LinkedIn, like many other social media and SaaS platforms, is moving towards two factor authentication or 2FA as it often, and mostly without affectionate, known. 

As annoying as 2FA is, it really is the most effective way to avoid hacks, so we recommend moving sooner rather than later. 

Besides, although they aren’t telling us the exact date that it will become mandatory, it will no doubt happen on the day you want to use your phone to post an update from the best event you’ve attended in years… 

It should take no more than five minutes assuming you have ready access to the following:

• The email account you use with LI (note it may be a personal account) 
• Your LI password (note you can check your password manager if you can’t remember it)
• Your phone to set up either SMS authentication or Authenticator App (I chose SMS because it always feels less painful somehow)

I’ve included a step-by-step guide below for anyone who is feeling a little skittish and here are a few gotchas:

• Enabling 2FA will immediately log you out of LI on all devices
• When you log back in, you will need to follow the 2FA process you selected (i.e. either SMS or an Authenticator app)
• Enabling 2FA also affects your preferences for LI Campaign Manager
• Reminder that by default, giving LI your phone number means anyone who has that number can find you on LI, but you can change that preference in Settings