Setting Up Two-Factor Authentication

With two-factor authentication on, signing in takes your password and a 6-digit code from an authenticator app on your phone or computer. Someone who learns your password still cannot get into your account without that code.

Two-factor is optional and applies only to you. The API tokens your agents use are not affected and keep working as before.

You need two things:

• An authenticator app, such as 1Password, Google Authenticator or Authy.
• A safe place for ten recovery codes, such as a password manager or a printed copy kept somewhere secure. You will see them only once.

Click the Settings gear at the bottom of the sidebar, then choose the Two-factor tab. If you have not signed in recently, Stride asks you to sign in again before showing your settings.

Until two-factor is on, Stride also shows a reminder card after you sign in; its Set up two-factor authentication button takes you to the same place. Not now hides the card for 10 days.

Click Set up two-factor authentication. Stride shows a QR code and the same Key as text. Scan the QR code with your authenticator app, or type the key into the app if it cannot scan.

Type the code your app now shows into 6-digit code and click Verify and turn on. Two-factor is on only once that code is accepted.

If you click Cancel or leave the page before then, two-factor stays off. Starting again creates a new key, so delete the old Stride entry from your app.

Stride now shows ten recovery codes. Save them now — they will not be shown again. Each code works once, either to sign in or to turn off two-factor, if you ever lose your authenticator.

When they are safely stored, click I have saved these codes.

Sign in with your email and password as usual. Stride then asks for the 6-digit code from your authenticator app. Enter it within five minutes, or start again from your password.

If you ticked Keep me signed in on this device, Stride remembers that once the code is accepted.

If you do not have your authenticator, click Use a recovery code instead on the code page and enter one of your saved codes. Spaces, dashes and capital letters do not matter.

That code is now used up. Create a fresh set as soon as you are signed in (next step).

Under Settings → Two-factor, find New recovery codes, enter a current 6-digit code from your app and click Generate new codes. All of your old codes stop working straight away, so save the new ten in their place.

Many authenticator apps (1Password, for example) sync to your new device, and then there is nothing to do.

Otherwise, while you still have the old phone, click Turn off two-factor, enter a code from the old phone, and then set two-factor up again on the new one.

In this order:

• Sign in using one of your recovery codes.
• Go to Settings → Two-factor and click Turn off two-factor, entering another unused recovery code.
• Set two-factor up again with your new authenticator, and save the new recovery codes.

Stride cannot turn off two-factor for you without one of your codes, so if you lose both your authenticator and your recovery codes you cannot get back into the account. Keep the recovery codes safe.

• Check your device's clock. Codes depend on the time; turn on automatic time on your phone.
• Use the newest code. Each code works once and only for about a minute and a half.
• Too many attempts? After repeated wrong codes Stride stops accepting codes for a while: a few minutes at first, and up to a day after many failures. Recovery codes count toward the same limit, so wait, then try again.