Service setup
Set up a GitHub authenticator and save recovery codes
Enable two-factor authentication, scan the setup QR and store recovery codes. Get the sign-in basics in place for your developer account.
Open GitHub's Password and authentication settings, enroll a TOTP authenticator and confirm a generated code. Save recovery codes afterward, and check organization requirements for work accounts.
In this article
Personal account or enterprise-managed account?
Personal accounts and enterprise-managed identities do not necessarily share the same security controls. Check whether you can manage methods yourself or must use an organizational identity provider.
Also inventory the browser and development tools you use. A web verification code is not a personal access token or an SSH key, and it should not be substituted for either.
Add the authenticator and enter its code in GitHub
In GitHub Settings, use Password and authentication to configure a TOTP method and confirm the generated code back at GitHub.
Both the QR and manual setup key are sensitive. Label the entry with the relevant GitHub account so personal and work identities are not confused.
Download and store recovery codes
Save the recovery codes provided by GitHub somewhere beyond this device alone. A general photo library can expose material through screen sharing or unrelated photo synchronization.
Review available backup methods as well. Keep a working method while setting up a replacement, and avoid voluntarily discarding every signed-in session during troubleshooting.
Finish GitHub sign-in in your browser
If you use GitHub on a computer, add the entry to the Authenticator Cloud extension. Find the matching username and copy or fill its code on supported pages without switching to your phone.
With Pro, sign into the same account in the app and extension and complete a sync to access the entry on your phone too. Label multiple GitHub accounts by username to distinguish work and personal use.
References
See the official guides above for detailed setup instructions.
Label personal and work entries in Authenticator Cloud so the right code is easy to find.
