2-factor authentication (2FA) is a way to add an extra layer of security to your online life by requiring two steps when you log in to a website or app.
Dashlane uses 2FA in several different ways. We always require two steps when you sign in to Dashlane on a new device. You enter your Master Password, and we send a verification code to your contact email address. You enter this code and access your account. This process “authenticates” your device, so we know the device belongs to you.
But we also offer another kind of 2FA that you can turn on for specific logins or for your account as a whole. You download an “authenticator” app used for creating and storing tokens. When you log in to an account with 2FA turned on, we ask for a token stored in your authenticator app. When you use an authenticator app, the process is even safer than 2FA using email or text messages.
More about 2FA
When you log in to a website or app, you use your password to prove that you are who you say you are. This process is called “single-factor authentication” because you prove your identity in one step by providing something that only you know.
2-factor authentication (2FA) requires two steps. First, you enter your password. Then you confirm your identity, usually by entering a token or code sent to your mobile device or email address.
2FA adds security to your online life because, to access your logins, you need a password that only you know and a mobile device that only you have.
Protect your Dashlane account with 2FA
You can set up 2FA with your mobile device to add a layer of protection to your Dashlane account. First, you need to download an authenticator app, which you’ll use to store the 6-digit tokens used in the 2FA process. This app is different from the main Dashlane app.
We recommend the Dashlane Authenticator app, available for both iOS (Apple) and Android. But you can use other apps as well.
More about the Dashlane Authenticator app
Get the Authenticator app for iOS (Apple) app
Get the Authenticator app for Android
Turn on 2FA for your Dashlane account
You can turn on 2FA for your Dashlane account with the web app or with the Android or iOS (Apple) mobile apps.
Note: You can't manage your 2FA settings in the Dashlane Safari app. If you want to use 2FA with Safari, turn the setting on first in the iOS (Apple) mobile app or the web app in another browser.
Turn on 2FA with the web app
Download the Dashlane Authenticator app on your mobile device. Then open the Dashlane web app on your computer to turn on 2FA.
- In the My account menu in the web app, select Settings, then Security settings, and then turn on 2-factor authentication. If asked, enter your Master Password and select Next.
- Choose whether to use 2FA every time you log in to Dashlane or only when you log in from new devices. Select Continue.
- Enter the phone number for your mobile device. If you get locked out of your account, we can send recovery codes by text to this number. A pop-up appears with a QR code and a setup code.
- Open the Dashlane Authenticator app on your mobile device. Select Add 2FA token. Then Scan QR code. If this is your first token, select Scan QR code directly. A camera opens on your phone.
- If your device doesn’t have a camera, you can select Enter setup code.
- Scan the QR code with the camera on your phone or enter the setup code manually. A 6-digit token appears on your mobile device.
- In the web app, select Continue and then enter the 6-digit token. A pop-up appears with recovery codes that you can use if you can’t access your authenticator app. Download the recovery codes someplace safe and select Done.
Important: If you lose access to the authenticator app, you need recovery codes to log in to Dashlane. If necessary, we can also send you more recovery codes by text to the phone number you entered when signing up for 2FA.
After you’ve turned on 2FA, you see a 2FA token for Dashlane whenever you open your authenticator app. We’ll ask for this token when you log in to Dashlane or when you log in from a new device, depending on the settings you’ve chosen.
The token refreshes every 30 seconds in the Dashlane Authenticator app, and the old token is no longer valid.
Turn on 2FA with the mobile app
To turn on 2FA with the mobile app, you need both the Dashlane Authenticator app and the main Dashlane app. After downloading the Dashlane Authenticator app, open the main Dashlane app as well.
- In the mobile app menu, select Settings, then Security, and then turn on 2FA. If asked, enter your Master Password and select Next.
- You can choose to use 2FA every time you log in to Dashlane or only when you log in from new devices. Select Next.
- Select Start setup and enter your mobile phone number. If you get locked out of your account, we can send recovery codes by text to this number. Select Next.
