobile may only save you a few seconds, but that can quickly add up. This might also encourage you to use two-factor authentication if you really, really dislike the possibility of having to use SMS, and it could prevent account breaches that take advantage of phone number hijacks.
We’re rolling out an update to login verification.
You’ll now be able to use a third party app for two-factor authentication instead of SMS text messages.https://t.co/UXl3xKLEaG
— Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) December 20, 2017
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