How to turn on two-step authentication on Nest to secure your cameras, locks, more

Security is important both on and offline. Nest has a great collection of products from cameras to alarm systems to help you secure your home, but those products are only as secure as your account. Given recent “hacks,” it’s probably a good idea to turn on two-step authentication on your Nest account. Here’s how.

How to use Nest two-step authentication

1. Log into your Nest account
2. Access Account Security
3. Toggle two-step authentication on
4. Enter a phone number for two-step authentication codes

1. Log into your Nest account

To use two-step authentication on your Nest account, you’ll need to access your account from the web. This process won’t work from a mobile app. Head over to www.home.nest.com and log into your account.

2. Access Account Security

Once you’ve logged into your account, you’ll need to access your account settings. To do that, click on the profile icon in the top right corner of the screen. From there, press Settings. Once in the settings menu, you should see the Account Security section on the left-hand navigation menu.

3. Toggle on two-step authentication

From this point, we’ll toggle on two-step authentication. On the Account Security page, the third option presents a toggle for two-step authentication on your Nest account. To get the security feature turned on, simply flip that toggle to On. Immediately following that, you’ll need to enter your account password.

4. Enter a phone number for two-step authentication codes

Finally, you’ll need to assign a phone number for future logins to Nest. Whatever phone number you enter will receive codes upon log-in to confirm the account. Of course, SMS-based two-step authentication isn’t the most secure method, but it works well enough to keep your account secure if your password happens to be compromised. Nest uses 6-digit codes.

Note: Once this process has been completed, all of your devices will be signed out of the Nest website or mobile application.

More on Nest:

• Nest Cam nuclear missile ‘hack’ was actually just a case of bad password management
• Nest competitor Ring reportedly gave employees full access to customers’ live camera feeds
• Source: Google working on a ‘Nest’ rebrand

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