Google Will Make 2-Factor Authentication on by Default

Bradley Rhodes -

Back in May, Google announced its plans to enable two-step verification (2SV) or two-factor authentication by default to protect user accounts.

Two-step verification works like this: once you want to sign in to your Google account, you enter your password as usual. You are then required to confirm your actions using your phone.

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Now the tech giant announced that by the end of this year, the 2SV would be set by default for 150 million users of the company's services. The news was announced in the company's blog.

Together with millions of Google users, more than two million content creators on YouTube will also switch to two-factor authentication by the end of this year.

The blog post also states that users will be able to use security keys for authorization, which Google alone issues more than 10 thousand annually.

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The Verge reports that in 2018, Google said that only 10% of active accounts used two-factor authentication. Since then, the company has started encouraging users to use this feature more often.