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Set Up Two-Factor Authentication for cPanel

Your hosting account requires two-factor authentication. You add it to an authenticator app once, and from then on you log in with your password plus a six-digit code from the app.

What I send you

When I create your hosting account, I turn on two-factor authentication for it and send you your hosting details through a secure, one-time link. Open that link soon, because it expires. It includes:

  • Your cPanel username and password
  • Your two-factor setup key: a long string of letters and numbers
  • Any other details for your account, such as your SSH port

The setup key is not a login code

The setup key is what you type into your authenticator app, once, to add your hosting account. You never type it into cPanel. The app then creates a new six-digit login code every 30 seconds, and that code is what cPanel asks for.

Step 1: Install an authenticator app

Any app that creates one-time login codes works. Google Authenticator is one free option (iPhone, Android). Microsoft Authenticator works too, and so do most password managers. If you already use one of these for other accounts, use the same app.

Step 2: Add your hosting account with the setup key

1
Add a new account in the app
In Google Authenticator, tap +. Other apps call it "Add account" or "Add code".
2
Choose to enter a key by hand
Pick Enter a setup key (some apps say "Enter code manually" or "Enter key"). You won't be scanning a QR code.
3
Name it and paste the key
Give it a name you'll recognize, like "Website hosting". Paste the setup key exactly as I sent it. If the app asks for a type, choose Time based.
4
Save it
The app now shows a six-digit code that changes every 30 seconds. That means it worked.

Step 3: Log in to cPanel

1
Go to your cPanel login
Open https://spencer-taylor.com:2083 in your browser. Bookmark it so it's easy to find next time.
2
Enter your username and password
Use the cPanel username and password from your hosting details.
3
Enter the six-digit code
Open your authenticator app and type the current code for your hosting account. If it's about to change, wait for the next one.

Keep your access safe

  • If you use a password manager, save your cPanel password and the setup key there.
  • Never share a six-digit code with anyone. I will never ask you for one.
  • Got a new phone? Add the account to the authenticator app on the new phone before you reset the old one.
  • Lost your phone, or the code isn't accepted? Contact me and I'll help you get back in.

Code not working?

Almost every rejected code comes down to the clock. The codes depend on the time, so check that your phone sets its date and time automatically. If it does and codes still fail, delete the account from the app, add it again with the setup key, and try the newest code.

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