Two-factor verification is a powerful hedge against potential hacker attacks, simply because it blocks anyone’s attempt to log in with your correct password until you give the go-ahead from your phone, or directly authorize the login from an authenticator app. PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 have their own style of two-factor verification, called 2-Step Verification, and it can be activated in a number of places.
On PC, activating 2-Step Verification is as simple as visiting the PlayStation website, logging into your account, and heading to the Account Management page. Now go to Security, 2-Step Verification, and then follow the steps on the screen to choose between SMS verification, or verification through an app such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator. In either case, you’ll get 10 backup codes that’ll be necessary to break into your PSN account in case you’re unable to verify ownership through your chosen means. It’s a good idea to print out these codes and store them somewhere safe.
On the PlayStation 4, you can set up 2-Step Verification in much the same way as you would on PC, except you’ll need to navigate through the console’s interface to make it work. Head to Settings, then Account Management, then Account Information, Security, and finally, 2-Step Verification. The PlayStation 5’s equivalent to this process is also quite simple. Navigate to Settings, then Users and Accounts, then Security, and finally you can engage 2-Step Verification on your device.
