Using two-factor authentication to sign in to Zendesk Support

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">Two-factor authentication makes it difficult for somebody else to sign in as you. After you enter your password as usual, you'll be asked to enter a passcode. You can get the passcode from your email, a text message (SMS), or a two-factor authentication app installed on your mobile device.</p>
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<p id="docs-ai-summary-toggle">Summary: <span id="up-triangle">◀</span><span id="down-triangle">▼</span></p>
<p id="docs-ai-summary-content">Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring a passcode after your password. You can receive passcodes via an authenticator app, email, or text message. Admins can require it for all agents, but you can also enable or disable it yourself if not required. Recovery codes help regain access if you lose your device or passcodes.</p>
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<div class="note fastpath">
<span class="fastpathtitle">Location: </span> Agent UI &gt; User Avatar &gt; View
Profile Page &gt; Security Settings</div>
<p class="p">Two-factor authentication makes it difficult for somebody else to sign in as you.
After you enter your password as usual, you'll be asked to enter a passcode.
You can get the passcode from your email, a text message (SMS), or a
two-factor authentication app installed on your mobile device.</p>
<p class="p">An admin can <em class="ph i">require</em> two-factor authentication for all agents and
administrators, but the admin can't set it up for them. If it's required,
you'll be prompted to set it up when you sign in. Even if it's not a
requirement, you can still set up two-factor authentication for your own
use.</p>
<p class="p">Admins can refer to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408826974874" target="_blank">Managing two-factor
authentication</a> to learn about important considerations before
turning it on.</p>
<p class="p">This article covers the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ekz_13k_gs">Using a recovery code to regain access to your account</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_qdm_yhk_gs">Turning on two-factor authentication</a></li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="#topic_ry3_mrd_h2c">Configuring how you'd like to receive passcodes</a>
</li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_p3p_zhk_gs">Turning off two-factor authentication</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ekz_13k_gs">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Using a recovery code to regain access to your account</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you can't access your device or email account, you can use one of your
recovery codes to reaccess your account. Recovery codes are
displayed once upon initial setup of two-factor authentication. When
prompted for a passcode at sign-in, enter one of your recovery
codes.</p>
<p class="p">You can only use each code once. If you use up all your codes or can't
find them, ask your Zendesk admin or account owner to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8197977742874" target="_blank">get a recovery code for
you</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_qdm_yhk_gs">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Turning on two-factor authentication</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If two-factor authentication isn't required, you can turn it on for your
own use. After you turn it on, you'll be prompted for a passcode
every time you sign in.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To turn on two-factor authentication</strong></p>
<ol class="ol">
<li class="li">In the Zendesk Support agent interface, click your user icon in
the upper right and select <strong class="ph b">View profile</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Security settings</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">In the Two-factor Authentication section, click
<strong class="ph b">Manage</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Set up 2FA</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Continue to the sections below, depending on how you'd like to
receive passcodes:<ul class="ul" id="topic_qdm_yhk_gs__ul_hxy_wsd_h2c">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_j2y_zzr_r2b">Receiving passcodes through an authenticator app</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_oqr_mkz_4hc">Receiving passcodes through email</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_dxp_d1s_r2b">Receiving passcodes through text message</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ry3_mrd_h2c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Configuring how you'd like to receive passcodes</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can receive passcodes through a two-factor authentication app, email,
or text message.</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_j2y_zzr_r2b">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">Receiving passcodes through an authenticator app</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">To use an authenticator app to receive passcodes, you must
install a two-factor authentication app on your mobile
device. Two-factor authentication apps include <a class="xref" href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1066447" target="_blank">Google Authenticator</a>, <a class="xref" href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/download-microsoft-authenticator-351498fc-850a-45da-b7b6-27e523b8702a" target="_blank">Microsoft
Authenticator</a>, <a class="xref" href="https://www.authy.com/" target="_blank">Authy</a>, <a class="xref" href="https://m.vip.symantec.com/" target="_blank">Symantec VIP</a>, and <a class="xref" href="https://duo.com/product/trusted-users/two-factor-authentication/duo-mobile" target="_blank">Duo Mobile</a>.
