Audience: Staff

This guide will help you set up the Google Authenticator app for 2-step verification. This 2-step verification method does not require an internet connection or cell service after it has been set up. The 2-step codes will be generated locally, on your phone.
 
The first two steps of this guide require an internet connection. The first step requires you to download the Google Authenticator app to your phone and log in, and the second step requires that you are already logged in to your laptop.

Step 1: On Your Phone

First, you will need to install "Google Authenticator" on your iOS or Android device. It is available on the App Store and the Google Play Store. The Google Authenticator app icon is shown below.

Once you've installed Google Authenticator, open up the app and sign in to your BCSC account by tapping "Get started".

Once you're signed in and see the screen that's shown below, it's now time to switch to your laptop to enable Google Authenticator.

Step 2: On Your Laptop

Once you're signed in to your laptop and Google Chrome is open. Click your profile icon in the top right of Chrome, as highlighted below. A menu will appear. Click "Manage your Google Account" from said menu.

At the Google account page, click on the "Security & sign-in" tab on the left side of the screen, as shown below.

Once you're on the Security tab, scroll down to the "How you sign in to Google" section, then click "2-Step Verification".

After clicking the 2-Step Verification option, you'll be taken to this screen. Scroll down and click on the "Authenticator" option.

Once you're at the Authenicator screen, click the "+ Set up authenticator" button that's highlighted in the image below.

After clicking on the "+ Set up authenticator" button, a box with a QR code should appear. This is when you need to go back to your phone and open up Google Authenticator to scan the QR code.

Now, back on your phone, open up Google Authenticator, and you should see the screen shown below. Tap the “Add a code” button or the multicolored plus in the bottom right corner.

On the next screen, tap the “Scan a QR Code” option, and it will ask to use your camera to scan the QR code displayed on your computer.

After scanning the QR code, the app will take you back to the home screen, where it will now display the 6-digit Authenticator code. The code changes every minute, and the circle to the right shows the remaining time for the code.

Back on your computer, click the “Next” button on the QR code screen, and you'll see the screen shown below. This is where you will enter the 6-digit code from Google Authenticator to verify that it was scanned correctly. 

Once you've entered the code into the “Enter Code” box, click the “Verify” button in the bottom right, and you will have added Google Authenticator as a 2-step verification method.

Step 3: When Logging In

When you log in to your laptop, you will enter your email address and password as usual.

If you have a security key or have signed into a Google app using your BCSC account, you will be prompted to use those 2-step verification methods first. To use Google Authenticator as your 2-step verification method, scroll down and click the "Try another way" option, as shown below. This will let you select which 2-step verification method you want to use.

If you don't have a security key or have never signed in to a Google app with your BCSC account, you should already be at the Google Authenticator screen and can skip this step.

In this case, you would select “Get a verification code from the Google Authenticator app,” which has a QR code icon next to it.

You should now be on the Google Authenticator code screen, as shown below. This is where you will open the Google Authenticator app and enter the code displayed there. Reminder that the code changes every minute, so make sure you enter the current code.

You should now be able to log in using Google Authenticator as a 2-step verification method. Please enter an iiQ ticket if you need any further assistance.