Keep a recovery code safely
What those ten codes are for, and where they belong.
A recovery code is a spare way in, for the day the phone that receives your codes is lost or replaced.
Each works once. They belong on paper, because they must not live on the phone they replace.
Key points
- A recovery code is a one-time spare way in when the phone cannot help
- Keep them on paper, away from the device they are there to replace
What to remember
- A spare key inside the locked house is no spare key.
- Paper survives the day the phone does not.
Try this
Look in your email account’s security settings for backup or recovery codes. Print a set and file it.
Practice: Keep a recovery code safely. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.