The app displays a valid passcode on the opening screen. You
typically get 30 seconds to use it before it expires, then
the app displays a new passcode.</p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note" id="topic_j2y_zzr_r2b__note_kmz_cdx_4zb">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> You need to use the mobile
version of a two-factor authentication app, not a
desktop version.</div>
</div>
<div class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To receive passcodes through an authenticator app</strong><ol class="ol" id="topic_j2y_zzr_r2b__ol_zwp_31s_r2b">
<li class="li">Select <strong class="ph b">Authenticator app</strong> in the Set up
two-factor authentication (2FA) dialog, then click
<strong class="ph b">Next</strong>.<p class="p">This dialog appears after turning
on 2FA, or upon sign-in when 2FA is
required.</p>
<p class="p"><img alt="image" class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_j2y_zzr_r2b__image_mbg_2wd_h2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/2FA_select_passcode_method.png" width="400"></p>
<p class="p">You are directed to
the Connect your 2FA method step.</p>
<p class="p"><img alt="image" class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_j2y_zzr_r2b__image_axp_31s_r2b" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/2fa_qr_code_react.png" width="400"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">Start the two-factor authentication app on your
device, select the option to add an entry, and
point your device's camera at the QR code (the
blocky square) on the Zendesk dialog in your
browser window.<p class="p">The mobile app might refer to
this action as <strong class="ph b">Scan Barcode</strong>.</p>
<p class="p">The app
should automatically scan the QR code and generate
a passcode. If you have trouble scanning the QR
code, you can manually enter the secret key that's
provided. Scanning the barcode is a one-time-only
step.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Enter the passcode generated by the app, then
click <strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Copy recovery codes</strong> and save them
in a safe location. If you lose your phone or
can't get a passcode, you must use a <a class="xref" href="#topic_ekz_13k_gs">recovery
code</a> to sign in.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p class="p">From now on, when you sign in, you can get a valid passcode by
simply opening a two-factor authentication app on your
device. The app displays a valid passcode on the opening
screen. The app doesn't need an internet connection to
display valid passcodes. </p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_oqr_mkz_4hc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Receiving passcodes through email</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you'd like to receive passcodes through email, you must
provide the email address where you'd like them sent.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To receive passcodes through email</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_oqr_mkz_4hc__ol_bkw_pkz_4hc">
<li class="li">Select <strong class="ph b">Email</strong> in the Set up two-factor
authentication (2FA) dialog, then click
<strong class="ph b">Next</strong>.<p class="p">This dialog appears after turning
on 2FA, or upon sign-in when 2FA is
required.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Enter an email address, then click <strong class="ph b">Send passcode</strong>.
<p class="p">An email will be sent to the email address
shortly.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Enter the code sent to you, then click
<strong class="ph b">Next</strong>.<p class="p">Email passcodes for 2FA are valid
for 60 seconds.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Copy recovery codes</strong> and save them in a safe
location. If you lose your phone or can't get a
passcode, you must use a <a class="xref" href="#topic_ekz_13k_gs">recovery
code</a> to sign in.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Done</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_dxp_d1s_r2b">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Receiving passcodes through text message</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="note" id="topic_dxp_d1s_r2b__note_zmr_kmt_rjc">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Receiving passcodes through text message
isn't supported on trial accounts.</div>
<p class="p">To receive passcodes through text message, make sure you include
a phone number that is eligible to receive the
<em class="ph i">transactional</em> SMS messages. Some countries,
such as India, have <a class="xref" href="https://support.twilio.com/hc/en-us/articles/223134167" target="_blank">restrictions</a>.
For more information, see <a class="xref" href="https://www.twilio.com/guidelines/sms" target="_blank">SMS
Guidelines</a>.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To receive passcodes through text messages</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_dxp_d1s_r2b__ol_mzn_p1s_r2b">
<li class="li">Select <strong class="ph b">SMS</strong> in the Set up two-factor
authentication (2FA) dialog, then click
<strong class="ph b">Next</strong>.<p class="p">This dialog appears after turning
on 2FA, or upon sign-in when 2FA is
required.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Enter a phone number that can receive text messages,
then click <strong class="ph b">Send passcode</strong>. <p class="p">A text message
will be sent to the number shortly.</p>
<div class="note" id="topic_dxp_d1s_r2b__note_rlh_sjd_h2c">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> The phone number must be in
E.164 format. </div>
</li>
<li class="li">Enter the code sent to you, then click
<strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.<p class="p">SMS passcodes for 2FA are valid for
60 seconds.
</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Copy recovery codes</strong> and save them in a safe
location. If you lose your phone or can't get a
passcode, you must use a <a class="xref" href="#topic_ekz_13k_gs">recovery
code</a> to sign in.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p">From now on, when you sign in, you can get a valid passcode from
a text message sent to your phone.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested1" id="topic_p3p_zhk_gs">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title8">Turning off two-factor authentication</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If two-factor authentication is not a requirement, but you turned it on
anyway, you can turn it off.</p>
<ol class="ol">
<li class="li">In the Zendesk Support agent interface, click your user icon in
the upper right and select <strong class="ph b">View profile</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Security Settings</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">In the <strong class="ph b">Two-Factor Authentication</strong> section, click
<strong class="ph b">Manage</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Turn off 2FA</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
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