How to set up multi-factor authentication for your Instagram account

App/system: Instagram account
Learn: How to set up multi-factor authentication
Skill level: Beginner
Read time: 3 minutes

Do you or your employees use Instagram for personal or business activities? If yes, have you considered the security vulnerabilities this opens up for your business?

Cyber attacks are estimated to cost an average of £4200 per business. From July 2021 to July 2022, 39% of UK businesses identified a cyber attack against them. By far the most common (83%) was phishing attempts, where hackers try to access employee passwords or other log-in information.

Information above is taken from the UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2022.

Why is multi-factor authentication important?

Many of us still use only a basic, password based authentication to access email, Google, Microsoft and social media accounts, despite plenty of evidence that passwords are easily and regularly hacked. Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) takes moments to set up and makes it much harder for hackers to gain access.

Think of your password as the first ‘layer’ of your security. If you add a second ’layer’ this increases the work required to ‘break-in’ and hack the account. Further, this second layer may involve a fingerprint scan, another device or generating a limited-time code and is therefore much harder to steal or falsify than a password. MFA improves account security and better protects you and your organisation from anyone trying to access information they shouldn’t.

Read on for our guide to walk you through setting up MFA for your Instagram account.

Step by Step: Set up MFA for your Instagram Account

You can set up MFA for Instagram on either your mobile or computer and the process for setting it up differs slightly from one to the other.

Setting up MFA on either your computer or mobile device will give you the same options, either SMS (text) or authentication app.

Setting up MFA on your computer

To set up MFA on your computer you first need to go to Instagram and login to your account and follow these steps:

1. Click on your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen
2. When the menu appears, click Settings
3. Using the menu on the left side of the screen, select Privacy and Security
4. Scroll down and under Two Factor Authentication, click Edit two-factor authentication
5. Select the option you would like to use and follow the on-screen steps
6. When you have finished, Instagram will present you with some recovery codes in case your chosen option fails. Write these down and store them somewhere safe.

Setting up MFA on your mobile device

To set up MFA on your mobile device you first need to open your Instagram app and login to your account and follow these steps:

1. Click on the profile icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen
2. Click on the three horizontal lines to open the menu
3. Tap Settings and then Security
4. Click on Two-factor authentication
5. Hit the Get Started button and follow the on-screen instructions
6. When you have finished, Instagram will present you with some recovery codes in case your chosen option fails. Write these down and store them somewhere safe.

Continue your cyber security journey

MFA is a critical part of securing your personal and business data, but it’s by no means the only step you need to take.

If you’re concerned about IT security for your business, get in touch with our friendly team to find out more. Call 01732 600 170 or email [email protected].