Adding two-step verification to your Amazon account is essential if you want to help keep your details secure.  

This kind of safety measure makes it much harder for hackers to gain access to your private information and steal your identity, and, even better, it's incredibly simple to set up. 

In this quick guide, we'll outline exactly what this method actually means and how you can add it to your Amazon account.

What is two-step verification?

Two-step verification adds a second step to the basic login process (when you enter in your username and password to sign in).

Entering your password is considered a single factor of verification. Adding a second factor will make your account a bit more secure or harder to hack. Sometimes it's called two-factor authentication (2FA).

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So, with a second factor added, you'll have to enter two types of credentials in order to access an online account.

Typically, this second element will involve entering a code that has been sent in an SMS to the smartphone registered with the account, though it can also involve facial recognition, fingerprint scanning or even an automated phone call.

How to enable two-step verification on Amazon

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  • Go to your local Amazon site
  • Sign in to your account
  • Go to 'Your Account' from the 'Account and Lists' drop-down menu under your name
  • Select the 'Login and Security' option
  • You might be asked to sign in again at this point
  • Click 'Manage' on 2-Step Verification (2SV) Settings OR click 'Get Started' on Two-Step Verification
  • Once again, you might be asked to sign in
  • You can then enter your phone number to receive a verification code

Your phone should be available whenever you sign in to your Amazon account and must be able to receive SMS messages.

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Alternatively, rather than having a code texted to you every time, use a two-step authentication app like Authy or Google Authenticator.

This is especially handy when you don't have access to cell service. The app on your phone will still generate a code that you can enter at sign in the same way as with texted codes.

From this area you can also manages your 2SV