2 step authentication

[thirl88]

Today I was sent an email by BT to one of my BT email addresses saying another one of my BT email accounts (the primary one) had been "protected" due to somebody supposedly trying to get into it. So, I'm forced to  go to MyBT web pages and set a new password (this has happened quite often over the years with all EIGHT of my email addresses). But today, for the first time, I am also greeted with a prompt to enter a "Passcode". The code is sent to a mobile number I previously provided. It's not mine... it's my wife's, because (believe it or not), I don't have a mobile phone! OK, I have to call my wife via our BT landline (costing me money) and ask her to tell me the passcode she has received. Having entered the passcode I am prompted to make my "Device" (I assume it means my deskstop PC) a "Trusted Device".  It tells me this will mean "I MIGHT not need to enter a passcode in future". Well, so far I've found I have to enter a passcode absolutely every time. If I log in to web mail... I must enter Username, enter Password, receive Passcode (on wife's phone), enter passcode. If I switch to MyBT (for instance to read my bill)... Username, Password, receive Passcode, enter Passcode. Switch back to email... Username, Password, Passcode. How do I stop this never ending insanity? Other than changing my provider??

[PaddyB]

Hi @thirl88,

Thank you for posting. Two-step authentication is a way of logging in where you confirm your identity in two ways. This has been put in place to help keep your account more secure. 

You can find out more about Two-step authentication here - two-step-authentication 

You can turn off Two step Authentication but this isn't recommended. A better option might be to change where the passcode is sent. 

You can change where your passcode is sent by following below steps. 

1. Log in to the MyBT portal 
2. Select Your Details
3. Select Edit two-step authentication 
4. Follow the steps to change your primary and/or secondary passcode destinations

Thanks,

Paddy

[thirl88]

Thank you for your reply,

You say 2 step authentication can be "turned off" but you don't say how it can be turned off. The settings that I can see only give me the option to name a trusted device or to remove a trusted device. When I remove all trusted devices I am still prompted for a passcode every time I log in. Nothing changes whether I name a trusted device or I do not. I cannot see any way to "turn off" 2 step autentication so that I am never prompted for a passcode. I am in a secure place, I do not need passcodes. There is nothing in my BT emails or in my use of the MyBT web pages that needs that much security.

So, how do I turn off 2 step authentication so that I never receive prompts for a passcode?

Thanks

[PaddyB]

Hi @thirl88,

Thank you for replying. You can turn off the two step authentication by going to the "Your Profile" section.

Scroll to the Two-step Authentication section. Click on the link that says "Edit Two-step Authentication settings".

On the next page click on the tab that says "your passcode settings". You should see the option to "Switch it off" on the left bottom of the screen.

Thanks,

Paddy

[thirl88 · Accepted solution]

Hi PaddyB,

Your instructions on where to find the option to switch off 2 step authentication was very helpful. I had not been able to find this option when I previously looked at my settings. I have now switched it off though I do understand why it exists and why many people like to use it. Just not for me right now.

Thank you for your help, you can consider this question resolved.

[Dode]

@thirl88 Having a secure email account is very often more important than most people think. If some one can access your email they can go through the 'forgot password' route and change passwords for any important sites that you may have. That's where '2 step authentication' comes in , you get to know about it. As for Trusted Device I can't see what use that really is as it just keeps asking.