- A pop-up appears with recovery codes that you can use if you can’t access your authenticator app. We recommend selecting Save recovery codes and downloading them someplace safe that isn’t Dashlane. You can also select Skip to skip this step.
- We’ll ask you if you saved the recovery codes or if you need to go back. If you saved them, select Yes.
Important: If you lose access to your authenticator app, you need recovery codes to log in to Dashlane. If necessary, we can also send you more recovery codes by text to the phone number you entered when signing up for 2FA.
- On the next page, select View my token to go to the Dashlane Authenticator app, or select Skip to go back to the Dashlane app.
After you’ve turned on 2FA, you see a 2FA token for Dashlane in your authenticator app. We’ll ask for this token when you log in to Dashlane or when you log in from a new device, depending on the settings you’ve chosen.
The token refreshes every 30 seconds in the Dashlane Authenticator app, and the old token is no longer valid.
Sign in to Dashlane with 2FA
Sign in to the Dashlane extension and web app with 2FA
- In the extension pop-up, enter your login email address. Dashlane asks for a 6-digit token from your authenticator app.
- Open your authenticator app to find the token. Then enter the token in the extension. Or select Use a recovery code and enter a recovery code. Then select Confirm.
- Enter your Master Password and select Log in. Select Open the web app.
Sign in to the Dashlane Safari app with 2FA
- Launch the app from your dock or select the Dashlane icon in Safari. Select open the app and select Log in. Enter your Dashlane email address and select Next.
- Open your authenticator app. Enter the 6-digit token for Dashlane into the Token space on the Safari app.
- Enter your Master Password and select Log in.
Sign in to the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app with 2FA
- In the Dashlane iOS (Apple) app, enter your Dashlane email address and your Master Password and select Log in.
- Go to your authenticator app by pressing the iPhone main button twice or swiping up from the bottom of the screen to change apps. Select the 6-digit token to copy it to your clipboard.
- Go to the main Dashlane app and paste the 6-digit token there, and select Log in.
Sign in to the Dashlane Android app with 2FA
- In the Android app, enter your login email address. Dashlane asks for a 6-digit token from your authenticator app.
- Open your authenticator app to find the token. Then enter the token in the main Dashlane app.
- Enter your Master Password and select Log in.
Turn off 2FA for your Dashlane account
You can turn off 2FA for your Dashlane account with the web app or the Android or iOS (Apple) mobile apps. You can't manage your 2FA settings in the Dashlane Safari app.
Turn off 2FA with the web app
- In the My account menu in the web app, select Settings, then Security settings, and then turn off 2-factor authentication.
- In the pop-up, select Yes, turn off.
- In the next pop-up, enter the 2FA token from your authenticator app and select Confirm. Or select Use a recovery code and enter a recovery code before selecting Confirm. 2FA is now off for your Dashlane account.
Important: You must complete the first three steps before moving on to the final step. Otherwise, you risk getting locked out of your account.
- Remove the 2FA token for Dashlane from your authenticator app.
- In the Dashlane Authenticator app, select the 3-dot menu and then Edit.
- Select the Remove icon, shown as a trash can, for the login you want to remove. Confirm by selecting Yes, remove account.
Turn off 2FA with the mobile app
- In the mobile app menu, select Settings, then Security, and then turn off 2FA. A pop-up opens, asking you to confirm.
- Select Yes, turn off. A new pop-up opens, asking you to enter a 2FA token.
- Enter the 2FA token from your authenticator app and select Next. 2FA is now off for your Dashlane account. The Dashlane Authenticator syncs with the main Dashlane app and removes your tokens automatically.
Turn off 2FA with recovery codes
When you first turn on 2FA, we ask you to save recovery codes. These codes are helpful if you lose access to your authenticator app. You can use the codes as a temporary solution to get into your account and turn off 2FA.
Note: If you can't find your recovery codes, we can send more by text to the phone number you gave us when you first turned on 2FA. Go to our Reset 2FA page and follow the instructions.
