Facebook Login Approvals
Facebook earlier this year confirmed that they would improve the login process on Facebook by implementing two factor authentication. Today Facebook announced that the new feature has finally been added to the social networking site, and that all Facebook users can make use of it.
Facebook Login Approvals, that’s the official name of the feature on Facebook, protects accounts with an additional code that needs to be entered when logging into Facebook from an unregistered computer.
The code will be send via SMS to the Facebook account holder’s mobile phone, ensuring that only the rightful owner can log in to Facebook from an unregistered computer system.
Login Approvals is an opt-in feature which means that it is disabled by default, and needs to be enabled by the user before it becomes available.
You find the new feature listed under Account > Account Settings > Account Security.
You’ll have to configure the service first before you can make use of it. Facebook will walk you through the process of turning on login approvals with a wizard.
Please note that you need your mobile phone with you to complete the process.
The first screen describes the functionality and purpose of Login Approvals. Click Next on that screen.
You are asked to enter a mobile phone number to your profile if you have not done so previously. The phone will receive the SMS codes that you need to enter when you want to log in to your account on Facebook from an unregistered machine.
This screen is not shown to you if you have added your mobile phone number to Facebook previously.
Facebook sends you a code to your mobile phone that you need to enter on the next screen. This confirms that you have access to the phone.
This completes the setup of Login Approvals on Facebook. Anyone trying to access your Facebook account from an unregistered computer will get a prompt asking for the code send to the linked mobile phone.
Facebook account owners will be notified on their next log in about the attempted account access. Options are then provided to change the Facebook password right away to protect the account from third parties.
Users can log in normally on registered computer systems. The code is only shown on unregistered devices. This highlights how you can access your Facebook account should you lose your phone.
Some users have expressed concern, as they do not want to provide Facebook with their mobile phone number. It is not possible for now to use Login Approvals without adding the mobile phone number to Facebook. Maybe that will change in the future, so that email becomes an alternative.