On a computer, go to Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Accounts Centre, then Password and security, then Two-factor authentication, pick your account and choose Authentication app, then type in the code the app shows. Facebook says you can only add an authentication app while you can still get into your account, so as of Nov 2026 the right time to set one up is today, not the day you're locked out.
An authentication app is a small app on your phone that makes a fresh login code for you, so you're not waiting for a text. Facebook names Google Authenticator and LastPass as examples, and Duo Mobile turns up in its troubleshooting article. It doesn't pick a favourite, and neither will I.
Add it while you can still log in
Facebook's Help is blunt about this. You can only add a third-party authentication app, or any other two-factor method, if you already have access to your Facebook account. If you can't get in, Help sends you to account recovery instead. So the app is a lock you fit while you're inside the house.
Facebook also says to install the app on the device you normally use for Facebook. For most business owners that's the phone in your pocket, not the tablet in the drawer. The app is only useful if it's with you when the login prompt appears.
If you haven't switched on two-factor at all yet, turning on two-factor authentication on Facebook walks through that first step. This page is about the app part.
The Accounts Centre route, step by step
Here's Facebook's path on a computer, as of Nov 2026:
- Install an authentication app on the phone you normally use for Facebook.
- Click your profile picture in the top right, then Settings and privacy, then Settings.
- Click Accounts Centre, then Password and security.
- Click Two-factor authentication, then choose the account you want to update.
- Choose Authentication app.
- Follow the setup instructions in the app, then click Next.
- Enter the code the app generates, then click Next.
Facebook says not everyone can see this setting in Meta Account or Accounts Centre yet, because it's gradually moving people over to Meta Accounts. If the option isn't there for you, Help gives an older route: go to Security and login settings, scroll to Use two-factor authentication and click Edit (you may need to re-enter your password), choose Use authentication app and follow the on-screen instructions.
App, text message or security key
Facebook lets you choose a primary method when you turn on two-factor authentication. Recovery codes sit alongside them as a backup, which is where people get confused.
| Method | What it needs | What Facebook says about it |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication app | An app such as Google Authenticator or LastPass on your phone | Generates login codes that confirm it's you when you log in from a new device for the first time |
| Text message codes | A mobile number that can receive texts | Sends a 6-digit code by SMS; if it's slow, check your signal and that your inbox isn't full |
| Security key | A physical USB or NFC device | You tap it on a compatible device to confirm the login |
| Recovery codes | Ten printed or written codes | A backup for when you can't use your phone; each code works once |
You'll find the recovery codes under How you get login codes, then Additional methods, then Recovery codes, then Get new codes. I'd print them the same day you add the app. My guide to Facebook recovery codes covers them in more depth.
Why it keeps asking for a code
When two-factor is on, Facebook asks for a code or a login approval whenever someone tries to log in from a browser or device it doesn't recognise. If you haven't saved the browser you're on, it asks you to save it, and then you won't need a code there next time. Don't click Save this browser on a public computer.
If you're asked for a code every single time on your own laptop, the app probably isn't the problem. Facebook says it needs to remember your browser to recognise it, and private browsing, or a browser set to clear its history every time it closes, can mean entering a code at every login.
When the phone with the app is gone
Lost, broken or wiped, Facebook's troubleshooting article gives this order:
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- Wait for a text code, if you also have SMS set up, and check your signal.
- Approve the login from another device where you're already logged in. Look for a notification there.
- Use one of your recovery codes in place of the app code. Each one works once.
If none of those work, you can ask Facebook to confirm your identity. On a computer, get to the screen asking for the code, click Need another way to authenticate?, then Other options, then Get more help. On Android or a mobile browser it's Having trouble?, and on iPhone or iPad it's Need help?. Facebook says you might be asked for a photo of a government ID, security questions or trusted contacts, and to expect instructions typically within one to two working days by email or phone.
Two catches. This isn't available on Facebook Lite, so use the full app or a web browser. And if you don't have your phone at all, look for I don't have my phone on the authentication screen, then Contact us.
Changing phones without locking yourself out
New phones are where most authenticator lockouts start. You trade in the old handset, the app goes with it and your codes vanish. Facebook's troubleshooting article says that once you're back in, you can set up a different authentication app to generate codes on a new device. The trick is doing that before the old phone leaves your hands.
- Keep the old phone working and logged in until you've finished.
- Install an authentication app on the new phone.
- In Accounts Centre, go back to Two-factor authentication and set up the authentication app on the new device.
- Get new recovery codes and put them somewhere safe that isn't the phone.
- Only then reset or hand over the old phone.
Facebook also lists adding a new mobile number or a security key as ways to avoid being locked out again. And it says you can create a passkey for an easier and more secure login; Facebook passkeys are worth a look alongside the app.
Is it worth it for a business account?
I'd add the authentication app today if you run a Page or ads from your profile, and I'd print the recovery codes in the same sitting. I'd skip text codes as your only method if you change numbers often or travel, because a code you can't receive is a lockout waiting to happen. Skip private browsing on your main laptop too, or you'll be typing codes all day.
If you want the app side explained first, using Google Authenticator shows how one of the apps Facebook names works.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add an authenticator app if I'm locked out of Facebook?
No. Facebook says you can only add an authentication app if you already have access to your account. If you can't get in, Help points you to account recovery.
Which authenticator apps work with Facebook?
Facebook's Help names Google Authenticator and LastPass as examples, and mentions Duo Mobile in its troubleshooting article. It doesn't recommend one over another.
Why does Facebook ask for a code every time I log in?
Facebook says private browsing, or a browser set to clear its history when it closes, can stop it remembering your browser, so you'll be asked for a code each time.
What if I lose the phone with my authenticator app?
Facebook suggests a text code, approving the login from another device you're logged in on, or one of your recovery codes. If none work, you can ask Facebook to confirm your identity.