Visit the Reset 2FA page
Important: If you're part of a Starter, Team, or Business plan and need new recovery codes, you can ask your admin to generate them for you.
Learn more about how admins generate codes
- In the extension pop-up, enter your login email address. Dashlane asks for a 6-digit token from your authenticator app. Open your authenticator app to find the token.
- Select Use a recovery code and enter a recovery code. Then select Confirm.
- Enter your Master Password and select Log in. Select Open the web app.
- In the My account menu in the web app, select Settings, then Security settings, and then turn off 2-factor authentication.
- In the pop-up, select Yes, turn off.
- In the next pop-up, select Use a recovery code and enter a recovery code. You need to use a different recovery code than the one you used for signing in. Select Confirm. 2FA is now off for your Dashlane account.
When you turn 2FA off and back on, you get new recovery codes, and your old recovery codes won't work. To avoid confusion, delete any old recovery codes.
Important: Make sure to save your recovery codes on a device different from the device you use as an authenticator. That way, you'll still have access to your account if you lose your device.
Good to know
These are some important things to keep in mind when you set up and use 2FA to protect your Dashlane account:
- Set all your devices to the same time. The tokens expire every 30 seconds, and time differences between your devices can cause problems.
- Make sure to download your recovery codes when turning on 2FA. You can use recovery codes to log in if you can’t access your authenticator app. Each code can only be used once. If you lose your recovery codes, you can get more by text message on the phone number you entered when you turned on 2FA.
- You can access your security settings for 2FA from the My account menu of the web app. Select Security settings and then View options in the 2-factor authentication section.
- If you use an authenticator app that isn't Dashlane Authenticator, the setup process might be slightly different than what we describe in this article.
- The authenticator app needs to use TOTP technology. TOTP stands for “time-based one-time password,” which is a technical way of saying that the token changes regularly.
- If you don't have a mobile device, you can use a desktop authenticator app like WinAuth.
- If you want to change the phone number where we send your recovery codes, you need to turn 2FA off and back on again.
- If you want to change the way you use 2FA—only on new devices or every time you log in to Dashlane—you need to turn 2FA off and back on again.
Protect specific logins with 2FA
You can add a layer of protection to your most important logins in Dashlane using 2FA on your Android or iOS (Apple) mobile device. You can turn on 2FA for a specific login in the main Dashlane app or the Dashlane Authenticator app. When you turn on 2FA for a specific login in one app, the other app automatically syncs, and you can find your 2FA tokens in both places.
Note: Not all websites and apps can use Dashlane apps as 2FA authenticators. Some require other authenticator apps or sending codes by email or text message.
Turn on 2FA for a specific login
Turn on 2FA for a specific login in the iOS (Apple) app
- Select the login you want to add 2FA protection for, and then select Edit. On the edit page, select Add 2FA token.
- You can also go to the Tools section of the iOS (Apple) app and select the Authenticator tab. Then select Add 2FA token.
- Go to the security settings of the website or app that you want to protect with 2FA. Follow the steps to turn on 2FA. These steps will vary depending on the website or app, but the steps should lead to a QR code or a number setup code.
- In the Dashlane mobile app, select Scan QR code, and then scan the QR code with the camera on your phone. Or select Enter setup code and then enter the code that the website or app gives you and select Next.
- Select Ok, got it. Then select the Save icon to save changes to the login. When you select the login again, a 6-digit token appears. You might need to enter this token on the website or app that you want to use with 2FA.
Turn on 2FA for a specific login in the Android app
- Select the login you want to add 2FA protection for, and then select the Edit icon, shown as a pencil. Select Set up in the 2-factor authentication section of the edit page.
- You can also go to the Security tools section of the Android app and select the Authenticator tab. Then select Add 2FA token.
- Go to the security settings of the website or app that you want to protect with 2FA. Follow the steps to turn on 2FA. These steps will vary depending on the website or app, but the steps should lead to a QR code or a number setup code.
