How to enable two-step verification on Dropbox; with ScreenShots

Sending your data  to cloud is thought to be the easiest way to secure and backup it. Dropbox, one of the biggest names in the online backup and file storage service recently confirmed that some of it’s users credentials were compromised. This has led the company to enable the added security measure, Two-Step verification.

What is Two-Step verification ?

Two-Step verification randomly generates a 16-digit security code which the user has to enter at the time of sign-in in addition to the username and password to access their account from a new device like a computer, iphone or tablet. This code is random and may prove hard to be cracked by hackers.

How to Get Two-Step verification code ?

This code may be send to you by SMS or by a smartphone app such as Google Authenticator for Android, iOS, and BlackBerry. Two-Step verification is designed to prevent the unauthorized accessing of users account and protect some of their more precious files stored in Dropbox such as family photos or business documents.

How to enable the Two-Step authentication feature on Dropbox ?

Here’s a quick guide at how to enable the Two-Step authentication feature on your account.

1. First log in to your Dropbox account via the website.

 

2. Access the account menu by clicking on your name in the top right corner of the screen.

3. Then choose Settings and go to the Security tab.

4. Under the Account Sign-in section, users will see a new Two-step verification option set to ‘Disabled’ by default.

5. Clicking on ‘change’ will prompt users to re-enter their password, after which they can choose to receive a security code via SMS or any mobile app.

 

 

 

Users who prefer to get their 16-digit code by a text message can select the option which will be available on enabling the Two Step verification setup.

Dropbox two-step verification supports several third-party authentication apps including Google Authenticator (Android, iOS, BlackBerry),  AWS Virtual MFA from Amazon’s App store for Android, or Authenticator for Windows Phone. After the setup, users can test the feature to ensure it is working properly or not.

To try it, users have to unlink their desktop account and try re-linking it.

To unlink on Windows, right-click on the Dropbox icon in your taskbar, select “Preferences>Account>Unlink This Computer.” Dropbox will disappear and then reboot asking you to sign in. After you’ve entered your username and password, you should now see a request for a two-step verification code. The Two-Step verification feature is under experimental mode. Dropbox has implemented this feature as optional for users. It is advised that users who don’t mind experimenting with this new feature can access this feature and those users who hate any kind of hassles in their account should not try it now till dropbox confirms its safety and verifies it. Dropbox is working hard for providing better security for all its users and their files and prevent their account from suspicious activities like introducing New Automated Mechanisms and security tabs to add extra layer of security to users accounts.