What is two-step verification?
Two-step verification (a.k.a. two-factor authentication, multi-factor authentication, or MFA) is a financial industry standard in which a user is required to provide additional verification after signing in. Often a verification code is provided to the user via text message or automated phone call.
Any time you sign in to an existing TurboTax account on an unrecognized computer or device, we’ll ask you to verify your identity first.
For an additional layer of security, you can enable the verification feature each time you sign in with our two-step verification feature or the Google Authenticator app. We call this opt-in two-step verification. If you later opt out (deactivate) this feature, we’ll still ask you to verify the first time you sign in on an unrecognized device.
How do I enable or disable the two-step verification feature in TurboTax?
On your mobile device:
- Sign in to your TurboTax account, if you’re not already signed in.
- Go to the menu icon in the upper-left corner, then select Intuit Account at the bottom.
- This will open your Account Settings.
- Select Security.
- Then choose your action by Two-step Verification.
- Follow any on-screen instructions to complete your request.
On laptops and desktop computers:
- Sign in to your TurboTax account, if you’re not already signed in.
- In the left-hand menu, select Intuit Account.
- Then, select the Security tab and choose your action by Two-step Verification.
- Follow any on-screen instructions to complete your request.
How do I use Google Authenticator with the TurboTax two-step verification feature?
After you set up two-step verification in TurboTax, you can use the Google Authenticator app to create your verification codes. Get the iPhone version at the App Store or the Android version through Google Play. Google Authenticator isn’t available for Windows phones.
Once you have the app, follow these instructions:
Mobile devices
- Sign in to TurboTax and enable two-step verification if you haven’t already done so.
- Select Intuit Account in the lower left corner of the screen.
- This will open your Account Settings screen
- Select the Security tab.
- Scroll down to Two-step verification and Turn On verification.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
Laptops and desktop computers
- Sign in to TurboTax and enable two-step verification if you haven’t already done so.
- Select Account Settings from the My Account drop-down menu in the upper-right corner.
- Click Security (under Profile) and then click Edit next to Two-step verification.
- Click Turn on Authenticator app and follow the onscreen instructions.
To disable Google Authenticator, simply disable the two-step verification feature in TurboTax.
What if I lose my phone after verifying my identity?
You can:
- Choose Confirm my account a different way and follow the onscreen prompts.
- Check your cell carrier’s website. There may be a way to check your text messages online.
- Contact us and one of our support representatives will be able to assist you. You’ll be asked to verify your identity as part of our security to ensure your account remains safe.