- In the Dashlane mobile app, select Scan QR code, and then scan the QR code with the camera on your phone. Or select Enter setup code and then enter the code that the website or app gives you and select Next.
- Select Ok, got it. Then select the Save icon, shown as a checkmark, to save changes to the login. When you select the login again, a 6-digit token appears. You might need to enter this token on the website or app that you want to use with 2FA.
Turn off 2FA for a specific login
Turn off 2FA for a specific login in the iOS (Apple) app
- Go to the website or app you want to turn off 2FA for. Access the security settings of the site or app and turn off 2FA.
Important: You must complete this step before moving on to the next step. Otherwise, you risk getting locked out of your account.
- Find the login in Dashlane and select Edit. Select the 6-digit 2FA token on the edit page, and then select Remove from Dashlane.
- You can also go to the Tools section of the iOS (Apple) app and select the Authenticator tab. Select Edit, and then Remove from Dashlane.
- Confirm by selecting Remove from Dashlane again, and select Save to save changes to the login.
Turn off 2FA for a specific login in the Android app
- Go to the website or app you want to turn off 2FA for. Access the security settings of the site or app and turn off 2FA.
Important: You must complete this step before moving on to the next step. Otherwise, you risk getting locked out of your account.
- Find the login in Dashlane and select the Edit icon, shown as a pencil. In the 2-factor authentication section, select Remove.
- You can also go to the Security tools section of the Android app and select the Authenticator tab. Select the Edit icon, shown as a pencil. Then select the Remove icon, shown as a trash can, for the login you want to remove.
- Confirm by selecting Yes, remove 2FA. Select the Save icon, shown as a checkmark, to save the login.
2FA for specific logins with the Dashlane Authenticator
You can also store and manage 2FA tokens using the Dashlane Authenticator app.
- Go to the security settings of the website or app that you want to protect with 2FA. Follow the steps to turn on 2FA. These steps will vary depending on the website or app, but the steps should lead to a QR code or a number setup code.
- In the Dashlane Authenticator app, select Add 2FA token and then Scan QR code. Then scan the QR code with the camera on your phone. The Dashlane Authenticator app might ask you to select the account you want to set up with 2FA.
- Select the correct account, and then select Ok, that’s done. A token appears in the Dashlane Authenticator app. You might need to enter this token on the website or app that you want to use with 2FA.
You can turn off 2FA for a specific login from the Dashlane Authenticator app as well.
- Go to the website or app you want to turn off 2FA for. Access the security settings of the site or app and turn off 2FA.
Important: You must complete this step before moving on to the next step. Otherwise, you risk getting locked out of your account.
- In the Dashlane Authenticator app, select the 3-dot menu and then Edit.
- Select the Remove icon, shown as a trash can, for the login you want to remove. Confirm by selecting Yes, remove account.
Note: The Dashlane Authenticator app automatically syncs with the main Dashlane app, so you’ll have access to your tokens for specific logins in both places. When you remove a token in the Authenticator, the token disappears from the main Dashlane app.
Good to know
These are some important things to keep in mind when you use 2FA to protect logins in Dashlane:
- We back up your tokens on our servers, and they are encrypted with the rest of your data. That means we store your tokens, but we can’t see them. You can access them from any device you use Dashlane on.
- When you share a login that has 2FA turned on using Dashlane’s secure sharing feature, you share the tokens as well.
- You can't use the main Dashlane app as an authenticator app to log in to your Dashlane account. This is similar to locking the keys to your car inside the car. However, you can use the Dashlane Authenticator app to protect your Dashlane account with 2FA.
- If you back up your data in a secure DASH file, you export your 2FA tokens as well.
- You can autofill 2FA tokens with the mobile app. When you log in to a site or app with 2FA set up, a pop-up appears that says your code is ready to paste. Select paste in the space for the code. Dashlane autofills your token.
- Autofill is turned on automatically for the Android app. To turn on this feature on an iOS (Apple) device, you need to go to the Settings menu and select General, and then turn on Copy 2FA token automatically.